Break Through To Yes: Unlocking the Possible within a Culture of Collaboration: Updated and Revised Edition

David B. Savage’s Break Through To Yes provides the key for real success— collaboration!
—Marshall Goldsmith, Thinkers 50 #1 Leadership Thinker in the World and Top 5 Management Thinker 2015.

KIRKUS REVIEW Break Through To Yes:  Unlocking the Possible within a Culture of Collaboration
A book thoroughly examines the power of successful collaborations.
Canadian collaboration expert Savage (a contributor to Ready, Aim, Excel, 2012) offers a work that couldn’t be more timely. While it addresses organizational collaboration, this book could be interpreted more broadly as a treatise on building a cooperative culture within families, groups, businesses, and government. In a collection of concise chapters, Savage leads the reader through a discussion of the meaning and value of collaboration. The author supplements his own experiences over more than four decades with extensive quotes from experts and results from surveys that he conducted; in effect, he collaborated far and wide to garner input for this volume. Part One lays the groundwork by first exploring reasons for collaboration, why it fails, and what is required for effective collaboration. Part Two explores “The Discipline of Collaboration,” addressing such issues as why collaboration is misunderstood, how to involve stakeholders, and why the practice demands “opening the mind…opening the heart…and opening the will.” This section also delivers a useful assessment tool to determine the state of an organization’s “collaborative ecosystem.” In Part Three, Savage provides a comprehensive road map via 10 specific steps for implementing organizational collaboration. Beginning with “Step 1: Set Intention and Declare Your Purpose,” and concluding with “Step 10: Make It So: Positively Change the Energy and the Future Together,” the book systematically details each step and then summarizes to facilitate implementation. Part Four (“Break Through”) offers a discussion of circles and teams and explains the rise of the “Chief Collaboration Officer” as a senior position, which, Savage writes, is “the greatest advance in organizational productivity in the knowledge economy.” This engaging volume’s Appendices contain additional worthy information, including quotes from experts (from Bryce Medd/Wealthy Tortoise Financial, British Columbia: “In the financial services realm, if the intention is to create one plan, a roadmap for a client, then only by collaboration can all of the various disciplines come together for the best interest of the client”). The Appendices also include an itemized list of “roadblocks to collaboration,” and vital lessons the author has learned from some less-than-successful collaborative engagement startups. Highly readable, informative, and well-organized, this insightful work acts as a short-form textbook on the best practices in collaboration. 
A valuable volume for the senior leader of any group, business, or organization who wants to build a collaborative culture.

A book on Collaborative Leadership must be collaborative. That is why Savage includes the wisdom of over 100 advisors from around the world in Break Through To Yes.

Part One: PART ONE: Why I Believe in the Urgency of Collaboration

PART TWO: The Discipline of Collaboration

PART THREE: The 10 Essential Steps to Collaboration

PART FOUR: Break Through

Appendix A: Wisdom from My Advisers on Why Collaborate

Appendix B: Roadblocks to Collaboration

Appendix C: Wisdom From My Advisors

Appendix D: Collaboration, The Rainforest, and Disruptive Technology

David B. Savage, BA (Econ), PLand, CPCC Collaboration, Business Development, and Negotiation Specialist Savage Management Ltd. david@davidbsavage.com 403-466-5577 www.davidbsavage.com David brings 42+ years expertise, experience, and leadership in oil and gas, renewable energy, healthcare, entrepreneurship, stakeholder engagement and conflict management. Over a ten-year period, David and partners collaborated to develop 5 companies and 4 not for profits. Since 2007, Savage Management has focused on build capacity, innovation and accountability in people and in and between organizations and communities. David Savage works with leaders and organizations to advance their success through collaboration, negotiation, conflict resolution, and business development. CORE COMPETENCIES: Negotiations and Agreement Building, Business Development, Acquisitions, Management Consulting, Strategic Planning & Execution, Sustainability Engagement and Organizational Development, Management Leadership and Team Building, Stakeholder Engagement, Business Development, Conflict Management, Executive and Team Coaching plus 360 Leadership Assessments. Getting the right people, in the right places, with the right systems and right resources to collaborate, innovate and figure out challenges together is the best way. And, if that is not possible, then guiding the parties to the right people, principles, processes, and systems to ensure everyone's interests are heard and considered is the goal. KEY CORPORATE EXPERIENCE:  Savage Management, President, (founder, 1993 to present, private, consulting, oil and gas management, coaching, leadership and negotiation training, negotiation mastery circles and leader round tables, conflict resolution and collaboration assessments),  Collaborative Global Initiative, (cofounder, 2013 to present, international collaborative design and systems, facilitation, multi-stakeholder organization engagement, integrative discovery, coaching and training)  Think SUSTAIN Ability, President, (cofounder, 2012 to present, private, consulting, thought leader round tables and facilitation),  Oil and natural gas; Marmac Mines Ltd., Sebring Energy, Vice President, Business Development, TriQuest Energy, Vice President, Business Development, Sommer Energy, Senior Vice President, BXL Energy, Vice President, Joint Ventures and Land, Westar Petroleum, Chief Operating Officer and Director, Total Petroleum, Ashland Oil, Bank of Montreal, Bank of Commerce (1974 to 1980). VOLUNTEERING David's recent volunteer Director positions include ?aq'am (St. Mary's Indian Band) Community Enterprises (part of the Ktunaxa First Nation of BC), the Canadian Association of Professional Speakers (Calgary) and the Heart and Stroke Foundation Alberta, Nunavut and NWT. David is, also, an active volunteer for the Petroleum Joint Venture Association, the Canadian Association of Petroleum Landmen, the TransCanada Trail, Trails BC, and Rotary International. David served as President of the Petroleum Joint Venture Association 1991/92 and is an Honorary Life Member. David was awarded the Distinguished Citizen Award by CAPL in 2003.