Importance of Collaboration

Yesterday, the United States officially left the World Health Organization (WHO). For the first time since 1948, the country that was a founding member of WHO and was its single largest funder has stepped away from the global health table. What does this actually mean? • The US has halted all government funding and withdrawn its staff from WHO offices and technical bodies. • WHO loses roughly 15–20% of its budget at a time when it is already overstretched by pandemics, climate‑related health threats, conflicts, and fragile health systems. • The US is exiting key WHO‑coordinated platforms, including global influenza and emerging‑pathogen surveillance systems that guide vaccine strain selection and early outbreak alerts. Why does this matter for the world? • Health threats do not respect borders; when a major actor walks away from coordinated surveillance, early warning and response become slower and more fragmented for everyone. • Low‑ and middle‑income countries that depend on WHO’s technical assistance, stockpiles, and convening power will feel the budget cuts first, even though they had no say in this national decision. • Other funders will try to fill the gap, but money alone cannot instantly replace decades of US technical presence, partnerships, and influence inside WHO processes. For countries like Nigeria, this is a reminder that: • Global health governance is fragile; over‑reliance on a small number of donor countries is risky for long‑term programmes like polio transition, immunisation, and pandemic preparedness. • There is a stronger case than ever to invest in regional bodies (like Africa CDC and West African Health Organization), domestic surveillance systems, and home‑grown manufacturing and research capacity. The world still needs a space where countries share data, agree on standards, and coordinate responses to outbreaks and health emergencies. #GlobalHealth #WHO #PublicHealth #HealthDiplomacy #PandemicPreparedness #PublicHealthInformation

As Forrester notes, "ABM is not a marketing tactic; it's a business strategy." Everyone needs to participate in this effort. It's not just sales and marketing; it's everyone working together.  This is where #RevOps comes in. It promotes cross-functional alignment, bringing all relevant teams together. Too often, #ABM teams often work separately. Marketing creates campaigns and sales chase leads. But what about customer success with their direct-to-customer insights? Or product development, tailoring features for key accounts? Even finance and legal streamlining contracts can contribute to a personalized experience. This collaboration is crucial to any ABM's success. It means: ✔️ Breaking down silos,  ✔️Sharing data,  ✔️Creating shared goals,  ✔️And promoting open communication. Unlike different departments working separately, RevOps also makes the customer's experience seamless. And everyone needs to know what stage the customer is at and how their work helps. This is hard work and requires everyone to think differently with support from the top and open communication. But what do you get?  Much better ABM results, especially when the entire company aligns with RevOps, helping to connect the dots. What are the biggest alignment challenges in your organization? #b2bmarketing #marketingstrategy

IN HEALTH EMERGENCIES, NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS IS THE BASIS FOR GLOBAL PREPAREDNESS. COVID hit us all, but how can we ensure countries do not forget the valuable lessons learned and translate them into practical ways to be better prepared for future health emergencies? This week, the first voluntary Member State led Global Peer Review took place in Geneva, to share and get feedback on key lessons learned at the earlier national level phase of the Universal Health Preparedness Review (UHPR). During the review, countries shared their national experiences, findings, challenges, and priorities. This week, CAR, Portugal and Thailand presented their national findings, challenges, and priorities, in an open, respectful, and transparent dialogue and peer to peer learning, rather than blame and shame. For example, although CAR lacked some of the more sophisticated health facilities, what it did have was a very strong community- based care system. Having recently faced and tested their early warning alert and response systems e.g. during SARS and H1N1 outbreaks, Thailand offered to help other countries and wanted to see a stronger participation in UHPR on a regional level, with bordering countries and countries with similar disease risks, and strengthening cross border health measures. Portugal spoke about challenges in terms of equitable access to health care for migrants and refugees. Like other countries, they found it helpful that the UHPR process involved all relevant ministries, and stakeholders including CSOs and the private sector. They said they were happy to share lessons learned with other countries from the region and globally, especially with Lusophone countries around the world (e.g. Mozambique, Angola, Brazil). As health security affects us all, the UHPR Global Peer Review builds on an earlier national level process, which brings all relevant ministries, civil society, private sector together, led by highest level of government as health security affects us all. For example, in Sierra Leone, the President recognized the needs and even without additional external financial resources, was able to accelerate progress by reallocating existing resources. Thailand used its existing vibrant UHC platform to respond to the UHPR findings. WHO Director General, Dr Tedros also came to the meeting to hear countries share their concluding views and recommendations to each other. He thanked the Member States for their continued support to the UHPR, highlighting that national preparedness is the basis for global preparedness. The meeting concluded with an open invitation from Member States and WHO to join the UHPR process, to keep everyone better prepared and safe in future health emergencies.

CEPI and WHO urge broader #research strategy for countries to prepare for the next #pandemic. The CEPI (Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations) and the World Health Organization (WHO) called on researchers and governments to strengthen and accelerate global research to prepare for the next pandemic They emphasized the importance of expanding research to encompass entire families of #pathogens that can infect humans–regardless of their perceived pandemic risk–as well as focusing on individual pathogens The approach proposes using prototype pathogens as guides or pathfinders to develop the knowledge base for entire pathogen families At the Global Pandemic Preparedness Summit 2024 held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, WHO R&D Blueprint for Epidemics issued a report urging a broader-based approach by researchers and countries This approach aims to create broadly applicable knowledge, tools and #countermeasures that can be rapidly adapted to #emerging #threats This strategy also aims to speed up #surveillance and research to understand how pathogens transmit and #infect #humans and how the #immune #system responds to them The report’s authors likened its updated recommendation to imagining #scientists as individuals searching for lost keys on a street (the next pandemic pathogen) The area illuminated by the streetlight represents well-studied pathogens with known pandemic potential. By researching prototype pathogens, we can expand the lighted area, gaining knowledge and understanding of pathogen families that might currently be in the dark. The dark spaces in this metaphor include many regions of the world, particularly resource-scarce settings with high biodiversity, which are still under monitored and understudied. These places might harbor novel pathogens but lack the infrastructure and resources to conduct comprehensive research The prioritization work underpinning the report involved over 200 scientists from more than 50 countries, who evaluated the #science and evidence on 28 #virus families and one core group of #bacteria, encompassing 1652 pathogens. The #epidemic and pandemic risk was determined by considering available information on #transmission patterns, #virulence, and availability of #diagnostic #tests, #vaccines, and #treatments    CEPI and WHO also called for globally coordinated, #collaborative research to prepare for potential pandemics History teaches us that the next pandemic is a matter of when, not if. It also teaches us the importance of science and political resolve in blunting its impact,” said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO DG. We need that same combination of science and political resolve to come together as we prepare for the next pandemic. Advancing our knowledge of the many pathogens that surround us is a global project requiring the participation of scientists from every country https://lnkd.in/ehrFV87i

Don't go it alone - collaborate to deliver global impact with your research! Delighted to share findings from our newly published pilot-scale study on CO₂ capture heat integration. It's exciting not only because of new approach to reducing the reboiler duty by 6% and cooling duty by 24%, resulting in operating cost savings of CO2 capture. It's exciting because it proves that collaboration is essential for credible, impactful research. Our team brought together multi-institutional expertise, industrial partners, and real-world site access on a coal-fired power plant. This work was possible because this collaboration enabled: - Access to infrastructure - Operating a mobile pilot on a live power plant requires partnerships beyond any single lab. - Data rigour - Validating marginal energy gains demanded cross-disciplinary expertise, including thermodynamics, advanced data reconciliation, and process engineering. - Industrial validation - Co-developing with site operators built credibility and practical insight from day one. - Diverse expertise - Chemistry + engineering + simulation + field operations. Individual researchers miss insights that teams can easily identify. The lesson: Impact = great ideas + rigorous execution + real-world validation. Collaboration is how you deliver all three. If you're pursuing energy research with genuine traction, treat collaboration as a core strategy, not optional. Build networks early. Your best work will come from teams you haven't yet assembled. #science #research #scientist #researcher #professor #phd #CCUS #engineering

80% of startup co-founder relationships fail within the first 3 years. But it's rarely about skills. Most founders pick cofounders based on technical abilities - the best engineer, the smartest salesperson, or the most experienced operator. Big mistake. Because in a startup, it's not skills that break teams - it's misalignment. Here's the truth: ▶︎ 1. Skills won't save you when things go sideways Every startup hits a wall. And in those moments, it's not your CTO's tech stack that matters - it's whether they take accountability or point fingers. ▶︎ 2. Misaligned values create silent resentment I've seen cofounders fight over small decisions. Not because of the decisions - but because one cared about impact, the other cared about money. That difference doesn't show up in pitch meetings. It shows up in year 2, when one wants to raise, and the other wants to exit. ▶︎ 3. Communication styles make or break momentum One founder I worked with made every decision via Slack. His cofounder wanted to talk through everything in person. Same vision. Same goals. Total friction. Startups die from miscommunication, not market failure. ▶︎ 4. Habits matter more than resumes Early bird vs. night owl. Builder vs. brainstormer. Chaos vs. structure. None of these are wrong - until they collide in a 14-hour sprint to get a demo ready. ▶︎ 5. Vision drift is real - and dangerous Your cofounder isn't just helping you build a product. They're helping you build your life. If you don't agree on what that life looks like, you're heading toward a split. So yes, skills are important. But when I work with early-stage founders, I always say: Pick someone you can survive hard days with. Because those are the days that actually test your company. What's one non-negotiable you'd look for in a cofounder - beyond skills? #entrepreneurship #startup #funding

Too often, I’ve been in a meeting where everyone agreed collaboration was essential—yet when it came to execution, things stalled. Silos persisted, friction rose, and progress felt painfully slow. A recent Harvard Business Review article highlights a frustrating truth: even the best-intentioned leaders struggle to work across functions. Why? Because traditional leadership development focuses on vertical leadership (managing teams) rather than lateral leadership (influencing peers across the business). The best cross-functional leaders operate differently. They don’t just lead their teams—they master LATERAL AGILITY: the ability to move side to side, collaborate effectively, and drive results without authority. The article suggests three strategies on how to do this: (1) Think Enterprise-First. Instead of fighting for their department, top leaders prioritize company-wide success. They ask: “What does the business need from our collaboration?” rather than “How does this benefit my team?” (2) Use "Paradoxical Questions" to Avoid Stalemates. Instead of arguing over priorities, they find a way to win together by asking: “How can we achieve my objective AND help you meet yours?” This shifts the conversation from turf battles to solutions. (3) “Make Purple” Instead of Pushing a Plan. One leader in the article put it best: “I bring red, you bring blue, and together we create purple.” The best collaborators don’t show up with a fully baked plan—they co-create with others to build trust and alignment. In my research, I’ve found that curiosity is so helpful in breaking down silos. Leaders who ask more questions—genuinely, not just performatively—build deeper trust, uncover hidden constraints, and unlock creative solutions. - Instead of assuming resistance, ask: “What constraints are you facing?” - Instead of pushing a plan, ask: “How might we build this together?” - Instead of guarding your function’s priorities, ask: “What’s the bigger picture we’re missing?” Great collaboration isn’t about power—it’s about perspective. And the leaders who master it create workplaces where innovation thrives. Which of these strategies resonates with you most? #collaboration #leadership #learning #skills https://lnkd.in/esC4cfjS

The current pandemic accord negotiations seek to ensure that the next pandemic response is stronger than the last because of more joint efforts on pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response. The path to success is proving rocky, but leaders need to keep on it. Global coordination and cooperation can save and protect millions of lives. All our safety - of people in both wealthy and poor countries alike - depends completely on enabling a fast, fair, and safe response to the next pandemic. For leaders around the world to protect their own citizens from pandemics, the best defense comes from a coordinated approach that protects people in other countries too—starting with ensuring that the science and medical advancements that will keep people safe are shared expeditiously and equitably. As we have learned from HIV and COVID, infectious diseases know no borders - and our approach to fighting them needs to match that. Working together is the only way to stay safe. The World Must Coordinate Now to Prevent the Next Pandemic - pleased to share my latest op-ed with Chelsea Clinton, via Newsweek https://lnkd.in/dbUv9zRN

Are we realising the potential of our networks to make change happen? Most innovation emerges from collaborative projects where teams openly “borrow” & adapt each other’s (often small but powerful) ideas. Many networks & communities of practice could achieve so much more by experimenting together around collective priorities to generate & share new solutions. This is beyond spreading known “best” or “good” practices. It is about innovating to design new solutions collectively. So I appreciated this piece from Ed Morrison about three different kinds of networks: - Advocacy networks are communities that seek to mobilise people, creating pressure to shift policies, priorities or messages in a particular direction. Their aim is to connect & influence rather than to change how they themselves work. - Learning networks are communities of practice. They share knowledge, compare practice & build shared capability. Learning networks often excel at spread & improvement of existing practice, but only sometimes move into structured innovation work. - Innovating (or transforming) networks are communities that combine their assets - ideas, relationships, data, capabilities - to create new value that none could produce alone. They manage collaboration as a process of experimentation: agreeing a shared outcome, running multiple connected tests of change, learning by doing & amplifying what works across the network. https://lnkd.in/edbbexiG. Every learning network has the potential to become an innovating/transforming network. Some actions to enable this: 1. Build a foundation of strong, trusting relationships within the network, understanding each member’s starting point & motivation for change 2. Focus on helping each other to succeed; listen to each others’ stories & plans, co-coach, give advice to each other & build shared inquiry 3. Move from “sharing” or “raising awareness” to some concrete outcomes the network want to change together through collective experimentation 4. Agree some simple norms for the network so that members help each other to make progress, make it safe to try things, fail fast & share incomplete work 5. Encourage multiple, parallel tests of change around similar outcome so projects can “steal with pride” from one another & quickly refine promising ideas 6. Put simple routines in place for noticing patterns (what is shifting where & why), capturing these insights & amplifying them across the network 7. Add additional success metrics including innovations tested, adapted & adopted in multiple places Graphic by Ed Morrison. Content with added inspiration from June Holley.

𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐛𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬 With a decade of experience, from founding my first business in 2014 to achieving two successful exits, I’ve learned the immense value of collaboration, which we continue to prioritize at X-Shift through partnerships with local and global players. Building strategic business relationships is one of the most pivotal factors in driving business growth, especially in the tech sector. As someone who has navigated this landscape for years, I'd like to share a few invaluable lessons for anyone looking to scale their business through collaboration. 𝟏. 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝: Partnerships give you access to the resources, expertise, and technologies that would otherwise take years to build internally. The right partnership can be the difference between staying stagnant and growing exponentially. 𝟐. 𝐋𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐦𝐞𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐠𝐥𝐨𝐛𝐚𝐥: One of the most powerful lessons I've learned is the value of blending global innovation with local expertise. For instance, at X-Shift, our collaborations with companies like XEBO.ai (Survey2Connect) Exotel or Knowmax allow us to bring cutting-edge technologies and innovation to our region. But it's our deep understanding of the local market that ensures these solutions resonate and succeed. It’s a perfect balance of global insight and local relevance. 𝟑. 𝐓𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐧-𝐧𝐞𝐠𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞: A successful partnership is built on trust and alignment. It’s not just about the technology or the business deals. Shared goals and a common vision create the foundation for long-term, sustainable growth. Without trust, even the most promising collaboration will fall apart. 𝟒. 𝐀𝐝𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐤𝐞𝐲: Stagnation is the enemy of growth. The tech sector evolves fast, and being adaptable helps you stay ahead of the curve. Don’t be afraid to pivot when necessary. 𝟓. 𝐂𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐧-𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐬: The best partnerships are those where both parties walk away better off. Seek out collaborations where both sides gain value, whether it’s through shared technologies, expanded markets, or enhanced capabilities. A partnership should be a journey of mutual growth, not just a transaction. While collaborations offer limitless opportunities, 𝚝𝚑𝚎 key question we must ask ourselves as companies is: have we done great work internally, to position ourselves for success when those collaboration opportunities arise? #collaboration #business #tech #global #saudiarabia #KSA