Few challenges in the public sphere – whether social, economic or environmental – can be resolved by a single organisation. Many solutions require contributions from across the public, business, social, voluntary and community sectors. Successful solutions often require partnerships between a number of agencies, and with communities and citizens.
Experience demonstrates that most organisations find it easier to talk about partnership than to achieve it. Far too often, their leaders claim to be practicing collaboration when, in reality, it is a one-sided relationship or a traditional contracting connection – or simply one organisation shouting at another. Partnership has to benefit all those participating, and there must be a sense of shared endeavour. It is vital to understand when a partnership is appropriate, and when the participating organisations have both the will and means to establish and sustain it.
Collaborative commissioning between agencies (for example, between the NHS and local government) is critical in securing the right outcomes in areas such as mental health, public health and integrated care. Delivering these services requires agencies and professionals to work well together, and a positive partnership between commissioner, provider and service user.
Partnership goes beyond public services
It is also important to recognise that the value of partnership goes well beyond simply delivering public services. For example, local growth strategies may require public bodies, employers, local enterprise partnerships, schools, colleges and training providers to work together, if people are to have the right skills and confidence for employment. And it is hard to see how poverty can be successfully addressed in any locality without the collaboration of the public, social, community and business sectors. The same applies to the pursuit of many environmental and sustainability goals.
Unfortunately, ‘collaboration’ and ‘partnership’ are often confused or conflated with the outsourcing of public services. They are not the same; it is vital that these terms are used accurately to describe the precise nature of a relationship. This is most important when describing the behaviours of participating organisations and personnel. I deliberately refer to ‘behaviours’ because I believe they are fundamental to successful partnerships. Of course, there is a role for process, procedures and technical arrangements to underpin effective collaboration. However, on their own, these systems typically fail to achieve genuine partnership. The right behaviours are what matter.
My essential top five behaviours and attitudes are:
- Strategic, values-based leadership;
- A willingness to share and give credit to others;
- An ability to focus on outcomes for communities, rather than on one’s ego;
- Excellent communication, which includes listening;
- The empowerment of staff and other stakeholders
There are also some critical organisational issues that must be addressed, which include:
- Precisely defined accountabilities and responsibilities for all partners and their employees
- The alignment of objectives between organisations for key outcomes
- Clear ‘red lines’ in terms of what kind of organisation you wish to partner with – this may be based on values, ethics and/or operational criteria
- Investment of resources, including time, to build trust and collaborative skills
- Pre-partnership ‘nuptial agreements’ between partners detailing how to share benefits and risks, scheduling regular reviews, and exit arrangements.
There are many more elements that underpin effective collaboration. But in my experience, and from evidence provided by extensive academic research, the most critical factor is that participants want to partner, share a passion for their agreed outcomes, and above all, display the behaviours to make it happen. Effective collaboration is all about behaviours, stupid.