Fresh Idea

Successful Collaboration

This is the first in a series of briefings that Berkeley is preparing on the broad topic of collaboration. Fittingly, it has been developed as a collaborative effort among our Associates.  Laren Stadelman, a Berkeley Associate, authored this overview paper. Jane Cooke-Lauder, a 'friend' of Berkeley's contributed significantly to this paper and to our thinking by sharing her preliminary doctoral research on collaboration among non-governmental organizations.

By Laren Stadelman
Excerpt...

The benefits of collaboration are easily understood — the ability to achieve more together than could be achieved individually. While this may sound simple, the reality is more complex.

Collaborating organizations typically share a common goal; however they approach that goal with different interests, priorities and concerns.  As a result, they frequently struggle to find common ground.

The practical challenges of collaboration relate to finding workable answers to questions about what the organizations involved hope to accomplish, where they will focus their energies, and how they will work with one another.

Click here to read more on working out successful collaborative efforts.

and another Fresh Idea

Breaking the Wasteful Leadership Development Spiral

In collaboration with its UK Affiliate, Square Peg International, The Berkeley Consulting Group has been taking a fresh perspective on the topic of investing in leaders and aligning them to strategic intent.  Based on our research, global thought leadership forum, and input from our client review meetings, we are exploring the consequences of leadership development investment being divorced from strategy.

Utilizing the image of a spiral to outline five key stages where value can be eroded, we identify what is required to correct the erosion of investment in leadership, and start to challenge the paradigm of aligning leadership to strategy.  

Our work on this theme is based on a three-pronged hypothesis:

1. Firstly, a number of self-perpetuating factors can combine to make leadership development investment a wasteful spiral of activity – our research confirms the nature and extent of some of these factors.
2. However, the downward spiral can be broken – our findings suggest some ways to make that happen.
3. Finally, it is possible for the investment of resources in leadership development to positively drive value.  We identify the means to create a virtual circle.

Guide to Good Governance: As co-author with Anne Corbett of Borden Ladner Gervais, our Managing Partner wrote a practical guide on governance practices for the Ontario Hospital Association. The guide covers topics including Board Role in Strategic Planning and Performance Measurement, CEO Evaluation Process, Assessing Board Effectiveness, and Board Committee and Meeting Processes. To purchase a copy, please go to OHA's Governance Centre of Excellence and click on "Resources".