Assessing the environment is about understanding the context of collaboration. Leaders must carefully analyze and understand the context for leadership before acting. As a preliminary step, it is necessary to understand this context in order to identify the appropriate people, design constructive processes, and provide accurate information. There are several aspects to these first steps: 1. Identify the problem type: First of all there is a need to identify that problem falls under which category. 2. Understand leadership challenges. Sometimes there are challenges that must be resolved before collaboration can occur.
They often have to do with: power and trust issues, lack of leadership initiative or capacity, hidden agendas, lack of vision, etc. These issues have little to do with the nature of the problem, but with how people work together. The primary focus of collaborative leadership needs to be on the process of how people work together, not on the content of the problem itself. 3. Identify stakeholders. A stakeholder is one who is affected by or affects a particular problem or issue. The stakeholders in collaborative initiatives need to define the problems and solutions, because it is their work that will lead to action.
If they were results. 4. Assess the level of stakeholder agreement. A “war of solutions” is usually a starting point for groups who agree to work together. However, this leads nowhere. The following questions help to assess the level of stakeholder agreement: ; Have stakeholders agreed that there is a problem that needs attention? ; Have stakeholders agreed to work together on the problem/issue? ; Have stakeholders agreed on how to work together on the problem/issue? ; Have stakeholders agreed on an implementation plan and action steps? 5. Evaluate an organization’s capacity for change.
There are a number of organizational capacity and readiness tools that can be used to systematically address this step. 6. Identify where the problem/issue can be most effectively addressed. If the issues are complex and the responsibility and accountability are murky, it is important to determine where the problem can be most effectively addressed. S For each item, circle one rating under the “Behavior Frequency” column indicating your view of how often you exhibit that behavior. Your responses to this questionnaire are for your own use.
You will not be asked to share your scores after oh have answered. You will be asked to use your score and your responses to help you develop a personal learning plan. Written Comments: What do you think are your strengths in assessing the environment as a collaborative leader? What do you think are your most important areas for improvement in assessing the environment? Definition – Being clear about the goals, direction, and envisioned future of a community for a particular issue. Outcome – Committing to a cause that transcends the self; recognizing ethical or moral standards that provide guidance.
