Incentivizing Collaboration

Can you answer this one simple question from the perspective of every single person involved in your collaboration: “

“What’s in it for me?”

Implementing complex collaboration is a messy, iterative, non-linear process. There is no unified field theory of change management, no checklist to work through that will ensure successful enduring collaboration.

Incentive is an often-overlooked collaborative tool for navigating that messiness.

Here’s why:

Everyone needs something specific that encourages and motivates participation and action.

The specifics will vary from role to role. This means that it’s important to avoid cookie-cutter “incentives.” Instead, take time to understand what makes sense to your colleagues in their roles.

Some may be motivated by recognition, others by the promise of a simpler way of doing business, others by having an authentic sense of ownership of the process, and yet others by stipends.

If key players are not provided incentives that help them see the value in enthusiastic

participation, but are instead corralled into "getting on board," resistance is likely.

Take time to develop a deeper understanding of who your skilled participants are, what their roles are in the organization, and how their roles intersect with the collaboration. Learning what makes your colleagues “tick” will help you create real incentives that make sense.

Avoid leaping to “incentives” that are mere echoes of “what we did last time.”

Consciously developing incentives in a transparent manner helps build trust as it demonstrates your commitment to real people and their needs. This ensures that participants are actively engaged--even invested--and not just fulfilling an assignment.

If you could use a hand avoiding the predictable pitfalls of complex, multi-stakeholder initiatives, email admin@debmashk.com. Let me help you drive impact and achieve your vision.