Here are some first approaches, though, off the top of my head:

1. Sharing obvious ways collaboration has helped others (including yourself)

2. Teaching the necessity of it – I think a spiritual case can be made here

3. Getting them to try it, because benefits pop out pretty quickly, as you and I know

4. Having it modeled by leaders can be helpful, too

5. Creating a felt need for it – whether because they recognize less effectiveness than they’d like, or even because they notice that others are seeing effectiveness they’re not (not just locally, but nationally)

6. Those who are naturally learners might need to collaborate REALLY broadly in order to help others collaborate even SOMEWHAT broadly. For example, if a Crusade leader shares with others how much he’s learned from a InterVarsity guy in Florida, a collegiate church in Pennsylvania, the chaplain of Wheaton College, and a church-based college minister in Texas, those others might at least be willing to learn from another Cru leader across the state…

In general, few of us are very good at this kind of learning. But I have noticed that within college ministry organizations where the methodology is standardized, there seems to be less interest in learning new things (which makes sense, but it’s potentially devastating). I’ve even noticed this playing out as I’ve encountered college ministers around the U.S.: While there are clearly Learners in every organization, ministers in some organizations are far more likely to “pick my brain” about what I’ve seen in college ministry around the U.S..

I also think it’s easier for people to collaborate once they come to see themselves as part of a true vocation / calling / profession. Most college ministers don’t recognize “College Ministry” as a true vocation, so ideas like “professional development” don’t necessarily connect.

But I’d love your thoughts on this, too – What ways do you see could push college ministers towards being better learners / collaborators? This is part of my quest, for sure.

I know it’s not a completely black and white issue, but I think it’s real and I’m wondering how to push us toward a learning/collaborating culture.

Bummer.

You’re right – blogs (along with books and seminars and podcasts and more) can be great platforms for helping learning take place. But because they aren’t really “consumed” widely by those in our field, it’s tough to see them as “profitable,” either in expense or time or effort. So that’s another reason people don’t blog (or publish or whatever) – because they don’t get enough hits (or comments or purchases or listens or whatever).

Chicken and egg. Frustrating. Totally hinders the development of our field.