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Organizations are often hopeful that the formal agreement or contract they have made with one another will provide a solid basis for their work together, and that it is not necessary to attend carefully to the partnership after the agreement has been forged. In fact, nothing could be further from the truth. Miscommunication, misunderstanding, suspicion, disappointment, blaming, and defensiveness occur repeatedly. Mechanisms must be found to keep the partnership (whether it is with a customer, a vendor, a strategic partner, or an acquired company) working smoothly. "Offsite" meetings between groups, and the agreements they generate, can be useful--but their effect is likely to be temporary, and they should not be seen as sufficient.
One mechanism that GLS has used successfully is the Collaborative Roundtable.
The Collaborative Roundtable is a place in which the key representatives of groups or organization represented in an endeavor meet to dialogue about ongoing issues. The structure, rules of engagement, and agreements made by this group allow it to function as a group that does not make decisions, but that is nevertheless effective. Members of the Roundtable share information with one another. They come to understand the distortions and misperceptions that have developed among them, look at problems in a broader way, generate ideas for solution, and generate solutions and recommendations. Assumptions and perceptions are shared in an atmosphere of safety, and the clarity achieved in the group is transferred elsewhere; it facilitates wiser and more effective decision-making processes in the various groups that are constituted to make decisions. Loss of time and poor quality are minimized due to the honesty of this Collaborative Roundtable, and due to the ability of its members to take their learning and understanding back to their respective groups and organizations. In-depth discussion of emerging issues encourages deeper understanding of the causes of misperceptions and inaccurate assumptions, and reduces them in the project or program. The work of other groups can then incorporate preventive measures in systems and procedures rather than being absorbed in crisis management. The Collaborative Roundtable gradually becomes a model that other subgroups in the partnership can utilize to enhance their own effectiveness.
GLS can help keep inter-organizational partnerships strong, and establish ongoing mechanisms such as Collaborative Roundtable to ensure their durability.
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