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What are the different ways organizations can work together?
Networking:
Organizations have a networking
relationship when they exchange information in order
to help each organization reach a goal. Networking requires
the least amount of commitment and time from organizations
but can have significant positive results.
Coordination:
Organizations have a coordinating
relationship when they modify their activities so that
together they provide better services or can better
meet their objectives. Coordination is important because
it gives people a better chance to get the services
they need. A coordinating relationship requires more
organizational involvement, time, and trust than a networking
relationship.
Collaboration:
In a collaborative relationship
organizations help each other expand or enhance their
capabilities to do their jobs. Collaboration is a relationship
in which each organization wants to help its partners
become the best they can be. The organizations see each
other as partners rather than competitors. They share
risks, responsibilities, and rewards. Likewise, it requires
a higher level of trust, risk-taking, sharing or turf
and commitment. Collaboration is a bigger undertaking
than networking, coordinating, and cooperating; but
he potential for achieving change can be greater.
Multi-sector Collaboration:
This is similar to the collaboration
described above but has even greater potential for change.
In this type of collaboration, private, public, and
nonprofit organizations from different parts of the
community – along with ordinary citizens, form
a partnership to solve systematic problems in a community.
This requires its members to put aside the narrow interests
of their own organizations or sectors and give priority
to the common good. It is a long-term commitment for
which the rewards can be great, but so is the investment
of time and resources, and it requires a lot of trust.
How
do you choose the relationship that is right for you?
As you
go through the process of choosing an appropriate organizational
relationship, consider the following:
1. What does each organization
want to accomplish by working together?
2. Which kind of organizational relationship is necessary
to accomplish those goals?
3. Are there resources available for this kind of organizational
relationship, such as
time, skills, financial resources,
commitment, and human resources? If not, can
those resources be accessed?
4. Is there sufficient trust and commitment to support
this kind of relationship?
What
are some of the challenges organizations confront when
they are working together?
• People sometimes believe
that individual effort is more beneficial than cooperation.
• People are often mistrustful.
• People sometimes don’t have the necessary
communication skills for working
• together.
• Racism and other forms of discrimination keep
people and organizations isolated
• from each other.
• A lack of strong leadership can hinder the
formation and continuation of successful
• group interrelationships.
• People may internalize a sense of powerlessness,
which makes them unable to form
• working relationships.
• Private and public funders sometimes require
organizations to collaborate in order
• to receive funds.
How
do you and your organization begin to build relationships
with each other?
(Adapted
from the work of Arthur Himmelman and the Community
Tool Box)
Here
are some general ideas to help you get started:
1.
Involve the Stakeholders:
Make sure that everyone who is affected
is involved in the process, directly or indirectly.
Why?
Because if you want your effort to
succeed, you will need the cooperation and trust of
those
who can benefit from a good outcome.
2. Establish one-to-one relationships, and begin to
build trust:
Take it slow; trusting relationships
take a while to develop. Don’t give the feeling
of urgency or
having to “get the thing done
right away.”
3. Clarify the goals each organization wants to accomplish:
Each organization should clarify
its need for a relationship, its definition of the problem
and
how it thinks this relationship can
help.
4. Decide on an organizational relationship that make
sense:
Base this choice on clear goals,
objectives and resources.
5. Establish procedural ground rules:
Decide early on procedures for things
like the role of representatives, decision-making,
confidentiality, etc.
6. Learn how to listen:
Each person/group involved must be
able to put aside their own concerns long enough to
listen
to others.
7. Build on points of agreement:
Don’t expect or require people
to agree on every point. Respect diversity of opinion.
8. Learn about each other’s cultural group:
Taking the time to do this will build
trust, understanding, and will help prevent crises from
taking place in the future.
9. Don’t require organizations to give up their
identity:
Organizational leaders need to be able
to assure their members that they will maintain their
identity.
10. Expect problems and disagreements – and have
patience!:
Make time to listen to
people voice their concerns and try to resolve the problem
– don’t
become discouraged, it
is all part of the process.
11.
Celebrate every success, large and small:
We all need some fun
and connection with others to help keep our eyes on
the prize.
Celebrating helps people
maintain momentum, recognize the progress that’s
being made,
and focus on the next
step.
Adapted from the work of Arthur Himmelman and the
Community Tool Box
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Programs
providing support to MRC units
Virginia
Citizen Corps Council
Virginia Community Emergency Response Teams (CERTS)
Virginia Chapters of the American Red Cross
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