Planning for partnering
The introduction of partnering into a public authority should be carefully planned, with the following issues considered:
- Partnering works best within an environment that understands quality management, customer focus, process improvement, participative leadership and team practices.
- Partnering should be endorsed as corporate policy.
- Partnering should be phased in slowly to allow a cultural transition to take place.
Successful partnering arrangements have considered the following:
Education
Partnering requires a new way of thinking within a public authority. As suppliers and contractors should be seen as an extension of the public authority and treated as members of the team, informing and educating those involved is critical.
Personalities
The key personnel involved in partnering are critical to the success of the relationship. These relationships need to be developed; changes to these personnel can impact on the effectiveness of the arrangement and need to be managed.
Resolution Procedures
It is essential that partnering arrangements include effective and clearly defined conflict resolution procedures that work.
Win-Win Outcomes
Effective partnering is built on a continuing recognition that the arrangement results in win-win outcomes for all parties.
Customers
Do not lose sight of the fact that we provide services for our customers. A suitable mechanism needs to be put into place:
- To evaluate services from their perspective
- To take account of their views
- To involve them as appropriate in service development proposals
- To show them that we care
