Deciding to Proceed

Evaluating Resources & Assessing Readiness

Partners need to consider whether they have the right resources and organizational structures to support and facilitate cooperation and commitment.

Deciding to Proceed

bridgeiconpng3

Stop or Go?

With solid foundations and firm understanding in place it is time to assess commitment and feasibility. Successful project managers for construction of a bridge always double-check that everything they need is in order and ready: the design, the labour, the funding, etc.

A collaborative must reach a full understanding of what each partner can – and cannot – bring and whether the team is ready to proceed or not.

Evaluating and Mapping Resources

Collaborative efforts require a commitment of both time and resources. Funding, along with technical and administrative support and appropriate training have an impact on health promotion collaborations. Resource requirements vary from project to project. A resource-mapping tool can assist with this determination. Once there is a clear understanding of project resources, there will need to be a transparent understanding about decision making regarding resource allocation.

Organizational Considerations

Organizational structures and processes employed in a collaborative effort impact the effectiveness of the project. Considerations worthy of discussion include:

Congruence between the project vision and partner mandates

The match between the objectives of the project and the partners influences organizational commitment and involvement in the project.

Partner alignment

Partners and stakeholders should be suitably aligned in terms of respective missions, values, goals, mandates, and objectives.

Dedicated or core staff

It can be useful to have individuals who are specifically employed for the purposes of aiding and supporting the collaboration. In fact, this may be a deal breaker for some organizations with limited funding for additional projects. Depending on the level of organizational commitment or funds available, dedicated staff may or may not be possible.

Stories and Sharing

To succeed, partner organizations need to act within their respective missions/goals and these are not always exactly aligned with each other.

From this project I learned that commitment to working together is a critical piece to enable the collaborative work.

Word to the Wise

Collaboration takes more time, but it is worth the extra effort. The benefits can far outweigh the challenges.

Relationship Considerations

Consider social or cultural factors which can influence positive collaborative interactions, align vision, and mitigate conflict. Cultivating mutual trust, respect, and cultural sensitivity among collaborative partners goes a long way in facilitating discussion and overcoming conflict. This is particularly meaningful if collaboration has the potential to extend beyond the life of a project. Some important considerations to keep in mind:

Determining equity in relationships

Sometimes individual partners may feel they are contributing more than others. Discuss workload distributions to find equitable solutions, improve efficiency, and enhance satisfaction with levels of contribution. Partnership agreements can be integral to minimize perceptions of workload inequity.

Managing power differentials

Real or perceived power disparities can increase feelings of inequality in a partnership. Find mutually agreeable ways for all partners to have a role in guiding the collaboration.

Ensuring meaningful participation

Providing opportunities for all team members to contribute in meaningful ways helps foster commitment and ownership. Find ways to acknowledge group successes and partner contributions.

Conflict management and resolution

Establishing how conflicts will be resolved before they occur will help keep project work moving forward in the event of conflict. Mechanisms to help manage conflict include returning to the shared vision, clarifying assumptions of all partners, and adjusting timelines if needed.

Final Readiness Assessment

At this point, the collaborative team should have agreement on goals and strategy.  Before committing time and resources to a long-term project, it is important to assess partner capacity and readiness to proceed.

State of Readiness

Stories and Sharing

Stop Smoking Before Surgery was an ideal project to work on together, as it allowed for avoiding some previous duplication and was in alignment with the goals of all three partners. As we developed the project we realized each partner had different strengths and roles to play.

Useful Tools

Resource mapping

Readiness assessment

Living Lab: Sharing Our Experience

Getting a collaborative project off the ground can be challenging, especially in the context of resource limitations or environmental constraints. One of our partners reflected about the history leading up to the decision to proceed with the Harmonization Project:

We had an interest in collaborating for many years prior to the start of the Harmonization Project. In fact, a working group comprised of members from each of the organizations was initially established approximately a year before the Harmonization Project planning started. This group was tasked with reviewing possibilities for collaborative prevention projects, and developed terms of reference and a strategic action plan for a potential collaborative tobacco reduction project. Following member turnover, the collaboration lost traction with no projects being approved or implemented. When the grant for multi-sectoral partnerships was identified, it provided the perfect partnership.

Kerensa Medhurst, BC Cancer Agency, and others are shown here at a meeting where harmonization was initially conceptualized.

Back to: Know the Context
Next Phase: Planning