Collaboration has become a critical success factor in realizing the benefits of large, multi-stakeholder projects in the 21^st Century. By definition, collaboration means “joint effort towards a common end”. In the closing decade of the 20^th Century, collaboration assumed (at least in North America) a positive tone, akin to cooperation, teamwork or synergy. While not specifically recognized until recently, collaboration is implicit in the establishment and management of strategic alliances, joint ventures, and partnering relationships – indeed, all forms of cooperative enterprise. It is, in effect, the “glue” that enables multi-stakeholder initiatives to realize their objectives.

 

The strength, robustness and effectiveness of the SRS Collaborative Engagement Process (CEP ™) are rooted in its origin. CEP ™ combines the strength, experience and lessons learned from the following:

 

1.      Market or community needs and opportunity assessments,

2.      Value Proposition innovation and creation methodologies

3.      Organizational Transformation and Alignment processes

4.      Collaborative Strategic Sales processes

 

Citing failure of the traditional Stakeholders’   “consultations” processes to deliver convergence particularly in diverse stakeholders’ environments, CEP ™ was developed as a structured, inclusive collaborative process designed to enable leadership initiatives, to mobilize organizational synergies and resources, to “break through” mental, structural and systemic barriers, and to bring about convergence and “commitment” of critical stakeholders in the cause of benefits realization.

 

CEP ™ complements and supports SRS’ other proprietary processes and methodologies, including the SRS Governance, Accountability & Performance Management (GAPM ®) Framework, the SRS Benefits Realization Framework (BRF ®), and the SRS core philosophy of continuous alignment.

 

CEP ™ is a structured approach to stakeholder collaboration consisting of three integrated, yet distinct and separate modules that can be implemented independently or collectively depending on the nature of the project, the desired outcome, and the characteristics of the stakeholder communities.

 

1.      Planning Module – A methodology and a process to plan effective stakeholder engagement. This Module’s outputs are: (a) a Stakeholders’ Engagement Strategy; and (b) a Communications Plan.

 

2.      Consultations Module – A methodology and a process to conduct stakeholder or other third party consultations where no convergence (i.e. consensus or “buy-in”) is required and where stakeholder commitment is not required. This module’s output is a series of reports representing models that can serve stakeholder interests and priorities.

 

3.      Convergence Module – A methodology and a process to “converge” diverse stakeholders on a desired outcome and to obtain commitment of stakeholders to participate. This module’s output is a Stakeholders’ Participation Agreement.