Others want and need to learn from you. Don't be afraid to ask for help. Bring in an outside facilitator from time to time to gain perspective on your process. We have done this in each of our collaborations. In every case we watched what seemed like boulders of misunderstanding melt like ice cubes in the sun.
Successful collaborations are worth the effort.
They break down barriers to reaching goals. They eliminate duplication. They provide access to new resources. They accomplish significantly more than the sum of what either could have done alone. They create lasting positive change.