1. Building Collaborative Partnerships Bill Heatherman, County Engineer Wyandotte County/KCK Slides courtesy of Karen McNamara, City of San Ramon

2. Learning Objectives Define ingredients to a successful collaborative How to establish a structure for a collaborative partnership Recognize leadership opportunities in forming a collaborative partnership Measuring the success of a collaborative

3. a relationship resembling a legal partnership and usually involving close cooperation between parties having specified and joint rights and responsibilities to work jointly with others or together especially in an intellectual endeavor to cooperate with an agency or instrumentality with which one is not immediately connected Partner………Collaborate

4. Strategies/Purposes Coordinate services Strengthen communication Provide technical assistance/training Organize resources – leverage - grants Organize community Conduct research Promote service needs Educate the community. Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has…. Margaret Mead

5. Ingredients Define the Problem Assemble Stakeholders Establish Structure Build Relationships Work & Negotiate Evaluate

6. Define the Problem Issues – immediate & urgent or long range & comprehensive Root Cause Outcomes – What should change and why Setting a Vision Work Plan - Who will do what by when

7. Who’s At the Table Define the community Identify – learn interests Selective but inclusive Diverse and non-traditional partners Outreach – Invite Support from higher levels Authority to make decisions Assemble – Mobilize

8. The Community Regional Statewide City Wide Neighborhood Localized Departmental The physical or geographic community

9. Stakeholders [external]

10. Stakeholders [internal]

11. Stakeholders [projects]

12. Establish Structure Formal vs. Informal Flexible - allow for expansion over time Enlist commitment [MOU?] Build relationships [trust] Determine resources Establish leadership Governance – the Right to Act and Lead

13. Level of Efforts Short Term Actions Immediate Action Short Term Solutions Strike Team Task Force Sunset Single Focused Specialized Long Term Strategies Sustained Effort Long Term – Long Range Strategic Longitudinal Involving many layers Higher in complexity

14. Governance and Structure Respond Quickly Practical Governance Establish agendas Set logistics May Consist of Small Inner Group (Executive) and Larger Oversight Group (Board) If two equal organizations, may need “Co-Chairs” and ground rules on disputes

15. Logistics Where will we meet & who brings the stuff Rotate facilities or one location Who will attend How often will we meet? Who will set and issue the agenda and other materials Record keeping, meeting notes

16. Leadership Shared Responsibility Chairing the Collaborative Rotational Leadership Lead Partner Agency Consensus vs Voting Lead, Follow or Get out of the Way

17. The First Meeting Basic Ground Rules Substantive Overview of issue and problem statement What do we need to understand about this issue? What are the barriers for the community to effectively resolve/address this issue? How do the organizations at the table work on the issues? What is their mission and what to they bring to the table? Do we have the right people at the table for this effort? Do we have sufficient shared understanding of the issues, the challenges and opportunities? You only get one chance to make a good first impression

18. Work On It Set up Tasks and Schedules Break Problems Down to Size Do Educational Activities – Field trips, Interviews, Surveys Brainstorm (cover the rules) Let’s some ideas come forward Dig in and write it – explore Evaluate. Depersonalize Negotiate Deliver. Cut losses and use the 80/20 rules.

19. Negotiation (for All) Separate the people from the problem. Focus on interests, not positions. Invent options for mutual gain. Insist on using objective criteria. Separate the people from the problem. Focus on interests, not positions. Each participant knowing and being clear about their own alternatives From Getting to YES by Roger Fisher and William Ury, 1981

20. Measuring Success Define Success Incremental and along the way At agreed upon and scheduled points At completion of designated milestones Benchmarks Baseline data for measurements – quantitative and qualitative

22. Lessons Learned Don’t wait for all partners to get on board before moving forward Share the spotlight and celebrate success Maintain non-hierarchical approach Be prepared to lead if need be Be realistic Promote balance by setting goals There is no monument dedicated to the memory of a committee