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Writer's pictureKhiem Nguyen

How Collaboration Catalyzes Change

Written by Khiem Nguyen, Biomedicine Students' Society Treasurer


A dark blue stock photo showing a web-like etwork

 

I’m never satisfied when it comes to music. Despite my playlist having 3000 songs from various genres, I shuffle Spotify’s personalized ‘Discover Weekly’ playlist on occasion to broaden my taste with new tracks.


Ironically, when Discover Weekly was first pitched within Spotify, co-founder and CEO Daniel Ek 'didn't get why it was special'. Nevertheless, he let his team continue working on the concept. In 2015, after it gained momentum, he approved its release. To this day, it arguably remains Spotify’s ‘flagship feature’.


Reading about this anecdote in Polina Pompliano’s wonderful book, Hidden Genius, made me wonder whether Discover Weekly would exist at all were it not for collaboration between all parties - Ek's ability to listen and evaluate combined with his staff's ability to ideate and develop.


The importance of environments where any individual, regardless of identity and status, can profoundly contribute to progress, cannot be overstated. The Biomedicine Students’ Society, for me, is one such environment.


 

The very idea for this blog was borne out of inspired serendipity, during my discussions with current Second Year Representative Cameron Lou.


We were brainstorming ways to add substance and personality to the website. Cameron drew on his experience writing for his high school's editorial magazine to suggest a blog segment. That Eureka moment was truly a turning point, from which Cameron and I came up with a plethora of potential posts (this was one of them).


Writer Danny Oak refers to these pleasant Eurekas as 'outsourced epiphanies'. They are ubiquitous in 'cultures of collaboration' where individuals act as 'sounding boards' for each other, freely exchanging ideas and knowledge, and applying them as leverage for subsequent progress.


Why does a culture of collaboration maximize the value of outsourced epiphanies? When working on a project by yourself, you can eventually be limited by your own thoughts and opinions, putting a ceiling on how much can be achieved. However, if you outsource parts of the project to others, they can collaborate by inputting their unique perspective towards it - a perspective that does not wholly overlap with yours. Their novel epiphanies in turn expand your scope, the project's ceiling rises exponentially, and Bob's your uncle.


Could you recall an occasion where an outsourced epiphany has occurred to you? It feels fulfilling, doesn't it?


I used to struggle greatly in working together with other people and getting ideas through to them. Group tasks were my Achilles heel. I put too much pressure on myself to complete these tasks solo, and regularly faltered. Not being part of a culture of collaboration lowered my morale and productivity.


Becoming a Second Year Representative for the BSS in late 2022 changed this significantly. I joined a reliable network of Biomedicine students bouncing innovation and Eureka moments off each other. My performance skyrocketed with my colleagues' assistance and motivation, and theirs with mine.


There's a noticeable difference in one's mindset and output with and without outsourced epiphanies. That's why they feel so fulfilling.


Regardless, it must be noted that the BSS maintains a leadership structure, from Co-Presidents to Executives to First- and Second-Year Representatives. In terms of impactful collaboration, how much does this really matter?


 

From its launch in 2008, Daniel Ek has overseen Spotify's meteoric rise to become by far the most popular music streaming platform worldwide with 210 million paid subscribers. The runner-up, Apple Music, have 88 million.


Statistics such as these might make some ponder the power Ek wields over the company to achieve this success. On the other hand, too much authority comes at the sacrifice of staff satisfaction and productivity. How much is enough, such that satisfaction and success can co-exist?


Traditionally, companies have followed a pyramidal hierarchy which demarcates influential authorities at the top from subservient employees at the bottom.


Left to its own devices, this structure stifles collaboration. Ideas only come from the top, a much smaller area than the bottom. Lower-ranked staff have a limited say in organizational matters and thus their ideas, no matter how brilliant, lose their traction. Higher-ranked officials are too busy exercising control to listen. Outsourced epiphanies fall into the abyss of unfulfilled potential.


With this sort of hierarchy, Ek remarks he would have abandoned Discover Weekly, much to the chagrin of his staff and 210 million musical aficionados.


Fortunately, many modern organizations realize these detriments and are pivoting, or have pivoted, towards a more egalitarian environment. Steve Jobs succinctly addresses: "The best ideas have to win. Otherwise, good people don’t stay."


The best ideas have to win or collaboration isn't effective.


Egalitarianism in the workplace involves individuals of all positions being put on a level playing field, where they are freer to listen to others' ideas and express their own. This demonstrates altruism, humility and vulnerability, values sorely lacking in a traditional hierarchy. Instead of a static pyramid, we get a dynamic web-like network which allows insights to accumulate and multiply. Instead of competition, we get compound interest.

Difference between Static Pyramid and Dynamic Network


In my opinion, the egalitarian atmosphere the BSS upholds lays the groundwork for every committee member to thrive.


When it comes to collaboration, no one at the BSS is above anyone else. Instead, everyone is above their own limitations, and everyone goes above and beyond for the betterment of the society as a whole. Our Co-Presidents are happy to listen to and implement the feedback of a First Year Representative, and vice versa.


Importantly, this is not to downplay the administrative roles of our Co-Presidents and Executives. On a LinkedIn post, Ek refers to being CEO as "curator-like" where he "puts together pieces of a puzzle" (e.g. integrating Discover Weekly onto Spotify). By embracing this role, leaders worldwide can gently guide their teams in the right direction without exerting excessive and conspicuous control. Simultaneously, team members can maintain their freedom to think and transform. It's a win-win situation.


A year after being elected as Second Year Representative, I transitioned to my current Executive position of Treasurer. On paper, the latter is higher up in our leadership structure. I've got more things to do and more responsibility to do them. Despite this, I am still part of the ideation network, and in both positions, I remain equally capable of collaborating meaningfully.


Hierarchy shouldn't be abolished completely, but it should be regulated. Collaboration should occur in spite of it, and not be deteriorated because of it.


 

Upon great introspection of the impact BSS has had on me, I couldn't think of a more fitting theme for the inaugural post of this blog.


I am eternally grateful to my fellow committee members for challenging and improving my ideas without looking down on them. You all have helped me realize my potential as a contributor of positive change.


This blog couldn't be possible without you. I sincerely hope that for years to come, it will be a hub of serendipitous collaboration, where outsourced epiphanies reign supreme.


And to all fellow readers: if you're stuck in a mental rut and want to escape; if you're working on something and not making much progress; or if you're looking for the next step to elevate your endeavors - remember that others can offer common ground and cooperativeness to carry you forward. They can spur you on to be a difference maker in the world. Their insights can become music to your ears.

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mila
Feb 28
Rated 5 out of 5 stars.

So well-written Khiem! Remember us when you become a famous author.

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bssocietyuom
Feb 28
Replying to

Appreciate it Mila! Taking autographs :)

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