Collaboration, Coordination Collaboration, Coordination and Cooperation for Actionand Cooperation for Action

Jacqueline N. EppingJacqueline N. EppingState Orientation MeetingState Orientation Meeting

20082008

Distinguishing ElementsDistinguishing Elements

Vision and relationshipVision and relationship

Structure, responsibilities, and Structure, responsibilities, and

communicationcommunication

Authority and accountabilityAuthority and accountability

Resources, risks and rewardsResources, risks and rewards

Characteristics of CooperationCharacteristics of Cooperation

Informal relationshipsInformal relationshipsNo commonly defined mission, structure or No commonly defined mission, structure or

planningplanningInformation shared as neededInformation shared as neededAuthority retained by each organizationAuthority retained by each organizationResources and rewards separateResources and rewards separateNo riskNo risk

Characteristics of CoordinationCharacteristics of Coordination

More formal relationshipsMore formal relationships

Compatible missionsCompatible missions

Some planning and division of rolesSome planning and division of roles

Communication channels are establishedCommunication channels are established

Most authority and accountability with Most authority and accountability with

individual organizationsindividual organizations

Characteristics of Coordination (cont.)Characteristics of Coordination (cont.)

Resources available to participantsResources available to participants

Rewards mutually acknowledged, may be Rewards mutually acknowledged, may be

shared for a specific projectshared for a specific project

Some riskSome risk

Characteristics of CollaborationCharacteristics of Collaboration

o More durable and pervasive relationshipsMore durable and pervasive relationships

o New structure with full commitment to New structure with full commitment to

common missioncommon mission

o Comprehensive planning and formal Comprehensive planning and formal

communication channels on multiple levelscommunication channels on multiple levels

Characteristics of Collaboration (cont.)Characteristics of Collaboration (cont.)

Authority determined by the collaborativeAuthority determined by the collaborative

Resources pooled or jointly securedResources pooled or jointly secured

Products are sharedProducts are shared

Risk is greatRisk is great

A brief exercise….A brief exercise….

Think about a recent, current or proposed Think about a recent, current or proposed joint endeavorjoint endeavorBased on the major distinguishing Based on the major distinguishing elements, is it a cooperative, coordinated elements, is it a cooperative, coordinated or collaborative effort?or collaborative effort?Is it what you thought it was?Is it what you thought it was?Is it what you want it to be?Is it what you want it to be?What would you need to change to make it What would you need to change to make it what you want?what you want?

What makes collaboration successful?What makes collaboration successful?Twenty success factorsTwenty success factors

Six major categoriesSix major categories– EnvironmentEnvironment– Membership characteristicsMembership characteristics– Process and structureProcess and structure– CommunicationsCommunications– PurposePurpose– ResourcesResources

EnvironmentEnvironment

History of collaboration or coordinationHistory of collaboration or coordination

Collaborative group seen as legitimate Collaborative group seen as legitimate

leader, reliable and competentleader, reliable and competent

Favorable political and social climateFavorable political and social climate

Membership CharacteristicsMembership Characteristics

Mutual respect, understanding and trustMutual respect, understanding and trust

Appropriate cross-section of membersAppropriate cross-section of members

Members see collaboration as in their self Members see collaboration as in their self

interestinterest

Ability to compromise to reach consensusAbility to compromise to reach consensus

Process and structureProcess and structure

Members feel ownership and share a stake in both Members feel ownership and share a stake in both

process and structureprocess and structure

Multiple layers of participationMultiple layers of participation

Flexibility in process and structureFlexibility in process and structure

Clear roles, rights, responsibilitiesClear roles, rights, responsibilities

Adaptability to changing circumstancesAdaptability to changing circumstances

Appropriate pace for structure, resources, activitiesAppropriate pace for structure, resources, activities

CommunicationCommunication

Open and frequent formal communicationOpen and frequent formal communication

Includes informal relationships and Includes informal relationships and communicationcommunication

PurposePurpose

Concrete, attainable goals and objectivesConcrete, attainable goals and objectives

Shared vision, agreed upon mission, Shared vision, agreed upon mission, objectives, and strategiesobjectives, and strategies

Unique purpose – differs at least in part, Unique purpose – differs at least in part, from member organizations’ mission, from member organizations’ mission, goals, or approachgoals, or approach

ResourcesResources

Sufficient funds, staff, materials, timeSufficient funds, staff, materials, time

Skilled leadership – organizational, Skilled leadership – organizational, interpersonal skills, fairnessinterpersonal skills, fairness

The short list…..The short list…..

Mutual respect, understanding, and trust Mutual respect, understanding, and trust

(27)(27)

Sufficient funds, staff, materials, and time Sufficient funds, staff, materials, and time

(20)(20)

Appropriate cross section of members (18)Appropriate cross section of members (18)

Multiple layers of participation (17)Multiple layers of participation (17)

The short list (cont.)……The short list (cont.)……

Members see collaboration as in their self Members see collaboration as in their self

interest (15)interest (15)

Clear roles, rights, and responsibilities (15)Clear roles, rights, and responsibilities (15)

Open and frequent communication (15)Open and frequent communication (15)

Shared visionShared vision

When should you collaborate?When should you collaborate?

When it’s the best way to arrange partners When it’s the best way to arrange partners to accomplish tasks, address issues to accomplish tasks, address issues and/or fulfill a missionand/or fulfill a mission

It’s a tool – not always the best or only It’s a tool – not always the best or only wayway

““Collaboration doesn’t always constitute the Collaboration doesn’t always constitute the best way to accomplishment, any more best way to accomplishment, any more than a pair of pliers is always the best tool than a pair of pliers is always the best tool for household repairs”for household repairs”

Examining your own collaborative Examining your own collaborative projectproject

Read each itemRead each item

Circle the number that indicates your Circle the number that indicates your agreement or disagreement with each agreement or disagreement with each statementstatement

Identify your strongest and weakest Identify your strongest and weakest factorsfactors

Compare to the success factors and Compare to the success factors and particularly the “short list”particularly the “short list”

Group ThinkGroup Think

How is your collaboration doing in relation to How is your collaboration doing in relation to “the short list”? To the total twenty factors? “the short list”? To the total twenty factors? To the six major factors?To the six major factors?Where are the collaboration’s strengths? Where are the collaboration’s strengths? Needs or weaknesses?Needs or weaknesses?What’s the impact of the strengths and What’s the impact of the strengths and weaknesses on the process? Products?weaknesses on the process? Products?How might the collaborative strengthen the How might the collaborative strengthen the weaker areas?weaker areas?What might What might youyou do to enhance the do to enhance the collaboration?collaboration?