Collaboration Trap: Turf Protection!

Territorialism is a normal response when individuals who feel passionate about their individual organizations and/or personal mandates are expected to represent their interests in a collaborative setting or initiative. Finding the balance between being individual and collective at the same time can be challenging. 

Referring back to what we know about the brain… any threat to equity, certainty, autonomy, safety and status can cause people to disengage in positive community processes.

Territorialism or "Turf Wars" will look and feel different for everyone. As facilitators, we accept that these feelings are likely to occur, so we are as proactive as possible to reduce them.  Some of the simple yet powerful things we do to anticipate and prevent negative consequences include;

• Have visual reminders: Collective artwork, scrapbooks of accomplishments, calendars, and reflection cards which are all ways to say: “We are a team, a collaborative, and we are strong.”

• Hold “What’s on the Horizon” discussions: Provide a space for people to share what might be happening. Without these, an organization may launch something that has tremendous impact on another organization..and its too late to make adjustments so relationships suffer and we all take several steps back in collaboration efforts.

• Allow conflict to emerge: Get the elephants out from under the table. Sometimes people have to vent, talk about hard issues, and generally beat topics to death. Watch for the richness and growth in this process and the readiness to move on constructively with the work. Acknowledge common issues, concerns, and feelings of being threatened. Communication can be the biggest tool against the territory trap.

Related Blogs

Creating an Elephant Friendly Zone

Charge Your Group B.S. Meter

Turning Cantankerous into Cooperative
 

Understanding, engaging and moving forward with groups.

This week we answer the question: What are some of the best ways to UNDERSTAND a group, ENGAGE them and MOVE FORWARD in addressing complex issues?

UNDERSTANDING takes listening and learning.  This could look very different depending on the group. Formally, you can use surveys, forums and research or consider collaborative conversations and seeking points of view more informally through fun engagement and interaction. Be curious…ask questions. Craft ones that are tough, deep, and emotional because its those kinds of questions that get people thinking. Remember to be open, patient and deliberate in all of your approaches within community.

 ENGAGE the group by giving them what they need. Keep brain based engagement principles in mind.  Find what makes things relevant for them.  That might include what is relevant for the group as a whole as well as what is relevant for individual people too.   Create the space, ask phenomenological questions, celebrate together, and hold tons of dialogue.

Then, once you have got people engaged, MOVING FORWARD to address complex issues is the goal. We believe that it is though well planned group process that moves groups to action.  And not just any action – but one that resonates, is well informed and has everyone’s buy-in.

See our related blog on the four steps to dealing with complexity using group processes.

Village Raising Question:

Reflect on what might happen when any of these strategies is skipped or rushed.  What happens when a community builder doesn't really understand the group they are with or if only part of the group is engaged in the topic or issue? How effective is action when not everyone is informed and "bought" it?

Related blogs:

 6 Group Process Tips
Brain Based Engagement Strategies
Find What Binds You

Brain-based Engagement Strategies - a List

After a year of offering our Collaboration: Authentic Engagement Workshop, we have compiled a list of brain-based engagement strategies from the amazing and diverse workshop participants whose wisdom, experience, innovative thinking and new insights filled flip chart pages with practical engagement ideas.

The ideas are organized by the four key community building strategies that we outline in our book, Raising the Village;

1.  Unearthing - Are you looking at finding a deeper understanding of community?

2. Building Relationships - Are you looking at strengthening relationships or building new partnerships?

3.  Framing Leadership - Are you looking at enhancing and sharing the leadership required to work together?

4.  Constructing Collective Relevance - Are you seeking that "feeling" of collective relevance...the "us"?

The ideas are further sorted according to the 5 domains of human interaction using a brain-based engagement lens. We have learned about these domains over the last five blogs; status, certainty, autonomy, relatedness and fairness.

Enjoy! Download this handout of engagement ideas here. (under the leader Development section). We hope it is useful!


Upon reflection, our last six blogs have been a reminder to examine how we engage you - blog-readers interested in building stronger communities. Our mission at Raising the Village is to support, inspire and engage individuals, organizations and communities in their efforts to collaborate. So taking direction from our own handout...

We welcome your input, comments, posts and questions in all of our online communities - blog, Facebook and Twitter. Tell us what engages you about building community - and what you are interested in learning more about.

We are continually seeking new ways to support community building efforts (in your families, in your workplaces and in your communities). Check out our website Resource page for a great selection of information on community development, leader development, the early years and group activities.

Our new book will be available soon! It is full of engaging activities for group leaders. The book (also available as 2 ebooks) shares 50 group activities that guides groups to gather information, make meaning from data, generate innovative action ideas and make decisions for action. For our growing Raising the Village communities we want to offer a pre-order discount. If you are not already receiving our seasonal newsletter, sign up here - we'll be sending out the discount soon.