COLLABORATIVE RELATIONSHIP Collaboration, as a concept, has become widely accepted as a preferred way of working with people who have

different interests and viewpoints. As recently as a decade ago that was not the case. While most of us recognize the value of working together rather than continuing to argue and fight, few have studied about it, or been trained in the skills to actually lead such an effort. Collaboration is a complex process that requires skills and insights that are in many ways counter to societal norms. It requires learning to listen in different ways and for different things as people talk. It requires enlisting people to co-create something that is of interest to many, rather than figuring out what each person/group has to give up so that everyone can live with the result. It requires learning to ignore entrenched positions and debates and how to draw out interests and create dialogue. Collaboration is working together to achieve a goal. It is a recursive process where two or more people or organizations work together to realize shared goals. For example, an intriguing endeavor that is creative in natureby sharing knowledge, learning and building consensus. Most collaboration requires leadership, although the form of leadership can be social within a decentralized and egalitarian group. In particular, teams that work collaboratively can obtain greater resources, recognition and reward when facing competition for finite resources.

Establishing a Collaborative Relationship

Establishing and maintaining a collaborative relationship is an ongoing process. It begins in the early stages of team development and continues throughout the life of the team. Collaboration implies a willingness on the part of organizations to change the way services are delivered by jointly developing and agreeing to a set of common goals and directions; sharing responsibility for obtaining those goals; working together to achieve those goals, using the expertise of each collaborator. Initially, partners may not be ready for a collaborative relationship. Instead, they may work together cooperatively to help each other meet their respective organizational goals without making any tangible changes in the way they deliver services or in their operating procedures. However, unless these cooperative relationships become increasingly collaborative in nature, no changes will occur in the service delivery system. Factors Contributing to Collaboration or collaborative relationship are:

Regular contact through purposeful meetings Frequent communication through telephone calls and mail A focus that is client centered (rather than organizational) Leadership that helps develop and maintain a shared vision A plan that delineates shared goals and objectives (Because the plan is the key factor in establishing a collaborative relationship, the next step is devoted to it.) Appropriate agency representation on the team to execute the plan

By attending to these factors, we can ensure that the work of the team is more collaborative than cooperative in nature.