Success in the Sandbox:
What Leaders Need to Know about Forging True Peer Alliances

Taking a closer look at the first question --- focusing on results --- I must caution that I am not talking about project management. I am talking about COLLABORATION ISSUES, which means that the results must involve people, turf and time ----- the issues that are tough, especially when big egos are in play. So if getting to answers takes you less than an hour and there has been no tension, I can assure you that you do not have answers that will stand up under the inevitable pressure that is ahead.

To make sure you are getting the answers you need to get the results you want, take the time to flesh out some more specific issues. Ask yourself:

• What, exactly, is an A+ result on this initiative?
• What grade will the initiative get if we don’t work together at an A+ level? Is that grade ‘good enough?’
• Based on the standard of result we are willing to work to achieve, what needs to get done and why? What are the ‘real’ deadlines and key milestone dates for each of us? Who is accountable for what key areas of responsibility?

I cannot go on without discussing another key aspect of reaching an agreement on these results --- and that’s communication. For those of us who study human behavior, ‘communicating’ goes in the same category as ‘acting with integrity.’ When asked, individuals report that they communicate quite well. In fact, some 90% believe they are in the top quarter of great communicators. They contend that “the other guy has the real problems.”

But, are we really all that effective? And, if we think we’re great communicators ---- but we really may not be ---- are we really clear on our answers? Does the fact that we write it down and say ‘yes” increase our clarity?

You bet. But clarity isn’t enough to win the gold medal. The conversations for agreement, as well as the actual work, must aspire to strengthen the relationships and enhance their ability and motivation to work together in the future. It’s the groundwork we lay to pave our path to future success.


Step 2: Build agreements that you can remember and reference when the pace picks up

The key to gaining agreements that will carry partners through the life of the project is to … (drum roll) … contract early and explicitly.

“Contracting,” as I will use it here, refers to the process of achieving clear and viable agreements about both work outcomes and processes. We tend to associate the process of contracting or negotiating only with outside partners,

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