Collaboration (such as cross-team working, or multi-organisation projects) is a key ingredient to success within government. Public servants frequently name silos as the biggest barrier to the success of government initiatives — it’s why Apolitical created a free course on silo-busting .

Having a clear plan on who to work with and how is an important step towards success, not only between government entities but also research institutions, unions and NGOs. But what are the defining traits that make a collaborative effort among public servants more impactful, adaptive and efficient?

This article is part of a set of four documents designed to help you understand, assess and improve the effectiveness of your collaborations.

Here's a quick breakdown of what each document does:

  • The article you’re reading now: Breaks down the 8 characteristics of highly effective collaborations, including why they’re important and why they’re included in this assessment process.
  • The ‘How to deliver a Highly Effective Collaborations' diagnostic guide: Provides step-by-step instructions on how to carry out a thorough ‘Highly Effective Collaborations’ diagnostic process, including information on how to use the other two resources effectively.
  • Characteristics of Highly Effective Collaborations Diagnostic Template: This document explores the 8 important characteristics that make collaborations effective. For each characteristic, you'll find a list of questions to ask your stakeholders.
  • Data Analysis Spreadsheet: This is where you can enter the data you've collected from the Diagnostic Tool. The spreadsheet will automatically calculate an average score for each of the 8 traits, helping you understand where your collaboration stands.

Together, these four documents give you a comprehensive way to understand, measure and improve your collaboration.

Know your stakeholders

Stakeholders, whether internal team members or external partners, bring unique perspectives, expertise, expectations, resources and concerns to the table. Taking time to map your stakeholders means that those managing your collaboration can adjust their plans, predict problems and build trust. Skipping this step risks not being on the same page, missing important issues, and ending up with partnerships that don't work well for anyone.

Agreed goals and expectations

Once the landscape of stakeholders is mapped, the next pivotal step in the collaborative journey is setting agreed-upon goals and expectations. This step acts as the north star for the collaboration, providing clear direction and purpose.

By establishing clear and mutually agreed-upon objectives from the outset, all parties involved have a unified vision to work towards. Setting clear expectations ensures that stakeholders understand their role and contribution towards the collective goal.

Establishing ground-rules and guidelines early on in this process will help to ensure the relationship and collaboration works smoothly. Ground-rules can include: defined roles and responsibilities, deadlines, communication channels, and feedback mechanisms.

Iterating and refining the collaborative process

An often overlooked but essential element to effective collaboration is that it is an iterative process. Collaborative efforts require a continuous cycle of evaluation, measurement and improvement to ensure they stay on track. By tracking progress, teams can ensure accountability and stay on course towards their goals. Committing to regular improvement keeps collaborations adaptive and forward-moving, making sure they remain impactful and relevant.

Creating trust and rapport

Cultivating trust and rapport between partners is one of the most vital steps in the collaborative process — transforming association into a genuine partnership. Trust ensures that each party feels confident in the other's commitment, transparency and integrity. Rapport, on the other hand, is the personal connection, the mutual understanding and camaraderie that makes collaboration more than just a business transaction. An agreed, clear mode of communication is a key factor in fostering trust and rapport, to ensure alignment across parties and reduce any possible misunderstandings. Collaborations will inevitably face challenges and disagreements. However, a foundation of trust and rapport can hold the collaboration together and ensure that the shared focus remains.

**Clear decision-making and inclusive governance **

As collaborations evolve, the importance of clear decision-making processes and inclusive governance becomes paramount. Clear decision-making processes eliminate ambiguity, ensuring that every participant understands how choices are made, who makes them, and why. This clarity fosters trust and reduces potential conflicts. On the other hand, inclusive governance ensures that diverse voices are heard and valued, promoting a richer understanding of challenges and more innovative solutions.

A study by McKinsey & Company found that 57% of respondents agreed that their organisations consistently make high-quality decisions — just slightly likelier than a coin toss.

Managing conflict

In any team project, disagreements are bound to happen. Diverse stakeholders bring different perspectives, priorities, and expectations, so it's natural to disagree sometimes. That's why having effective conflict resolution processes in place is not just beneficial — it's essential for the long-term success of collaborations. These processes act as a safety net, ensuring that when conflicts arise, they can be addressed in a structured, fair and transparent manner. Effective conflict resolution fosters an environment where issues are not swept under the rug but are addressed openly, preserving the trust and rapport that are critical for collaboration. It also turns disagreements into chances to learn and improve, instead of letting them slow down the project.

Sharing and learning — strengths and resources

Effectively utilising each partners’ unique skills and resources is crucial to collaboration. By recognising and combining these strengths, collaborations can achieve more than any single entity could on its own. This pooling of resources fosters innovation and efficiency. This approach is not just strategic, but it's the very essence of what collaboration seeks to achieve: a sum greater than its individual parts.

Based on the Forrester Study, 38% of respondents believe that collaboration challenges within their organisations are hindering the full utilisation of employees' skills and expertise.

Enabling boundary spanning

Often modelled by organisational leaders, 'boundary spanners' play an indispensable role in ensuring that collaborations are not only formed but thrive. These individuals excel in building relationships, communication, challenging bureaucratic norms and managing complex projects. However, they often face institutional barriers such as rigid structures, conflicting priorities, and resistance to change. To ensure their effectiveness, it is crucial for organisations (and collaborations) to actively mitigate these barriers by allocating resources, fostering open dialogue, and implementing policies that encourage cross-boundary engagement.

Now what?

Now you’re aware of the key characteristics of highly effective collaborations, you’re ready to carry out a ‘Highly Effective Collaborations’ diagnostic. Please follow the link below for more information.

How to deliver a ‘Highly Effective Collaborations’ Diagnostic .

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