November 14, 2002 | Read Time: 2 minutes
Working Across Boundaries: Making Collaboration Work in Government and Nonprofit Agencies
by Russell M. Linden
Russell M. Linden, a management trainer and consultant, stresses that collaborative efforts among nonprofit organizations and government agencies can lead to better use of scarce resources, better products, and better results. As problems become more complex, he says, the need for collaboration is heightened.
Mr. Linden also examines the obstacles to collaboration, such as an organization’s unwillingness to surrender power or its fear that the needs of the organization will be sacrificed, and offers possible solutions. The first step is to make sure that the right players are at the table, he says. One chapter profiles a nonprofit collaborative, Joint Venture: Silicon Valley, which initially attempted to combat the effects of the recession by working with business leaders. The group received criticism from residents of the valley and the press and quickly decided to include educational, nonprofit, and community groups as well. This partnership has since led to many projects, including one involving businesses, nonprofit organizations, and volunteers in connecting area schools to the Internet.
Developing open, trusting relationships is, according to Mr. Linden, the “glue” for most collaborative ventures. He suggests starting meetings with a “check in” and organizing informal lunches to allow people to understand their partners’ needs. He also recommends that leaders emphasize the severity of situations that call for collaboration, or “raise the stakes,” to motivate their co-workers to overcome organizational self-interest. And he suggests that they take advantage of new technology to create stronger links among collaborators.
Through more than a dozen case studies, Mr. Linden explains why and how nonprofit organizations and government agencies should continue to seek out “creative ways to build bridges to other groups … for the purpose of creating better outcomes” for the people they serve.
Publisher: Jossey-Bass, 989 Market Street, San Francisco, Calif. 94103-1741; (415) 433-1740 or (800) 956-7739; fax (415) 433-0499 or (800) 605-2665; http://www.josseybass.com; 304 pages; $28; ISBN 0-7879-6430-1
