RESOURCE: Collaborative Working Survey
This survey is a diagnostic tool to take the pulse of the collaborative effort in a working team.
It diagnoses what is going well in addition to identifying areas where tensions exist. Tensions should be explored through dialogue and reflective practice to clarify the nature of difficulties and plan how to go forward.
The survey can be repeated over time to assess development and progress as the collaboration evolves.
Steps:
- Distribute the survey to all members of the collaborative effort
- Ask each member individually to rate the extent they think the themes are present in the current collaborative working arrangements
- Collate the scores
- Present the collated scores to the group, highlighting areas which are strong, areas where there is a diverse range of views and areas where tensions seem to exist
Collaborative Working Survey
| We have developed common aims | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| We have developed shared compatible aims | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| There is good communication between members | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| There is clarity about each member’s role and who/what they represent | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| There are deepening bonds of commitment and determination between members to achieve the aims | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| Members are prepared to compromise in the interests of the common aims | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| We have developed effective working processes which helps get things done | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| There is accountability between members for following through on decisions which have been agreed | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| The leadership of the collaboration enacts principles of democracy and equality to empower everyone to take an active role | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| Members share resources | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| Members do not undermine each other or behave in ways which has a negative impact on others | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| Members trust each other to behave in ways which show respect | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| Power (personal and role) is used wisely to avoid over control by any one member | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| Due to working together we make faster, better decisions | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| Members share information and knowledge | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| Members are recognised and appreciated for their contribution | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| There is productive output as a result of our collaboration | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| The synergy achieved through collaboration makes things happen that wouldn’t or couldn’t otherwise | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| Individual Total |
Questions to ask about the results
In following up responses from team members to the Survey, these questions might make for a productive conversation:
What seem to be your strengths?
(High percentages of colleagues agreeing that topics are both important and currently happening.)
What might you conclude if there is a high percentage of ‘disagree’ ratings?
What does it mean when people regard an issue as important but feel it isn’t currently happening?
Follow-up questions include: Why isn’t it happening? and What may need to be done about this?
What does it mean when colleagues don’t consider an issue very important?
What will you now do with the results?
From Engaging Leaders; The challenge of inspiring collective commitment in universities (2014), Paul Gentle with Dawn Forman, Routledge.
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