Partnering made easy - Lessons from the Design and Construction Industry

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The design and construction industry, including the Corps of Engineers, have been utilizing a process called "Partnering" for over 20 years.

The Partnering process begins with a workshop that brings together the three key stakeholder groups involved in a typical construction project: the Owner, the Contractor, and the Architect or Engineer. The workshop sets the stage for the working relationship by developing the project mission and goals, team values, understanding expectations, discussing communication, roles, and responsibilities, problem solving processes, and addressing any "rocks in the road."

The Partnering work continues throughout the life of the project as a proactive way to address issues before they get too big, assess how well the team is working together, and how well the project is meeting its mission and goals.

A third party facilitates the initial workshop, and may assist at follow-up workshops, but the process is "owned" by the project team Partnering Champion(s).

I have participated in as well as facilitated over 80 Partnering workshops, and can attest to the validity of the process.

Why Is This Idea Important?

There is proven technology (Partnering) that can be utilized whenever disparate parties with common goals but potentially conflicting interests come together to do something, solve problems, address issues, or create something together.

Idea # 256Public-Private Partnerships, partnering, collaboration, teams, champion, communication, interests, conflict, coonstruction, leadership, faciltate, facilitator, public-private, institutional, contractor, goals

Comments

masmith 10 months ago

If I'm understanding this correctly, this is the kind of information sharing that can benefit any industry - I'm thinking particularly of the medical industry where doctors, even surgeons can benefit from sharing information. I've often wondered if a patient who has a negative outcome from a treatment might not have been completely healed by the 'doctor down the road', because he had knowledge and experience with the condition that the patient's doctor didn't. If that's what 'Partnering' is, then I'm all for it!

tgibbons 10 months ago

I totally agree with this approach. In order for partnering to be successful all partners must be involved in the process from the very beginning and be clear on roles and contributions to the project.

bluesky222 10 months ago

This is the best strategy I've read so far. Excellent for so many applications.
Thank you!

christoff eddleman 9 months ago

carol i understand that this is a good process , but say i am a small contractor who has genuine leadership skills naturaly , i would like to be a part of the process with the end result making enough money to sustain myself and other people?how do i work with people with fixations on the way things should be built with no reguard for me as an artist creator buisnessman and most important humanitarian?

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