Collaborating Across Organizational Boundaries Copyright 2017 Russ

Collaborating Across Organizational Boundaries Copyright © 2017 Russ Linden “You have to learn to manage in situations where you don’t have command authority, where you are neither controlled nor controlling. That is the fundamental change. ” -- Peter Drucker, pre-eminent management theorist, on the key leadership challenge of the future

About Russ Linden is a management educator and author who specializes in organizational change methods. Since 1980, he has helped government, non-profit and private-sector organizations develop leadership, foster innovation, and improve organizational performance. He is an adjunct faculty member at the University of Virginia and the Federal Executive Institute. He writes a column on management innovations for Management Insights, an online column sponsored by Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government and Governing Magazine. In 2003 he was the Williams Distinguished Visiting Scholar at the State University of New York (Fredonia) School of Business. He has published numerous articles, and five books. His book Seamless Government: A Practical Guide to Reengineering in the Public Sector (Jossey-Bass, 1994), was excerpted in the May, 1995 issue of Governing Magazine, and was used by many agencies to support process improvement. His most recent book, Leading Across Boundaries: Creating Collaborative Agencies in a Networked World, was published by Jossey-Bass in 2010. His clients have included the National Geographic Society, several military and intelligence agencies, a partnership of the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management, Drug Enforcement Administration, National Park Service, U. S. Departments of State, Treasury, Interior, Transportation, HHS and Education, one governor, two state attorneys general, several mayors and city council members, and over four dozen state and of local government agencies. He’s also worked with several non-profit agencies in the U. S. and Israel. Before beginning his full-time practice, Russ was a Senior Faculty Member at the Federal Executive Institute. He served as the Director of Executive Programs at the University of Virginia's Center for Public Service, taught at the UVa Mc. Intire School of Commerce, and worked in the human services field for 10 years. His volunteer commitments include scholarship programs that help low-income youth afford college. Russ Linden's bachelor's and master's degrees are from the University of Michigan. His Ph. D. is from the University of Virginia. He and his wife have two adult children. They live in Charlottesville, VA. (C) 2017 Russ Linden & Associates 2

Our Agenda Today n Look at effective and ineffective collaboration examples n Discuss collaboration hurdles, strategies for dealing with them n Analyze an impressive collaboration case study n Discuss three collaboration keys: an attitude, certain behaviors, and a method n Apply to current issues (C) 2017 Russ Linden & Associates 3

Ineffective partnering at the NPS • Its leaders are emphasizing the use of partnerships • Major issue: Maintenance is perennially under-staffed • Maintenance function very large: sometimes ½ of a park’s FTE • Many maintenance staff may work in same park entire career • Their pay not high, but take great pride in their work • They’re frustrated by the growing backlog Park superintendents are asking maintenance staff to deal with backlog by partnering with volunteers (C) 2017 Russ Linden & Associates 4

Partnering with volunteers: How to sell it? Superintendents pointed out: Volunteers are eager to help They’ll do work the staff can’t get to They’ll spot unmet needs Volunteer partners increase public support for parks Volunteers do low-skill work, free up maint. for higher skill tasks Working with volunteers will give maint. staff good experience that enhances their careers Forming partnerships is one of the agency’s priorities (C) 2017 Russ Linden & Associates 5

NPS case Maintenance staff have heard their leaders, but many oppose this approach. Suppose you’re the maintenance manager: Why might you oppose this partnership idea? (C) 2017 Russ Linden & Associates 6

Exercise Point your finger toward the ceiling. Russ will give you directions from there

Some successful examples n Toshiba and UPS; unlikely partners n Crowdsourcing: - Challenge. gov

Removing walls between unlikely partners: Toshiba and UPS (C) 2017 Russ Linden & Associates

Crowdsourcing in Gov’t: Challenge. gov • Agencies post tech. , scientific, creative problems • Anyone (in gov’t or out) can submit solutions • Agency gives cash prizes to competition winners In 1 st 5 yrs: Fed. agencies launched 640 competitions > $220 million awarded > 250, 000 solvers participated (C) 2017 Russ Linden & Associates 10

Crowdsourcing in Gov’t: Challenge. gov Some benefits of Challenge. gov • Pay only for solutions you like • Discover new talent • Gain fresh perspectives • Solve mission-focused problems • Get innovative solutions you can implement For more: https: //www. challenge. gov/about/ (C) 2017 Russ Linden & Associates 11

Despite many successes, sometimes we get it wrong (C) 2017 Russ Linden & Associates

Collaboration – what makes it hard? Look at the hurdles on the next two

Some collaboration hurdles Lack of trust among principals Fear of losing: control, autonomy, quality, resources Great amount of time and effort required Hurdles to Collaboration Narrow (“silo”) mentality Different funding streams, measures, and/or goals among the partners Turf concerns, and the “self serving bias” (C) 2017 Russ Linden & Associates 14

Other collaboration hurdles No perceived reward for individuals/orgs. that try to collaborate “Perverse incentives” Different org. cultures Hurdles to Collaboration The costs are born up front; benefits may not appear for years Lack of leaders’ support Concern that the exchange between partners won’t be reciprocal “Almost nothing about the bureaucratic ethos makes it hospitable to interagency collaboration. ” (C) 2017 Russ Linden & Associates Eugene - Prof. Bardach 15

Collaboration: Three key requirements 1. An attitude 2. Certain collaborative behaviors, and 3. A

I. An attitude “There is no limit to the good you can do if you don't care who gets the credit. ” - George C. Marshall, Army Chief of Staff, Sec. of State, Sec. of Defense Note: Many other leaders, including Presidents Truman and Reagan, also preached this attitude. & Associates 17 (C) 2017 Russ Linden

I. An attitude How to make this attitude a reality? • Model it. •

This isn’t the attitude we need … (C) 2017 Russ Linden & Associates 19

II. Collab. behaviors According to basketball expert Dan Bonner, these behaviors work in basketball. They also work for us: • Know your role, and others’ roles • Situational Awareness • Flexibility; adjust as needed • Make yourself useful (C) 2017 Russ Linden & Associates 20

II. Collaboration behaviors: Know your role/others’; Sit. awareness; Flexibility; Make self useful (C) 2017

Exercise: Let’s practice (C) 2017 Russ Linden & Associates 22

III. The method: Key elements • A specific shared purpose or goal that the parties can’t achieve on their own • The parties want to meet now • The appropriate people are at the table • An open, credible process • A champion(s) for the initiative • Trust: candid, open relationships (C) 2017 Russ Linden & Associates

Impressive example: INEAP • n Began in ’ 06 by Carroll Martin, a GS-14 at NIST She had a passion to create a network of orgs. serving small business n Her prv’t. sector experience was a driver n She shared idea with manager; he was OK with it (C) 2017 Russ Linden & Associates

INEAP Carroll: • Wrote a concept paper, shared with her manager(s) • Met 15+ potential partners over lunch (one at a time) • Revised plan over 10 times (!) based on the input • Was flexible on INEAP’s design, focused on broad goals (C) 2017 Russ Linden & Associates

INEAP • It started small; 6 attended first mtg. • Partners saw benefits, it soon grew • They rotate mtg. locations, all contribute to agendas • Carol is open; shares problems, shares information • Nobody thinks Carol is in it for power • No cost to belonging (except one’s time) (C) 2017 Russ Linden & Associates

Some INEAP Results • • • INEAP has over 60 member agencies Members share best practices (e. g. , how companies can reduce energy usage) Cross-trained employees provide businesses information from several agencies Green Suppliers Network helps companies share info on reducing pollution without raising costs INEAP has provided training on lean manufacturing (C) 2017 Russ Linden & Associates

INEAP and the collaboration method • A specific shared purpose or goal that the parties can’t achieve on their own • The parties want to meet now • The appropriate people are at the table • An open, credible process • A champion(s) for the initiative • Trust: candid, open relationships (C) 2017 Russ Linden & Associates 28

How to get the right people to the table? Some people are convinced by the mission. Others need answers to these 2 questions: • What’s in it for me (or, for us) to work on this? (WIIFM? ), • What’ll it cost me (WICM? ) “People don’t necessarily resist change; they do resist loss. ” -- Leadership on the Line, by Heifetz and Linsky (C) 2017 Russ Linden & Associates

Creating an open, credible process • Joint ownership for the process • Agreed-upon ground rules (the “ 80% rule” is a good one) • Clear roles: who’s responsible for what • Agreed-upon game plan: phases/steps, decision-making and problem-solving methods • Metrics, and a method for holding the parties accountable • Transparency; no behind-scenes decision making • A skillful convener (C) 2017 Russ Linden & Associates

Careful which metrics you use!! (C) 2017 Russ Linden & Associates 31

The key role of a working-level champion Many collaborative projects need an executive sponsor to succeed… (some, like INEAP, don’t) Virtually all successful collaborations require a working-level champion. Someone with: - Credibility, - Clout (can be informal), - Passion for the project (C) 2017 Russ Linden & Associates 32

The power and importance of a passionate working-level champion (C) 2017 Russ Linden &

The tasks of the working-level champion ü Articulate the project’s purpose in a way that excites others ü Get appropriate people to the table and keep them there ü Help parties see common interests, and the benefits from joint effort ü Generate trust ü Celebrate small successes, share credit widely ü Find a senior champion for the effort ü Provide confidence, hope, resilience (C) 2017 Russ Linden & Associates 34

The working-level champion: Self Assessment How do you see yourself? • 1 2 3 4 5 Poor Excellent Articulate the project’s purpose in a way that excites others ____ • Get appropriate people to the table, keep them there ____ • Help parties see common interests/benefits ____ • Generate trust ____ • Celebrate small successes, share credit widely ____ • Find a senior champion for the project (if needed) ____ • Provide confidence, hope, resilience ____ (C) 2017 Russ Linden & Associates 35

Pairs activity Activity: Thumb wrestle with someone next to you. Scoring: You get one point for each pin. Keep track of your points. The objective: get as many points as you can. Time: 30 seconds. (C) 2017 Russ Linden & Associates 36

The critical need for relationships Causes of Alliance Failures in Business: * • Inability to manage the relationships • Poor strategy and planning • Bad financial and legal conditions * From a study of 130 companies, by Vantage Partners (C) 2017 Russ Linden & Associates 52% 37% 11%

Forming trust: Mandela meets S. African rugby captain (C) 2017 Russ Linden & Associates

Forming trust: some approaches that help n Take the first step n Spend time on the relationship n Share information (both requested, and not) n Make good on commitments n Take a personal interest n Food helps (!) n Engage in joint training (C) 2017 Russ Linden & Associates 39