Collaboration

Four Stages of Collaboration 

Collaboration provides an opportunity and a challenge to bring people together in ways that are more than the sum of individuals.

Stage 1: Envision Results by Working Individual-to-Individual 

• Bringing People Together (challenge 1A) - You need to have an initiator; choose potential members; invite participation. It takes time. 
• Enhancing Trust (challenge 1B) - Choosing a convener; holding effective meetings; involving everyone in the meetings; disclose self-interest.
• Confirming Our Vision (challenge 1C) - Writing a vision statement that captures the focus 
• Specify Desired Results (challenge 1D) – thinking strategically and taking strategic action. 

Stage 2: Empower ourselves by working Individual-to-Organization 

• Confirming Organizational Rolls (challenge 2A) - Documenting progress; obtaining authority within the home organization; secure letters of commitment; clarify authority within collaboration. 
• Resolving Conflicts (challenge 2B) – Expect conflicts; clarify the issues; create a conflict resolution process; resolve the unresolvable. 
• Organize the Effort (challenge 2C) – Form a structure; determine roles;decide about staffing; secure resources. 
• Support the Members (challenge 2D) – Establish a decision-making protocol; create a communications plan; reward members in the collaboration; reward other people. 

Stage 3: Ensure success by working Organization-to-Organization 

• Manage the Work (challenge 3A) – Review the vision and desired results; lay out an action plan; create accountability standards; build collaborative work habits. 
• Create Joint Systems (challenge 3B) - decide degree of closeness; create and approve joint agreements; make needed organizational changes. 
• Evaluate the Results (challenge 3C) – value evaluation; create an evaluation plan; continually improve the work. 
• Renew the Effort (challenge 3D) – promote adaptability and flexibility; retire appropriate members; add new members; celebrate. 

Stage 4: Endow Continuity by working Collaboration-to Community 

• Create Visibility (challenge 4A) - Convey an image; promote the results. 
• Involve the Community (Challenge 4B) – teach the value of collaboration; bring diverse interests together; build leadership; hold public forums. 
• Change the System (Challenge 4C) – Understand the present system; plan changes in the system; begin to change the system. 
• End the Collaboration (challenge 4D) – understand the need for an ending;create ending rituals. 

Source:Collaboration Handbook; Creating, Sustaining, and Enjoying the Journey. By Michael Winer and Karen Ray (2012)