Collaboration: What Makes It Work

By Paul W Mattessich, PhD and Kirsten M. Johnson

REVISED AND UPDATED:Includes The Wilder Collaboration Factors Inventory:

1. Expand your thinking about ways to help your project succeed
2. Gain background information before beginning a collaboration
3. Compare your situation with others
4. Determine if your plans include necessary ingredients
5. Uncover and resolve trouble spots
6. 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

• Language: English
• Publisher: Fieldstone Alliance
• Release date: Jun 26, 2018
• ISBN: 9781683367932

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.

Book preview

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

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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