COLLABORATION 101 : AKA The Art of Collaboration

							COLLABORATION 101:
AKA The Art of
Collaboration
Illinois Dept. of Human Services -
  Head Start State Collaboration
               Office
    Gennie Gilmore & Gina Ruther
 Region V Head Start Conference
         November 14, 2001
SESSION PURPOSE
To provide participants with the basic
 information needed to successfully
 implement collaboration, including
 process, skills and tools.

To practice the information through
 activities and case studies.
SESSION AGENDA
   Overview of Session
   My Home is My Castle Activity
   What is Collaboration?
   Pre-Collaboration Assessment
   The Collaborative Process
   Partnership Success Principles
   Wrap Up
MY HOME IS MY CASTLE
   Why is your home your castle?
   Why is this important to you?
   Why would I want to come live with
    you at your house?
   What would be the benefits to me?
   What would be the challenges if I
    came to live with you?
COLLABORATION IS …
Collaboration is the most intense level of
  working together. It is a structure & a
  process for creating CHANGE.

A     collaborative effort is driven by
    partners who agree to share information,
    activities, resources, influence, power &
    decision-making authority to achieve
    common goals – goals that no single
    partner or program could achieve by
    acting alone.
    From Community Partnerships Working Together, US DHHS
BARRIERS/SANDTRAPS
   Turf-ism                   Resistance to change
   History of unresolved      Lack of
    conflict/Hidden             time/resources
    agendas                    Conflicting
   Lack of                     requirements
    communication              Parents/Staff not
   Lack of clear purpose       involved in decisions
   Lack of leadership         Unequal distribution
   Ineffective inter- OR       of work/recognition
    intra- agency              No clear ground rules
    structures
BENEFITS TO
COLLABORATION
   Increased access         Serving a wider
    to additional             range of children
    services for             Improving quality
    children & families      Reaching new
   Full day/year             communities
   Continuity of care       Providing more
                              flexibility
   Expanding services       Strengthening
    in cost effective         local community
    manner                    systems
COLLABORATION SKILLS:
PRINCIPLES OF
COMMUNICATION
1.   Relationships           5.   Relationships change
     created            by        when communication
     communication.               changes.
2.   Intrapersonal           6.   To      change       a
     communication is             relationship requires
     major factor                 persistence.
     affecting               7.   Most options = the
     interpersonal                best odds of getting
     communication.               what is wanted.
3.   Relationships           8.   Communication most
     defined    by    both        effective        when
     persons.                     reflects    intentions
4.   Each is 100%                 for the relationship.
     responsible for
COLLABORATION SKILLS:
COMMUNICATION …
      WHAT LANGUAGE ARE YOU
             SPEAKING?
A.   Cross program/cross agency language
     barriers, i.e., use of acronyms
B.   Articulation of agency mission, goals,
     and philosophy
C.   Active listening
D.   Research
E.   Written, verbal, and body
F.   Ongoing
COLLABORATION SKILLS:
NEGOTIATION
   A WORD ABOUT POWER:
   Negative & positive uses
   Same characteristics can be negative or positive
   Sunshine/Shadow
       Charisma – winning/beguiling
       Expertise – apply & share/withhold
       Persuasion – convincing/bullying
       Position/”turf” – knowing boundaries or
                                demanding control
COLLABORATION SKILLS:
NEGOTIATING COMMON
GROUND


   POSITIONS = regulations, beliefs,
                      demands
   INTERESTS = what you care
    about,            concerns, what
    matters
   MUST come to middle/common
    ground
      COLLABORATION SKILLS:
      NEGOTIATING COMMON
      GROUND
Position Interes              Interes Position
         t                    t
What’s                COMM                 What do
your
demand?
           What do    ON      What are     you
           you care           your         believe?
           about?
                      GROUN   biggest
Is it                 D       concerns?    Why is it
regulatory                                 right?
           What
or belief
           worries            Why does
based?
           you?               it matter?
COLLABORATION SKILLS:
NEGOTIATION
WHEN NEGOTIATING:
   Honor the relationship
   Be realistic & fair
   Know your bottom line
   Come prepared to commit resources
   Explain what you’re doing
   Engage in active listening
COLLABORATION SKILLS:
NEGOTIATION
   Work toward a group outcome
   Work toward the Mission, not self-
    interest
   Facilitate – don’t manipulate
   Take a fresh look at practices &
    standards – remember the
    difference between
    positions/interests
   Take PLENTY of TIME to get it
INTRA-AGENCY PRE-ASSESSMENT
LOOKING                     LOOKING
 INWARD:                     OUTWARD:
   HOW ARE WE                 HOW WELL ARE WE
    DOING ON OUR
                                CONNECTED?
    OWN?
    Look at own                 How connected &
    mission, integration,       where
    evaluation                 HOW READY ARE
   DO WE NEED TO               WE TO
    CHANGE?                     COLLABORATE?
    What needs to               Common vision, how
    change & how
STAGE ONE: Getting
Together

        MILESTONES
      DECIDING TO ACT
    SELECTING PARTNERS

     SET GROUND RULES

    EVALUATE/CELEBRATE
DECIDING TO ACT

   HAVE YOU COMPLETED YOUR
    PRE-ASSESSMENT WORK?
   HAVE YOU DETERMINED A
    NEED & FOCUS FOR
    COLLABORATING?

   THEN, YOU’RE READY TO
    MOVE ON …
SELECTING PARTNERS
CONSIDER:
   Who you                 Power – who has
    know/share a             it/what do you
    positive                 need
    relationship
                            Who can block
    Who you need
                             it


   Who has the
    expertise & skills      Who will be
    you need                 affected
   Diversity               How big should
SETTING GROUND
RULES
DISCUSS/DECI
 DE:                      Length of collab
   Meetings: when,       How resolve
    where, how             conflict
    often, who does
    agenda,               How keep
   Rules to guide         records, gather
    decision-making        data, share
   Rules to protect       information
    confidentiality       How evaluate
 STAGE 2: Building Trust &
 Ownership
       MILESTONES
          Engage Partners
 Build Common Base of Knowledge

       Develop Shared Vision

   Revisit & Revise Ground Rules

       ID Planning Resources

         Evaluate/Celebrate
ENGAGING PARTNERS
BUILD TRUST/OWNERSHIP WITH
  PARTNERS BY:
 Face to face individual meetings

 Visit them on their “turf,” at their

  “home”
 Share information & tentative

  “dream”
 Clear the air

 DON’T apply pressure
BUILD A BASE OF
KNOWLEDGE
BUILD TRUST/OWNERSHIP WITH
  KNOWLEDGE BY:
 Work to understand self-interest &
  personal similarities & differences
 Apply no PRESSURE

 Accept divergent point of view

 Presume the positive

 Avoid “1 right answer” thinking
BUILD BASE OF KNOWLEDGE
(continued)
   Encourage risk taking
   Figure out what’s in it for them!
   Share information about your services,
    program culture, etc. Find out about
    theirs.
   Focus on their skills
   Clear the air
   Think and act “win-win”
                TAKE YOUR TIME
DEFINING A SHARED
VISION
   VISION = Clear picture of what you
    hope to create.

SHARED VISION SHOULD:
 Get partners to “knit” own visions into

  ONE
 Focus on possibilities for children &

  families
 Generate energy & motivation

 Tell everyone where collaborative is going
DREAM HOUSE
   How does the group dream house
    compare to your own dream house?
   What was hard about the process?
   What did you notice about
    behaviors during the activity that
    helped/hindered it?
   What would have made it better?
In Stage 2, don’t forget
to:

   Assess the group to ensure there is
    commitment to the collaboration &
    the Vision.
   Revisit your Ground Rules – revise &
    renegotiate until all partners are
    satisfied.
   ID planning resources before you
    move into the planning of Stage 3.
STAGE 3: Developing a
Strategic Plan
          MILESTONES
           Develop a Mission
       Environmental & Capacity

               Assessment
     Establish Goals & Strategies
         Write Plan of Action

         Evaluate & Celebrate
           DEVELOP THE MISSION
MISSION = captures the SHARED VISION,
 UNIQUE PURPOSE & VALUES of the
 collaboration, and should:
   State the direction, rationale & what will be achieved
    by the collaboration
   Not include the “how-to’s” for achieving results
   Describe what (will be accomplished) & for whom
   Suggest the scope of work – how big, how many/much
   Convey the Vision
   Be easy to UNDERSTAND and REMEMBER
   ENVIRONMENTAL
   ANALYSIS

Consider:               What is happening in
 Economic/population     the community that
  changes                 will affect your
 Funding trends
                          plan?
 Political & social
  forces                1.
 Laws/regulations      2.
 Policies/procedures
                        3.
 Existing
  collaborations        4.
 Share info about
  these & impact on
  the collab
         CAPACITY ASSESSMENT
   Central Question:       Discuss strengths
    Does the                 each partner brings
    collaboration have       individually &
    the ability to           collectively to the
    accomplish its           collaboration.
    mission?                Discuss what is
   Review the               lacking.
    Environmental           Consider benefits of
    Analysis &               collaborative action
    prioritize which         & what might happen
    factors will have        if you take no action
    the greatest             in the immediate
ESTABLISH WELL-
FORMED GOALS
   GOAL = specific statement of what
    collaborative partners intend to do.
   GOALS ARE …
   Indicators of what partners want to
    achieve
   Measures for evaluating a
    collaboration’s progress
   Measures for holding partners
    accountable
GOALS (continued)
 LONG TERM GOALS – results partners
  hope to see in 2-3 or more years
 SHORT TERM GOALS – focus on more
  specific, immediate results
In developing GOALS, use the following:
 Does the goal focus on the positive?

 Is it realistic & achievable?

 Can it be measured?

 Is it clear & specific?
GOALS (continued) &
AFTER
 GOALS:
1.           AFTER goals are
               decided:
              Compare them to the
2.             environmental analysis
               & capacity
               assessment
3.            If large gaps are
               found – revise the
4.             goals until gaps are
               minimized
SELECT STRATEGIES
   Brainstorm strategies   GOAL 1:
    or routes to achieve
                             Strategy   1
    goals
   Look at potential        Strategy   2
    impacts, benefits &      Strategy   3
    costs of each
                            GOAL 2:
   Select those that are
    feasible                 Strategy   1
   Review Mission & see     Strategy   2
    if strategies fit        Strategy   3
DEVELOP A PLAN OF
ACTION

   Map out actions to implement strategies
   Decide who will take responsibility for
    each action
   Set target dates for completing each
    action
   Decide on accountability/evaluation
    measures or standards
   Prepare a budget
        CASE STUDIES
There are 5 case studies.
Case Studies 1 & 2: A Partnership at
 Work
                    2 different perspectives

Case Study 3: Discord in Harmony
Case Studies 4 & 5: Metro-City Head
 Start
                    Scenes 1 & 2
In groups of 5-7, take 30 minutes to
STAGE 4: Taking Action
            MILESTONES
         Written Agreement
      Implement Plan of Action
           Adapt/Expand

         Monitor & Evaluate

             Celebrate
      COMPONENTS OF A
WRITTEN       AGREEMENT
       Identity/legal status of signers.
       Period of agreement.
       Scope/Vision.
       Statement of
        performance/services/plan.
       Compliance with regulations.
       Financial agreement/payment
        procedures.
       Prior approval requirements/authority.
       Management.
       Equipment/materials ownership.
              AGREEMENT COMPONENTS
(cont.)
             Liability/Insurance.
             Record Keeping/Confidentiality.
             Monitoring/Evaluation.
             Public/Community Relations.
             Conflict of Interest/Prohibited Activities.
             Changes/Amendments.
             Dispute Resolution.
             Renewal/Termination.
             Contact Person.
             Signatures.
WRITTEN AGREEMENTS:


 REMEMBER, it is always
   advised to consult an
         attorney!
WHY A WRITTEN
AGREEMENT?
   To write & agree to        To commit to “what,”
    shared vision               “when,” & “how”
   To write & agree to        To hold people
    goals, strategies –         accountable
    plan                       For audit & legal
   To spell out results        purposes
   To spell out               To provide “escape”
    responsibilities            in case of failure
   To spell out services      To commit resources
   To define partnership      For monitoring &
    management                  evaluation
OPERATIONAL TIPS –
ASK:
   Is the Written Agreement in place?
   Has the case management system &
    record keeping revised?
   Is there a system for access to needed
    records & information?
   Are confidentiality protocols in place &
    understood?
   Does the database include the
    collaboration?
OPERATIONAL TIPS –
ASK:
   Does the collaboration team meet
    regularly?
   Are communication systems used
    effectively?
   Is conflict appropriately addressed?
   Have job descriptions been revised?
   Is there a collaboration manager with
    appropriate support/authority?
   Are we doing cross training?
OPERATIONAL TIPS,
ASK:
   Have the goals been communicated
    effectively?
   Is the team regularly assessing progress
    on the plan?
   Is data being collected & analyzed?
   Are team members following through?
   Is the community aware of the
    collaboration?
   Are you evaluating for outcomes?
          EVALUATION
   Evaluation is an ongoing process
   Tells how well the strategies are
    working
   Guides changes/modifications to the
    plan
   DOES NOT need to be complex
   Find out what’s working & what’s
    not
   Fix what’s not
EVALUATING EFFORT
                 ASK:
   Are our efforts achieving our
    Mission?
   What environmental factors have
    inhibited or helped?
   Do we need new partners?
   Is our Plan being implemented?
EVALUATING
EFFECTIVENESS
                 ASK:
   Are we reaching the right people?
   Are we making an impact?
   What’s different?
   What happened that we didn’t
    expect?
   Is our Plan still appropriate?
EVALUATING EFFICIENCY
                 ASK:
   Are our goals attainable? Are they
    being attained?
   Are our resources sufficient?
   Are we making the best use of our
    talents & strengths?
   What can we do to be more
    efficient?
     PARTNERSHIP SUCCESS
     PRINCIPLES
   TAKE YOUR TIME – DEVELOP THE
    PARTNERSHIP
   DRAW FROM STRENGTHS OF ALL
   OPENNESS, HONESTY, MUTUAL
    RESPECT
   ATMOSPHERE OF POSITIVE
    THINKING
   RECOGNIZE & SEEK EXCELLENCE
PARTNERSHIP SUCCESS
PRINCIPLES
 HOLD TO THE VISION
 ABIDE BY RULES

 HONOR AGREEMENTS

 SYSTEMS-FOCUSED
  APPROACH
 ADAPT TO CHANGE

 HAVE A SENSE OF HUMOR!
BE A STAR!
COLLABORATION
COMMERCIAL
With a team, take 5 minutes to
 develop a 60 second commercial
 promoting and selling collaboration.

Commercials should be ONLY a
 paragraph, catchy, and include
 concepts learned.