Syndicom

The Great Gunny Gorge Goof- Collaboration to the Rescue

Last weekend I joined up with some of my favorite people in the world to run the Gunnsion Gorge- a black rock canyon filled with clear, cold, tumbling water. The pools and rapids make for excellent fun in a boat, and river otter, big horned sheep, and other families of charismatic megafauna frequent the scene.

My fellow travelers were people I worked with in the water field (my former non-profit life), who plug away at education, advocacy, conservation, restoration, and monitoring projects all over the US. In speaking with them about current issues, I was reminded about how collaboration plays a huge role in their efforts- meetings, phone calls, grant proposals, and events involving government agencies, local constituents, foundations, and industry stakeholders.

As a result of this constant interaction, these people are excellent communicators. They know when to listen, speak, add humor, and set boundaries in working toward objectives- all important ingredients in any collaborative process.

While working our way down the river, one of our members “wrapped” her raft around a large rock in the river. It was a potentially dangerous situation- pressure from pillows of water flowing downstream stuck Barb’s boat fast, but she was pinned in a relatively safe place.

Our group sprang into action, pulling out wrap kits (rope pulley systems), making sure Barb and her passenger were safe, and sending a lookout upstream to signal anyone floating down to stop. Barb was in good spirits, and as we worked with ropes, throw bags, and anchors the group exchanged jokes, encouragement, small celebrations of a properly thrown rope, and other light banter.

After 20 minutes of rigging and a few moments of pulling, her boat came free. Cheers rang through the canyon and I was instantly reminded of what experts they were at working together on a common goal, even in a sticky situation.

To me, this is collaboration at its best. When we packed up the ropes and headed downstream, I reflected on the many applications of Syndicom’s Connect communities and we discussed how our platform, or similar tools, could facilitate the collaboration that takes place in the water world.

Though an internet solution wouldn’t be instantly useful in rescue situations such as the Gunny Gorge Goof, the constant collaboration that takes place in the non-corporate world would greatly benefit from the application of Syndicom’s tools. And who knows- all that collaboration practice just might prove valuable in future rescue scenarios.

Tags: collaboration, Colorado, communication, Durango, non profit, rafting, river trips, team work