Collaboration V. Coordination
Everything I am about to share with you is based on the work Dr. Hobart Harmon and Dr. Jerry Johnson are doing about this topic in rural schools and communities. In other words, the idea is not originally mine, although I have put my spin on it.
When we think about “collaborating” as school leaders, what image comes to mind? Is the first image in your brain a meeting? Maybe you think of a partnership agreement.
As you read the rest of this post, it is important to consider what your first thought of collaboration is.
I suspect that most of us mistake coordination for collaboration. We spend a good part of our day either organizing or participating in meetings, which can be confused with collaboration. After all, you are getting people together to discuss a topic or make a plan to get things done.
Coordination does have its place in our work life…but let’s not confuse it for collaboration.
According to Drs. Harmon and Johnson, true collaboration occurs when individuals (or organizations) work together toward a goal that is mutually beneficial for all involved.
Mutual benefit is a key part of collaboration. If you (or your organization) do not feel you are benefiting from working together, you are just coordinating actions.
The next important piece of collaboration is what each party contributes to the effort. Each party in the collaboration must contribute:
1. Time
2. Talent
3. Resources
4. Relationships
To start, collaboration requires time and talent. You must dedicate meaningful time to it and give the gift of your (or your organization’s) talent. Come to the table with something significant to offer!
Offering resources and relationships are aspects we sometimes don;t consider as important. Dr. Pat Crawford talks a lot about building your “value network.” The members of your value network can be key resources when collavborating with other people or organizations.
So, what do you think? Does your school or organization truly collaborate or do you trend more toward coordination?
