Effective structures and processes are necessary to support good governance, but human factors such as the behaviours and relationships that contribute to organisational culture matter just as much.
Trust boards should be well aware of their duties in setting, modelling, and sustaining the culture they wish to see in their organisations. This is also true within partnerships, and care should be taken, as with articulating a shared vision or strategy, to articulate shared values and perhaps shared cultural attributes that the partners wish to see. The closer and more extensive the collaborative arrangements and ambitions, the more culture(s) will play a role in the success or otherwise of the collaboration.
Similarly, interpersonal relationships can be either the engine driving, or brake upon, successful provider collaboration. Positive relationships between partners tend to be described by them as open, transparent, trusting, and collegiate. Sharing values between partners can also provide a steady platform from which to build successful relationships and help prevent relationships and collaboration breaking down when personnel change.
Some collaboratives have deliberately taken the time to start with relationship-building. This might involve board-to-board activities and discussions, networking across roles and specialisms, or simply getting to work on relatively 'easy' wins i.e., starting with something simple to work on together and build relationships (and trust) while doing. This latter approach can help partners not only get to know one another but also see the benefits of collaboration and be more likely to buy-in and get involved.
Careful consideration should be given to:
- Acknowledging the value of relationships and establishing trust, transparency and an open approach to working together.
- Smoothing the transition of key personnel/partners into a collaborative system approach.
- The risks that personnel changes can bring.