Collaborate to Compete

Two former Walt Disney Imagineering leaders and designers take on a major gap in team leadership: the lack of a reliable method for collaboration that consistently drives success, innovation, and efficient problem-solving while also minimizing burnout and interpersonal friction. Drawing on their experience at Walt Disney Imagineering and additional work with companies such as Sony, Heineken, and Mattel, Tricia Cerrone and Edward J. van Luinen, Ed.D share a practical approach leaders can apply in any industry, on any team, right away. At Disney, Tricia and Edward were tasked with co-leading a global high-stakes, multi-year initiative across 120+ disciplines; in the process of uniting creative, technical, and operational teams around shared outcomes, they developed and later refined the collaborative leadership skills and repeatable method presented in this book. Their simple, human approach centers on five everyday behaviors—Generosity, Resourcefulness, Co-Creation, Action, and Gratitude—guided by Noble Purpose and an Instant Implementation Roadmap. The result is a clear, step-by-step way to build trust, unlock ideas, move faster, and sustain energy without new software, restructures, or big budgets. And the ripple effects are powerful: greater innovation, faster decisions, healthier culture, organic professional growth, more resilient people, stronger ROI, and higher engagement. Inside you'll get: A repeatable method that fits any leadership style or team structure. Stories and examples from Disney and beyond that show the method in action. Immediate techniques for safer teams, better brainstorms, quicker pilots, and meaningful recognition. A plan to scale collaboration and overcome common barriers like ego, silos, and burnout.