Collaborance

Collaborative Governance

A System of Collaboration

Collaborance, or Collaborative Governance, is a disciplined and practical way of working with the habits & beliefs that underlie effective collaborative effort.

Mastering these habits leads to …

  • Capable people
  • Connected with compelling purpose
  • Executing a clear path
  • Engaging through creative play
Realize your employees’ natural capacity
to create,
collaborate & lead
Engage your people
& align them with a meaningful mission
& vision
Identify simple action steps & measure progress towards new
habits & goals
Invite learning & innovation through curiosity,
trust & joy

Method

  • Experiential workshops using playful activities to build trust, interest and engagement;
  • Interactive, facilitated meetings to generate dialogue in large & small groups;
  • Structured processes for generative conversation;
  • World Cafés, Future Search events and appreciative Inquiry Summits.

Measures

  • Increased engagement & ownership
through participative leadership;
  • Higher levels of accountability through rigorous, inclusive decision-making;
  • Greater participation & innovation through dialogue & productive disagreement;
  • Longer employee retention through strategies, structures & systems that create vibrant community.

About Lesley

My mission is to support and strengthen collaborative learning, leadership, decision-making and change through a System of Collaboration involving skill building and process improvement at the individual, small group and enterprise levels.

My passion is creating collaborative learning organizations where every voice can be heard and everyone’s skills can have an impact on shared goals.

The System of Collaboration

Individual

In great sports teams, the success of the team depends on having skilled players ready to take their position on the field. Likewise, in the workplace, successful collaboration requires that each person in the organization enters the playing field (or the meeting room) with a fundamental set of beliefs and skills that will allow collaborative work to arise. Individuals must practice habits of thinking & speaking which invite collaboration with colleagues. Ask me about:

  • Individual skills coaching
  • Cultivating a collaborative mindset
  • Building effective communication skillsets

Small Groups

Having built a foundation of individual skills, players must also learn the “rules of the game” and how to work together with other members of the team to accomplish their shared goal. On a sports team, the rules and goals are simple and unchanging. In the workplace the “game” is much more dynamic with players, rules and even goals that shift with changing market conditions. Teams and groups must develop habits of meeting, deciding & resolving, the elements necessary for collective action. Collaborance can help you:

  • Strengthen teams
  • Host high-impact meetings
  • Improve decision-making & problem-solving
  • Resolve social tension and conflict

Organizational

Organizations are responsible for the context within which the game is played. They ensure resources are available to teams and they generate excitement to make sure the game attracts fans and players. The role of leaders and key influencers in business organizations is to ensure that collaborative action is supported and valued. Leaders and managers within organizations provide their “team” with resources and confront systemic barriers that undermine collaborative effort. Organizations create a collaborative culture through system-wide habits that value and support collaboration. Ask me how to make collaboration an integral part of your …

  • Vision, Mission & Values
  • Strategic goals & execution
  • Leadership development
  • Talent management

Collaborative Governance:

Over the past few years, Lesley has been an excellent consultant for our school. She has helped us with implementing social inclusion initiatives, developing collaborative models and clear governance policies and procedures, as well as with mediation and facilitation. Lesley brings a great deal of experience, enthusiasm and capability to the table. She is a pleasure to work with, and has made invaluable contributions to the health of our school!

- Member of the Leadership Circle
Independent School (NY)

Organizational Development:

Lesley is one of the most insightful organizational consultants I have ever worked with.  She manages to bring form and structure without being overly prescriptive, and she has the courage to confront and address issues without judgment.  She helped members of our Board see and accept the things that needed to change and find practical solutions that fit naturally within our culture.

- Beatrice Meyer, PhD
Independent School Administrator (GA)
Executive Coach & Leadership Consultant

Leadership Coaching/Mentoring:

Working with Lesley has been a special learning process for me. During our meetings my brain was working constantly. Her comments gave me new perspectives, and created new ideas that drove me to think differently about things. Our conversations motivated me to set goals and inspired confidence that I could reach them. I have never experienced the unique benefits of this kind of dialogue before - this is definitely the power of collaboration. I am sure that she is not even aware of the extraordinary inspiration she provides.

- Noemi Szabo
Master’s Student &
Former Accountant KPMG (Hungary)

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