1. Building & Sustaining Your Local Team’s Efforts Seven Essential Factors to Consider for Successful Interagency Collaboration Stakeholders’ view of factors that impact successful interagency collaboration. Exceptional Children; Reston; Winter 2003; Lawrence J Johnson; Debbie Horn; Brian Yai Yung Tam; Maggie LaDMontagne; Susan A Johnson

2. Successful Collaboration Does Not Happen by Accident Commitment Communication Strong Leadership from Key Decision Makers Understanding the Culture of Collaborating Agencies Providing Adequate Resources for Collaboration Minimizing Turf Issues Engaging in Serious Preplanning

3. Commitment Commitment entails the sharing of goals and visions and the establishment of a high level of trust and mutual responsibility for goals held in common. Success Strategies –Develop a way to compromise on important differences. –Make clear those issues that cannot be compromised. –Keep the goals and the potential positive outcomes of the collaboration in mind at all times.

4. Communication Open lines of communication are a critical component of any collaboration. Success Strategies –Develop a proactive approach to communication with agency partners. Be up front with the issues, talk about the differences, and be sure that each party is aware of the problems. Most importantly update partners with necessary information in written form to avoid miscommunication.

5. Communication –Create frequent opportunities for communication through regular meetings, phone calls, mail and e-mail. –Develop personal connections to promote a cohesive working relationship and information communication links.

6. Strong Leadership from Key Decision Makers The success or failure of collaboration is dependent on the commitment of key decision makers who are truly representatives of the collaborating agencies. Success Strategies –Involve someone who truly understands the agency’s position and priorities. –Involve someone with enough authority to make decisions on behalf of the agency.

7. Strong Leadership from Key Decision Makers –Involve someone who can provide immediate and direct assistance when problems arise. –Involve someone who can authorize the utilization of their agency’s resources to support the collaboration.

8. Understanding the Culture of Collaborating Agencies Each agency has its own organizational culture, including language, values or priorities, ways of doing business, and even definitions of understanding – it is critical to understand the culture. Success Strategies –Take time to learn and understand each collaborating agency’s mission, priorities, and technical language (job shadowing, presentations, etc.)

9. Understanding the Culture of Collaborating Agencies –Make sure that definitions of what may appear to be common terms are understood by collaborative agencies – terms may have both positive and negative connotations (empowerment, employment, etc.) –Review pertinent laws and regulations prior to the collaborative efforts, to ensure the collaborative process does not inadvertently violate any laws or regulations. Find ways to understand the regulatory environment surrounding an issue (legislative change, waivers, etc.)

10. Providing Adequate Resources for Collaboration It can be difficult to maintain a successful collaboration; proper supports must be negotiated among members of the team. Success Strategies –Provide time and additional resources for those engaging in collaboration. –Look for additional funding sources to avoid the pitfalls. –Openly and honestly discuss work loads, the needs of supporting the team, and creative ways to address those needs.

11. Minimizing Turf Issues It is important to recognize that turf issues are likely to occur and cannot be ignored. Develop a plan to address turf issues and conflict as they occur. Success Strategies –Provide staff with a positive view of the collaboration by highlighting the potential positive outcomes of collaboration. Disseminate examples of positive outcomes. –Implement a system of rewards for those participating in the collaboration. –Engage in serious preplanning to anticipate and minimize potential turf issues.

12. Engaging in Serious Preplanning It is important that effort be directed at building a foundation that enhances the chances of successful collaboration, through preplanning. Success Strategies –Form a steering committee to identify potential problems, key issues and similarities/differences between the cultures of participating agencies. –Clearly articulate the developing goals and anticipated outcomes of the collaboration.