A note from me:

We enjoy trips to the cinema and visit quite frequently. I read a wide range of reviews from critics and generally only choose well-recommended films so my experiences at the cinema tend to range from excellent to only mild, and surprising, disappointment. We enjoy several different genres but some members of the family refer to “Jeremy & Mary-type” films that they avoid because they expect them to be challenging, slow-moving, subtitled, indie-style pieces!

We do, however, enjoy many “mainstream” movies as well. I thought “Oppenheimer” was hugely impressive recently and reasonably enjoyed Paul Giamatti in “The Holdovers”, although I think that particular film’s quality is being significantly over-hyped at the moment.  

This weekend we went to see “All of Us Strangers” which I would fully recommend as excellent, emotionally moving, but imperfect (like all of us). The film follows the main protagonist’s passage from isolation and alienation towards at least some kind of healing and the prospect of a brighter life. It touches on how easily we can become isolated and alienated, how others can unthinkingly nudge us that way and how, similarly, we can unthinkingly nudge others that way as well. There were a number of emotionally moving passages in the film and the performance of Claire Foy was particularly outstanding.  

The significance of connections between people and the deep need for collaboration and understanding can not be overemphasised. This Newsletter rounds off our mini-series on Collaboration and I hope you will discover some valuable insights in reading it.

My Bi-Weekly Guide

The Building Blocks of Transformative Collaboration:

The previous two Newsletters introduced the “Pipeline” of 5 different types of collaborative activity that can progressively advance developments from initial ideas to action at scale, and also highlighted the spectrum of complexity that influences the degree and type of attention required for successful collaborations. This Newsletter rounds off this three-part mini-series by focussing on the success factors for innovative, transformative, cross-boundary collaborations that generally lie towards the more challenging end of the spectrum.  

These insights are drawn from my experience in championing a significant number of  such collaborations, for example with the Chinese State Council and through the development of the Energy Transitions Commission and the Resilience Action Initiative.

I have found that there are 5 main building blocks in building an effective cross-boundary collaboration between different organisations.

1. People Dimension:
   It shouldn’t be surprising that organisations need to dedicate good, talented and experienced people to collaborations intended to be innovative and transformative. However, they often fail to do this as they prioritise such resources for the normal, day-to-day work that they already understand as high priority or urgent. As part of countering this, “fairy godmothers” are needed at the top of each involved organisation to actively champion the importance of the collaboration, and a “hotline to the top” so that their support can be manifested when crucial.
   

2. Trust/Respect Dimension:
   This is fundamental, but particularly difficult to achieve when parties have a background position of suspicion or even hostility. Such positions need to be openly recognised and addressed. It is helpful to find neutral spaces for initial engagements, and enlist the support of parties seen as “honest brokers” to facilitate these. It can help to avoid trying to generate blanket consensus on all things but to seek collaboration on specific steps that the necessary sub-set of parties can support. Over time, through taking steps together, trust and respect will develop. Of course, it will help if partners have previous positive experience with each other and can easily agree on common goals, but transformative collaborations can be built without this. It just takes more time, effort and applied wisdom.
   

3. Goal/Incentive Structures:
   Individual organisations and players will already have their separate goals and performance measures, but it is important for the collaboration to develop both its own relevant customised indicators and for these to be valued by the parent organisations. However, to avoid fruitless frictions early in the life of the collaboration, senior leaders must hold back any discussion over dividing up the value that will eventually be created jointly, and instead keep the focus on generating opportunity. Goals should be simple, credible but flexible, and relevant to those executing activities. Costs and benefits should be highlighted to all parties, but metrics should be chosen to overcome the bias towards Business as Usual and regularly reinforced. In particular, initial, small “quick wins” should be identified and greatly celebrated to build confidence and momentum.
   

4. Timing/Phasing Structure:
   Somewhat analogous to the “pipeline” of different collaborations highlighted previously, there is a timing structure within the life of any individual transformative collaboration wherever it sits in the larger pipeline. First knowledge, evidence and understanding needs to be developed. Then “proofs of concept” for the ultimate outcome of the collaboration need to be tried and tested. Finally there comes initial execution at scale and subsequent follow-up. It must be recognised that this takes time and that sufficient up-front investment is required to get things right. Partners must also be prepared to “let go” of things that may have initially seemed promising but are not working out. It is important to recognise both external and internal “valleys of death” (or, at least, difficulty), i.e. the time and effort needed to build understanding first within the collaboration, then back with the internal constituencies within each individual party, and ultimately with the broader world. 
   

5. Communications and Engagement Strategy:
   Right from the beginning of the collaboration through to its ultimate successes and activities at scale, attention should be given to communications and engagement with relevant stakeholders within and outside the partners. Communication will help spread and scale activities, break down silos, and also celebrate “wins” from the quick and small through to the late and large. This will generate confidence and maintain enthusiasm for resource deployment. There should be active investment in smart campaigns and media to achieve this.

Question of The Fortnight

Every fortnight I’ll be asking a thought-provoking question in hopes of sparking interesting and enlightening discussion.

I’d love to hear your response! You can do so by simply responding to this email.

Today’s question is:

Have you ever experienced being in a truly high-performance team and what do you think made it like that?

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I am building a space where we can have interesting and enlightening discussions on relevant topics that can have genuine impact.

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