Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 3: Participate in a collaboration
• Method 2 of 3: Dealing with problems as a group
• Method 3 of 3: Form a partnership
• Tips

Collaborate closely, have a structured system for discussion, set clear common goals, and work towards achieving them. Collaboration is useful for all kinds of things: from group assignments at school, to joint projects between multiple organizations. Whether you want to collaborate between two parties or make sure a group member lives up to their responsibilities, there are several ways to resolve conflicts and get results.

To step

Method 1 of 3: Participate in a collaboration

1. Understand the precise goal and timeline. The purpose of the collaboration should be clear to all participants. Make sure you understand the precise purpose of the project, even if the collaboration is just a simple school project or some other short-term goal. Are you willing to work on the weekend? Does everyone understand the specific tasks required of them?
2. Help delegate the tasks. Instead of trying to do everything yourself, it is better to divide and rule. Let everyone discover their strengths, and work to build them in to reach the common goal. If you feel overwhelmed, or if you think someone else could use your help, speak up.
   • If you assign a certain role to each group member, such as "researcher" or "chairman", the delegation of tasks will be faster and seem less arbitrary.
3. Have everyone participate in the discussion. Stop and listen to the others, especially if you feel like you are contributing more than others. Really think about their ideas before responding. Collaboration thrives when everyone recognizes and appreciates the value of other people's participation.
   • If some members talk too much, adjust the system. Have a small group talk to someone, make sure you have a clear order. A large group can limit people to a few minutes per statement.
   • To encourage shy people to speak up, ask them for their input. Ask them about a topic they know a lot about or are interested in.
   EXPERT TIP

   Assume the good. Collaboration works best when there is an atmosphere of trust. If you think someone is not acting in the interest of the group, try to find out the reasons for this. Make sure you don't work too hard or biased. If you mistakenly give someone the black pete, the atmosphere can easily change.

   • Discuss the issues openly, not behind someone's back.
4. Suggest communication methods. People who work together must have the opportunity to exchange ideas and information. Use online wikis, email discussions, or shared documents to keep members up to date.
   • Make sure that the group also meets each other outside of work. You will be able to work better together if you get to know each other better.
5. Hold group members accountable for what they do and exchange feedback. Request that group members speak to each other in groups about ways to improve collaboration. Meet regularly to discuss milestones and discuss how best to reach out when someone is behind schedule. For long-term collaborations, you should regularly check that everyone is happy with the progress made.
   • Try to use factual statistics to chart progress. Do not ask members if they have done research, but check how much work they have actually done.
   • If a group member is not doing his / her job, try to discover the underlying causes together. See the next section for specific examples.
6. If possible, seek consensus. Disagreement is not alien to any group relationship. When conflicts arise, try to agree with everyone on the course to go.
   • There are times when consensus cannot be reached and the group has to move on. At the very least, make sure that those who disagree accept that the group has made a reasonable effort to come to a compromise. If a group member remains indignant, this will make further cooperation more difficult.
7. Don't burn your ships behind you. Even if there is strong disagreement between group members, you should keep your emotions in check and forgive those who disagree with you.
   • Well-timed humor can be a great tool for defusing a situation. Only use jokes that do not offend anyone, or at most only yourself. Also, don't insult people by joking when someone is really upset.

Method 2 of 3: Dealing with problems as a group

1. Discuss conflict openly. A partnership is based on the collaboration between people with different priorities. Conflicts cannot therefore be prevented. So discuss them honestly, and not behind closed doors.
   • Make it clear that conflict resolution is not intended to determine who is right and who is not. Focus the discussion on how the situation or process in question can be resolved, and how the collaboration can keep an eye on the future.
   • If you see a group member becoming hostile or apathetic, ask them privately what caused it. Discuss the cause at the next meeting, if it is related to the partnership.
2. Do not try to solve every difference. The purpose of a collaboration is to achieve a goal, not to indoctrinate everyone with the same perspective. You have to discuss these differences, okay. But sometimes you will have to admit that the conflict is not resolved, and that either a compromise must be chosen or a different course of action.
3. Discuss underlying causes of low participation. If a group member rarely attends meetings, or is not living up to their responsibilities, try to find out why. And solve it:
   • Ask the group member if there are any problems with other members of the group so that you can discuss them openly if necessary.
   • If the member is someone from another organization, make sure that organization does not give him / her too much work. Remind his / her boss that a certain amount of commitment has been agreed. Also ask the boss for a written version of the group member's workload.
   • If the group member refuses to cooperate, or does not have the necessary qualities, look for a replacement. He / she may feel offended by this, but it is crucial for the collaboration to run smoothly.
4. Resolve arguments about customs, language, and stylistic choices. If group members are used to doing things differently, or have different definitions of certain terms, take the time to clear up these misunderstandings.
   • Write the definitions of problematic terms in writing.
   • Adjust the language of the job description so that everyone can understand it, and so that everyone agrees.
5. Improve boring or ineffective meetings. Investigate how you can meet effectively and share your results with the chair, supervisor, or facilitator. Do your best to maintain the trust and commitment of members.
   • Even small gestures like refreshments can make someone feel more involved in the collaboration.
   • If the meeting is difficult because the chairperson is not overly skilled, choose a new one. Someone who is trusted by the entire group and has the skills to conduct the discussion without offending anyone.
6. Deal with manipulative and argumentative group members. There are many ways to overcome this problem. You can try several things before deciding to expel someone from the group. The latter can cause bad blood within the group.
   • Manipulative and controlling behavior can be caused by fear, and if members represent another organization, they may fear that their independence will be lost if they don't. Try to discover underlying causes and discuss them with the group. Or, if it's a personal problem, ask if they want to resolve it in their own time.
   • If a group member does not speak up when he / she disagrees, or if there is a conflict of interest, use the meeting to allow everyone to speak. Try to hear from everyone what they have to say.
   • Use a different structure for the discussion system. Try not to let the more argumentative people take over the meeting.
7. Limit discussion of goals or strategies. Establish clear goals and methods in writing to minimize confusion. If members are still discussing the written goals, take the time to edit them again.
   • This can indicate a desire for concrete achievements. Often it doesn't even indicate actual disagreement about the ultimate goals. Try to agree on specific results and reasonable short-term action plans.
8. Deal with the pressures imposed by other organizations. If the leaders of group members from other organizations exert pressure to get results quickly, remind them that the collaboration operates under its own authority. Planning is a much-needed step in any partnership.
9. Hire a mediator for more serious conflicts. Sometimes it may be necessary to bring in an external mediator as a group. The mediator will facilitate one or two meetings to resolve the conflict. As soon as he / she is personally involved, he / she should be replaced. Use a mediator in the following cases:
   • When a group leader is directly involved in a conflict.
   • When there is disagreement about whether or not there is a conflict.
   • When there are cultural differences, a mediator is needed who understands both perspectives.
   • When impartiality is essential, such as with conflicts of interest.
   • When the group is bad at conflict resolution. Consider hiring a mediator who can train the group to better resolve conflicts. This is better than having to look for a mediator every time to resolve disputes.

Method 3 of 3: Form a partnership

1. Choose the right groups. You can work with people from non-profit organizations, companies, the public sector, or individuals. Whoever you choose, it's important to research them first. Openly discuss whether the group can focus on the type of collaboration you envision.
   • If you are also looking for a financial partner, do not invite organizations that are financially struggling. Do not invite government agencies that are cutting back.
   • If a group or individual is notorious for poor work relationships, trust issues, or backstabbing, avoid them.
2. Set a clear goal. Make sure all involved groups understand why the link is needed and what the exact goals are. Make sure each group is committed to some degree of engagement before you start.
   • Set a timeline for the collaboration. You will quickly run into problems if one group expected only a few meetings, and the other expected it to take a year.
   • Make it clear what you expect from the collaboration. Again, the organizations involved should be aware of the number of manpower needed, and how much time is expected of them. They also need to know to what extent there is leadership.
   • Choose a goal that the group members want to commit to. Collaboration should focus on the common goals of all members; not on the mission statement of one organization.
3. Involve the right people. Look for people with relevant experience and sufficient credibility and trust within their own organization. Do not bring in ignorant people because they volunteer or because you are personally friends with them.
   • Don't let the group overflow with members. The more members you have, the slower the collaboration will run. Choose enough people to achieve your goals, but no more. Solve potential problems as soon as possible.
   • If the goal includes major organizational changes for members, then each organization should appoint its own leader.
   • If you plan to raise funds as a partnership, hire a legal counsel.
   • Consider bringing in people from outside the core organizations if needed. A member of the school board, council, or industry may be needed to provide you with insights that you otherwise wouldn't have access to.
4. Make it clear to everyone what his / her role in the whole is. Does everyone have equal weight to bear in decision-making? Is there someone who specializes in a particular sector, and is he or she also a full member? Let everyone know how much time is expected of them, both in terms of meetings to be attended and outside work.
   • Also discuss how to recruit new members and remove existing members.
5. Establish the fundamentals of the partnership. Don't dive right in. You will save time and increase effectiveness if you first explain the basics of the relationship in writing. Do this during the first meeting. Conclude all of these elements:
   • Mission and purpose. This should already be in place, but you may need to take a moment to discuss the details and wording. Add a timeline and milestone goals.
   • Leadership and decision-making process. These are very important elements. Everyone should agree who is in charge and what exactly that leadership entails. Are decisions made on the basis of consensus (discussion until complete agreement) or some other system?
   • Values ​​and assumptions. If an organization has a certain boundary that cannot be crossed, or assumes that a certain route is being taken, now is the time to formalize it. Try to map risky scenarios for each group, and discuss what to do if one of those scenarios occurs.
   • Ethical policy. If there is a conflict of interest, how should the partnership resolve that issue? With whom can the relationship enter into financial relationships? Does each organization's policy apply to the actions of all of the cooperative's actions? And if not, how will you try to resolve that discrepancy?
6. Preserve the collaborative environment. Congratulations, your first partnership is up and running! However, it is still up to every member, and especially the group chairman, to ensure that the partnership remains healthy.
   • Use the fundamentals to resolve discussions and conflicts. Discuss any changes to the Fundamentals if your goals or timeline need to be adjusted.
   • Make sure there is a relationship of trust between the members. If personal problems arise, or if some members are not given enough space, the discussion process should be adjusted. Everyone should have an equal opportunity to contribute and to discuss conflict openly.
   • Establish a system in which members can be held accountable and where feedback can be exchanged.
   • Stay in regular contact. Take minutes of all decisions and appoint absent members. In addition to meetings, allow members to talk to each other in a more relaxed, informal setting.

Tips

• Do not rush. Collaborations often appear to be slower than individual projects. However, planning is critical to keeping everyone on board.
• Divide the workload so that no one feels overwhelmed.
• If you disagree with something, don't get angry or violent.