Regional economic development has long focused on activating existing assets in the region to create economic growth and social prosperity. But there is a tremendous number of assets that go unactivated. The people in a region are the the greatest assets, but we often work to activate only some, not all, of these assets. Equitable and inclusive economic development and growth requires us to pay attention to ALL of the assets, and this week's guest on The Collaborative Effect, Sheila Martin, hopes to make this happen. 

Sheila Martin is founder and principal at Triple Helix Partnerships. Sheila has over 30 years of experience analyzing regional economies and building collaborative capacity within regions. Sheila is committed to equitable economic development and policies that promote social mobility. Learn more about Sheila at the Triple Helix Partnerships website. 

Why is it that when we get stuck in our collaborative work we find it difficult to recognize our situation and break out of it? Instead, we often double down on trying to fix the problems rather than shifting our attention to the opportunities that might be presented by refocusing on new issues and approaches. This kind of shift is what our guest this week, Liz Nilsen, wishes for us and our collaborations. 

Liz Nilsen is associate director of the Agile Strategy Lab at the University of North Alabama. At the Agile Strategy Lab, she creates programs that nurture the next generation of thinkers and doers. Liz is also co-author of the book, Strategic Doing: 10 Skills for Agile Leadership. Learn more about Liz and Strategic Doing at the Strategic Doing website.  

Marjorie Turner Hollman is a writer and editor who loves the outdoors. She’s the author of five walking books focused on helping others, including those with mobility issues, to get out and enjoy the outdoors. When it comes to collaboration, Marjorie believes in interdependence and asking for help, but spreading the net wide so interdependence doesn't become a burden. Learn more about Marjorie and her work at marjorieturner.com.