Collaboration: What Makes It Work
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REVISED AND UPDATED:Includes The Wilder Collaboration Factors Inventory:
- Expand your thinking about ways to help your project succeed
- Gain background information before beginning a collaboration
- Compare your situation with others
- Determine if your plans include necessary ingredients
- Uncover and resolve trouble spots
- Choose between cooperation, coordination, and collaboration
This helpful resource also gives you... A working definition of collaboration; details of the twenty factors influencing successful collaborations; chart comparing the elements of cooperation, coordination, and collaboration; practical suggestions for using this research
Paul W Mattessich, PhD
PAUL W. MATTESSICH, Ph.D., is Executive Director of Wilder Research, which dedicates itself to improving the lives of individuals, families, and communities through applied research. Mattessich has assisted local, national, and international organizations with strategic planning, organizational improvement, and evaluation. He travels regularly to Northern Ireland and the United Kingdom, where he learns from, and consults with, organizations addressing youth development, community development, and the promotion of peace and acceptance of diversity among groups from divided communities. Mattessich has been involved in applied social research since 1973 and is the author or coauthor of more than three hundred publications and reports. He has also served on a variety of task forces in government and the nonprofit sectors. He received his Ph.D. in sociology from the University of Minnesota, where he currently serves as an adjunct faculty in the School of Social Work.
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Collaboration - Paul W Mattessich, PhD
Collaboration: What Makes It Work
Third Edition
Paul W. Mattessich, Ph.D.
Wilder Research
Kirsten M. Johnson
Wilder Center for Communities
Fieldstone Alliance
An imprint of Turner Publishing Company
Nashville, Tennessee
New York, New York
www.turnerpublishing.com
Copyright © 2018 by Fieldstone Alliance an imprint of Turner Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Collaboration: What Makes It Work 3rd Edition
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise, except as permitted under Sections 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior written permission of the Publisher, or authorization through payment of the appropriate per-copy fee to the Copyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, (978) 750-8400, fax (978) 750-4744. Requests to the Publisher for permission should be addressed to Turner Publishing Company, 4507 Charlotte Avenue, Suite 100, Nashville, Tennessee, (615) 255-2665, fax (615) 255-5081, E-mail: submissions@turnerpublishing.com.
Limit of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty: While the publisher and the author have used their best efforts in preparing this book, they make no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this book and specifically disclaim any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. No warranty may be created or extended by sales representatives or written sales materials. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for your situation. You should consult with a professional where appropriate. Neither the publisher nor the author shall be liable for any loss of profit or any other commercial damages, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential, or other damages.
Cover design: Maddie Cothren
Book design: Mallory Collins
The Library of Congress has cataloged the 2nd edition as follows:
Mattessich, Paul W.
Collaboration—what makes it work / Paul W. Mattessich, Marta Murray-Close, Barbara R. Monsey.— 2nd ed.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references.
ISBN 13: 978-0-940069-32-9
ISBN 10: 0-940069-32-6
1. Cooperativeness. 2. Interorganizational relations. 3. Human services—Management. I. Murray-Close, Marta, 1977- II. Monsey, Barbara R. III. Amherst H. Wilder Foundation. IV. Title.
HM716 .M39 2001
302’.14—dc21 2001003262
9781683367918 Paperback
9781683367925 Hardcover
9781683367932 eBook
Printed in the United States of America
17 18 19 20 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
About the Authors
PAUL W. MATTESSICH, Ph.D., is executive director of Wilder Research, which dedicates itself to improving the lives of individuals, families, and communities through applied research. Mattessich has assisted local, national, and international organizations with strategic planning, organizational improvement, and evaluation. He travels regularly to Northern Ireland and the United Kingdom, where he learns from, and consults with, organizations addressing youth development, community development, and the promotion of peace and acceptance of diversity among groups from divided communities. Mattessich has been involved in applied social research since 1973 and is the author or coauthor of more than three hundred publications and reports. He has also served on a variety of task forces in government and the nonprofit sectors. He received his Ph.D. in sociology from the University of Minnesota, where he currently serves as an adjunct faculty in the School of Social Work.
KIRSTEN M. JOHNSON is the director of Community Engagement and Systems Change at the Amherst H. Wilder Foundation where she manages a portfolio of community-driven projects aimed at creating equity. Johnson’s work focuses on engagement, collaboration, and systems change addressing complex challenges impacting the communities that Wilder serves. Johnson brings the lenses of emotional intelligence, intercultural competence, and network weaving to all of her work. Johnson studied political science and women’s studies at the University of Minnesota and has worked in the nonprofit sector on collaboration and community development for over fifteen years. Prior to coming to the Wilder Foundation, Johnson’s work supported a variety of nonprofit organizations including the StreetWorks Collaborative, VEAP, and Arc Greater Twin Cities.
Acknowledgments
The writing of this third edition of Collaboration: What Makes it Work was truly a collaborative effort. Many colleagues contributed to the development of this new and expanded work. Our gratitude to everyone who helped to make this journey a rewarding one, the results of which are evident both in the pages of this book and in our experience as authors and collaborators.
The Amherst H. Wilder Foundation provided funding for the third edition. This support enabled us to do an extensive literature review and conduct a thorough analysis of new evidence that exists about the factors that support successful collaboration. This edition builds upon the previous editions. We thank again the financial supporters of our earlier efforts: The Minneapolis Foundation, the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, The Saint Paul Foundation, and Greater Twin Cities United Way.
To Barb Monsey and Marta Murray-Close, coauthors of the first and second editions, we owe a great debt. Their efforts refined both the scientific methodology and the practical logistics for research that requires many, many hours of searching for, assessing, and selecting publications that provide clear evidence of the factors that support successful collaboration. Our thanks go to Matthew Steele, Heather Loch, Kara Malmgren, and Nina Eagin for their assistance in the extensive literature review completed for this third edition. While advances in technology have made this task simpler, nothing can replace a careful reading of the research to identify the studies with the clearest evidence. Ann Somers assisted with the final editing.
To Vanne Owens Hayes, we are forever grateful for your insistence that your voice alone could not provide the breadth of perspective we needed. Your inclusive vision led to a whole new approach to engaging the voices of diverse cultural communities in shaping this third edition of the book. Thank you to everyone who agreed with Vanne’s suggestion and joined us in conversation: Mary K. Boyd, Sunny Chanthanouvong, David Cournoyer, Kelly Drummer, Dave Ellis, Gevonee Ford, Nora Hall, Trista Harris, Mark Sung, Bo Thao-Urabe, Terri Thao, Stella Whitney-West, and Paul Williams.
Our thanks as well to all the practitioners we interviewed; your insights about how to put these factors to work helped us pair the research evidence with pragmatic, practice-based wisdom: Michael Bischoff, John Bryson, Mikael Carlson, Claire Chang, Nona Ferguson, MayKao Y. Hang, June Holley, Angelique Kedem, Olivia Mastry, and Lucy Swift.
Finally, we want to thank our colleagues who reviewed our work and provided us with the critical feedback we needed to make this new edition the best it could be: Claire Chang, Kristin Johnstad, Tania Jones, Kristine Martin, Vanne Owens Hayes, Damon Shoholm, and Michelle Zwakman.
Our deepest thanks to each and every contributor to this collaborative effort!
Paul W. Mattessich, Ph.D and Kirsten M. Johnson
June 2018
Contents
Preface to the Third Edition
What’s New in the Third Edition?
Goals of This Book
Chapter 1: Collaboration: An Effective Way to Work
Collective Impact
= or ≠ Collaboration?
Addressing Key Questions
Working Definitions
A Theoretical Basis for Collaboration
How to Use This Book
Chapter 2: The Twenty-Two Success Factors
Factors Related to the ENVIRONMENT
Factors Related to MEMBERSHIP CHARACTERISTICS
Factors Related to PROCESS AND STRUCTURE
Factors Related to COMMUNICATION
Factors Related to PURPOSE
Factors Related to RESOURCES
Chapter 3: Understanding the Factors
Factors Related to the ENVIRONMENT
Factors Related to MEMBERSHIP CHARACTERISTICS
Factors Related to PROCESS AND STRUCTURE
Factors Related to COMMUNICATION
Factors Related to PURPOSE
Factors Related to RESOURCES
Chapter 4: Putting the Factors to Work
Factors Related to RESOURCES
Factors Related to PURPOSE
Factors Related to COMMUNICATION
Factors Related to PROCESS and STRUCTURE
Factors Related to MEMBERSHIP CHARACTERISTICS
Factors Related to the ENVIRONMENT
An Important Question: When Should Organizations Collaborate?
Chapter 5: Collaborating Across Difference
Understanding Culture
Navigating Power Dynamics
Avoiding Tokenism and Brownwashing
Equitably Collaborating Across Differences in Organizational Size
Collaborating Across Sectors
Chapter 6: Examining Your Own Collaborative Project
The Wilder Collaboration Factors Inventory
Suggested Uses for The Wilder Collaboration Factors Inventory
A Case Example: Using The Wilder Collaboration Factors Inventory
Chapter 7: Summary and Conclusions
What We Have Learned
Using the Information
To the Future
Appendix A: Definition of Collaboration
Appendix B: Methodology
1. Identification and Assessment of Research Studies
2. Systematic Codification of Findings from Each Study
3. Synthesis of Findings from Individual Studies
Appendix C: Collaborating Across Difference—Our Process
Appendix D: Author Factor Matrix
Appendix E: Reflection Questions
1. History of collaboration or cooperation in the community
2. Collaborative group seen as a legitimate leader in the community
3. Favorable political and social climate
4. Mutual respect, understanding, and trust
5. Appropriate cross section of members
6. Members see collaboration as being in their self-interest
7. Ability to compromise
8. Members share a stake in both process and outcome
9. Multiple layers of participation
10. Flexibility
11. Development of clear roles and guidelines
12. Adaptability to changing conditions
13. Appropriate pace of development
14. Evaluation and continuous learning
15. Open and frequent communication
16. Established informal relationships and communication links
17. Concrete, attainable goals and objectives
18. Shared vision
19. Unique purpose
20. Sufficient funds, staff, materials, and time
21. Skilled leadership
22. Engaged stakeholders
Bibliography
Preface to the Third Edition
The Wilder Foundation has had a long-standing interest in the power of partnerships among community-based organizations. The first Wilder activity to promote collaboration appeared in 1915 with the initiation and work of the Central Registration Bureau (Jarchow, 1981). This third edition of Collaboration: What Makes It Work—written more than 100 years after the first Wilder collaborative activity—is an example of the enduring importance of collaboration.
Reaction to the first edition, published in 1992, taught us that researchers and practitioners alike found it a useful tool. They appreciated its emphasis on providing a practical reference for decision-making that built upon credible, research-based information.
The twenty-first century has brought with it rapid changes and increasingly complex challenges. Amidst this complexity, the need for effective collaboration has become more essential. We must both learn from those who have come before us and continually develop new skills and knowledge adapted to new environments.
We wrote this third edition in large part to respond to the complexity we witness daily in our work with community, nonprofit, and government organizations. We sought to