Guidelines for Collaboration: The Dean's Perspective

A concise Project Kaleidoscope essay with a lot of heft to it:

It is important to remember that when committees are established for a specific task, existing relationships between people often change. People, some of whom may have worked together in other arenas, are coming together around a new task. They are being asked to think in a different way as they begin collaborating on a difficult, demanding and complex assignment, understanding how to use their differences in ways that advance their collective agenda. It is vital that the early life of the group be built around trust, with procedures, time frames, work plans, and schedules established openly and transparently.

Ownership of the task connects to trust. Everyone needs to feel that her or his individuality is acknowledged, even as the group joins together for the larger goal. Those in leadership roles, particularly the project shepherd (a PKAL title for the key person in a facilities planning effort), must continually see that diversity of perspectives are brought to the table and that disagreements are addressed in a timely manner. This recognition of the value of the different and diverse perspectives at the table helps to build trust in the process, enfranchises all involved, and leads to wide-spread ownership of both the process and the outcome.