Collaborative leadership is the strategic management of relevant relationships in which all parties choose to cooperate to achieve a shared vision. Relationships define the context in which we can influence and align the behaviours of others. Collaborative leadership is a synonym of relationship management. It is fundamental to understand that we do not manage people - we manage our relationships with people.

The success of collaborative leadership depends on the collaborative leader’s ability to build and maintain these relationships.

	Collaborative leaders must inspire commitment and action by influencing others to create visions and to solve problems.
	Collaborative leaders do not make the decisions or do the work for the team.
	Collaborative leaders sustain hope and participation by valuing all participation and input and by helping set incremental and obtainable goals and celebrations along the way (Chrislip and Larson).

Strategies of Effective Collaborative Leaders

	Develop and cultivate a shared vision from the onset.
	Recruit and place people who have the right attitude. Knowledge and skills can be taught - the right attitude cannot.
	If you don’t pay attention to detail, be sure to employ someone who does, so that momentum is sustained and management details are taken care of.
	Address the needs of each participant in the collaboration.
	Streamline the organisation and make sure that management is efficient, productive and driven.
	Make sure that all participants meet regularly to discuss, plot and plan - collaboratively. Gain commitment from everyone to make every effort to be at every meeting to avoid having to waste time by bringing someone up to date because they were unable to attend the last meeting.
	Clear and concise roles and responsibilities must be defined.
	Keep in mind that it is easier (and much better received) to cancel meetings and to remove responsibilities, than it is to add to the participants’ plates.
	Effective collaboration takes time. It is about influencing people through building good relationships – one person at a time.

Effective collaborative leadership happens when participants share resources, skills, knowledge, assets and gain commitment to resolve issues and develop participation for the greater good of the entire organisation.

By Elsabé Manning