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Results through collaboration

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What the health system can learn from an old concrete pipeline?

01/01/2015 By Max Hardy Leave a Comment

I’ve been asked to speak at a health conference in Brisbane about the difference collaborative approaches can make to achieve better outcomes in the health industry. I’ve been urged to talk about a non-health example – just to mix it up a bit and to remind participants that collaboration is something being explored in all sorts of industries and sectors.

After giving it some thought I recalled a project I was involved in about ten years ago – the Glen Davis Pipeline Project. I will share the story with you here as a way of preparing for my presentation later this week.

Glen Davis Pipeline

In the 1940s a massive concrete pipeline about 42 km in length was built from Oberon Dam, just west of the Blue Mountains, to Glen Davis in the Capertee Valley (a valley longer than, but not quite as deep as, the Grand Canyon) to supply a new Shale Oil Refinery. The decision to do this was premised on the belief that there was an imminent world oil shortage.

Anyway, in the 1950s they realized there was plenty of oil available and so the refinery was shut down, leaving Glen Davis as somewhat of a ghost town, with one significant difference – they had the luxury of town water supplied from Oberon Dam.

In the late 1990s authorities measured massive water loss between the top of the escarpment and the reservoir at Glen Davis. Engineers identified a green grassy line underneath the pipe in a few areas and it was deemed that the pipeline was falling to bits. The economics of replacing the pipeline to service about 40 permanent residents did not stack up at all. The solution? Offer residents water tanks for free and disconnect the pipeline.

Bullet proof vests needed!

News of the situation and the announcement of the most cost effective solution did not go down too well with the Glen Davis community. As a consultant working then with the NSW Department of Land and Water Conservation, I was warned by the local president of the Progress Association that we should bring our bullet proof vests! The outrage was palpable!

Owing to lack of trust in the authorities the public insisted on an independent inspection of the pipeline. And so, a dozen or so residents, engineers, public servants and I spent a day driving down this spectacular escarpment and inspecting the pipeline. We needed to co-define the problem to be addressed. After several hours there was consensus – the pipeline was still in fairly good condition. Some minor repair work for a fraction of the cost of replacing the pipeline was recommended and ultimately carried out.

However, this didn’t explain the dramatic water loss identified.

Somewhat reluctantly, one resident shared some useful information. It was his belief that some local farmers were illegally tapping into the pipeline to irrigate their crops – mostly being used to produce whisky. This proved to be true. A memorandum of understanding was drawn up between the authorities and the community to make it clear that if such illegal activity occurred in the future the water supply would be disconnected. If they did the right thing, the pipeline would be repaired and maintained.

The story had a surprising and a somewhat amusing ending. But there were some clear learnings that have served me well ever since.

  • Firstly, there is no point offering an expert solution when there is no agreement about what the problem is.
  • Secondly, local knowledge needs to be valued – they are experts in their own communities and this knowledge needs to be tapped (no pun intended).
  • Thirdly, where there is passion about an issue there is also energy to appreciate the dilemma and a willingness to be part of finding a solution

There were lots of other lessons as well; but how might this relate to the health industry?

The same lessons apply. Patients, consumers and citizens are a resource for the health system, not merely a drain – if we choose to regard them as such. For instance, research suggests that compliance with care plans depend almost entirely on the quality of the relationship they have with their physicians – and the skills of the physicians to generate trust and work collaboratively. (If you are interested in this research check out Lambert (2011), p12-21.)

Citizens are a resource for the health industry in many other ways as well. Here are just a few examples.

  • I am also working with Griffith University to facilitate a citizens’ jury with regard to difficult ethical choices health administrators have to make on a daily basis.
  • Capital Health in Nova Scotia relies on citizen panels to gain invaluable advice about business planning and financial decisions.
  • The Shoalhaven community became so engaged in the process of gaining a Cancer Care Centre they helped design it, and also raised over $1Million toward its construction.

There are dozens more examples I could share.

What it shows is that it takes more than excellent clinical skills to achieve an effective health system, just as it takes more than engineers to retain a town’s water supply.

This blog was first published on Twyfords website 8th April 2013.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Advice, Community Engagement, Health

17 Years at Twyfords – now what?

01/01/2015 By Max Hardy Leave a Comment

This blog is personal, and hopefully not too self-indulgent.

I’m leaving Twyfords after 17 years, and what a ride it has been! Here is my attempt to describe what I have learned about consulting, collaboration, and myself.

Screenshot 2015-01-01 16.12.38

 

When I applied for a job at Twyfords I underwent the most gruelling recruitment process and somehow I beat another 50 candidates for the position. Having been a social worker in the public sector for over 15 years I suddenly found myself a consultant at Twyfords, working on all sorts of new projects, mostly around wastewater and engaging communities about various options to replace ocean outfalls.

I learned so much working with Vivien Twyford. My desk was not far from her office, and I listened intently to how she worked with her clients. She was, and is, incredibly professional. She always followed through, did what she said she would do, and documented conversations meticulously. Vivien was encouraging, patient, and slow to judge others. It was a sharp learning curve and Vivien was a masterful mentor.

Before long Vivien and I, along with a few professional colleagues, launched the Australasian Chapter of the International Association for Public Participation (IAP2). So much has happened since then, and as others stepped up the Chapter became an Affiliate, and now has more members than North America. We introduced the IAP2 Certificate and Vivien and I delivered it to several thousand over ten years, along with John Dengate and Stuart Waters who both joined Twyfords in 2004.

It was thrilling to attend IAP2 conferences at Banff, Alberta; Salt Lake City, Utah; Madison, Wisconsin; Portland, Oregon; Montreal, Quebec; Sydney, Australia and Glasgow, UK and those experiences have lead to lifelong friendships. Co-facilitating training academies in Canada and Scotland were also amazing experiences. The projects I have worked on have also been challenging and full of learning experiences – way too many to name.

But I thought it would be worth highlighting some of the things I have learned over the past 17 years: about consulting, about collaborating, and about myself. Here goes.

What I have learned about consulting.

Well, lots – but here are just three things.

Firstly, when it comes to working with organisations and how they engage communities, the harder I worked at working ‘for’ the organisation, the more I seemed to get in the way. It didn’t make sense for community representatives to say they liked working with me, but still didn’t trust my client. So I learned that it was much more useful to work with clients to build their capacity and confidence, and to measure my work by the extent to which the relationship improves between the organisation and their stakeholders/communities. This approach asked different questions of myself and the way I worked.

Secondly, when my clients were very anxious about projects the worst thing to do was to try to behave like a contractor by seeking to do everything they asked and doing it exactly as they requested. Somehow this made them more anxious. I learned it was much better to offer advice and help them see the logical consequences of doing ‘business as usual’ as opposed to stepping into something unknown, but worth a go.

Thirdly, the more comfortable I am with myself, the more my clients trust me. There is something about knowing yourself, what you have to offer, and being ok with what you are not so good at, that builds confidence and a healthier relationship. I don’t know short cuts to getting to this point – I do know that it’s a lot easier as a 52 year old than a 35 year old.

What I have learned about collaboration and engagement.

Lots and lots. Firstly, it’s easier to talk about than to do. Collaborating with my partners at Twyfords has been a source of incredible learning and growth. It has also meant that I have much more respect for the challenges of my clients in learning this new dance of ‘collaborating’.

Secondly, people are more capable of collaborating than we give them credit for. Given a decent process, and when trusted to rise to the occasion, they do! I have very often found myself saying ‘I knew they could do it, but I didn’t realise it would be THIS good!’

Thirdly, leaders need help to sponsor collaborative endeavours. It is scary, uncertain and unfamiliar. Yet when they get a taste for leading in this new way, it is exhilarating. I love seeing the shift!

Fourthly, collaborations don’t need to be forever. They work best when there is shared purpose, where ‘everyone is making the same film’ (to quote Quentin Tarantino). Staying together forever doesn’t always make sense – even though it is difficult to call it quits when it is clear it is best to move on.

 

What I have learned about myself

Well I could write a book about this so I will try to keep it brief.

Firstly, my tendency to seek harmony can be a barrier to great learning, and can deprive the collaboration of what it needs to flourish. Collaboration is not about being nice. Harmony can often be at the expense of learning and creative tension.

Secondly, working in the complex domain is exciting; whether facilitating, coaching or providing advice. I’ve learned that quiet time is important for me to recover and to recharge my batteries. Listening to my body and mind is important; and quiet time is not wasted time. It is not only necessary for me, it can also highly productive.

Thirdly, and I hope this doesn’t sound arrogant, I have learned that I am quite good at what I do – and I sometimes surprise myself. Of course there are many things I am not good at and I am better at getting help from others where it makes sense. But helping people to be at their best to respond to complex situations seems to be something I can do and have an aptitude for. I think that means I am very lucky – to find myself doing what I enjoy and being useful to those with whom I work.

So now I move into something new, and yet it is not all that new. I will be doing similar work but will be open to new opportunities and new partnerships. I will be learning to run my own business and all that entails. I’m sure it will be another big learning curve, just as it was all those years ago when I started at Twyfords.

I have so much to be grateful for – so many opportunities, experiences, and most of all great people. A big thank you to my Twyfords’ colleagues who are supporting this new direction. I know we will continue to learn about our craft and share stories together.

That’s all folks.….for now anyway.

Originally published on Twyfords website 10th September, 2014

http://www.twyfords.com.au/news-and-media/our-blog/17-years-at-twyfords-now-what

 

 

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Advice, Coaching, Collaboration, Health

What I do

26/12/2014 By Max Hardy Leave a Comment

What do I offer?

Essentially I help to build the capacity of organisations and leaders to collaborate effectively with others, especially to address their most complex challenges. This includes:

  • Different parts of an organisation working in a more ‘joined-up’ way
  • Organisations collaborating with other organisations/stakeholders
  • Organisations engaging their communities
  • Leaders helping directors of different parts of an organisation working more as a team.
  • A whole system to align its efforts to address a highly complex social or environmental issue.

 

How do I offer this support?

By:

  • Listening very carefully to what organisations and leaders are facing.
  • Providing early advice around projects, and during periods of the most challenging moments of the like of a project.
  • Providing briefing sessions to leadership teams, elected representatives and boards.
  • Delivering sessions at conferences and symposiums
  • Facilitating training
  • Coaching collaboration champions in organisations.
  • Coaching/mentoring leaders who are learning to do it differently.
  • Co-designing processes to achieve enduring solutions with a diverse range of players around a particular issue.
  • Facilitating sessions where it makes sense to utilise an independent person.

 

What are some different terms used that explain what I do?

  • Collaborative governance
  • Systems change
  • Community engagement
  • Stakeholder engagement/relations/management
  • Risk communication
  • Public participation
  • Deliberative democratic processes
  • Collective Impact
  • Alternative dispute resolution.

 

Influences to my practice

  • Appreciative inquiry
  • Asset-based community development
  • Systems transformation
  • Dialogue
  • Complexity theory
  • Deliberative democracy
  • Collective Impact

 

 

 

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Advice, Appreciative inquiry, Coaching, Collaboration, Collaborative Governance, Collective Impact, Community Engagement, Complexity, Consumer Engagement, Leadership, Systems

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Contact Details

Max Hardy Consulting
Email: max@maxhardy.com.au
Phone: 0418 217 261
Twitter: @maxchardy
Skype: maxhardy
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/pub/max-hardy/11/339/a4b

Testimonials

Kellie King

'I have had the pleasure of both being a participant in a fantastic training session run by Max, and also as a client. Max was of tremendous assistance navigating through a challenging engagement process with great support, advice and good humour. Thank you Max.' Kellie King General Manager – Community & Corporate Services, Wannon Water

Eugene McGarrell, FACS

'Max Hardy has worked with my senior executive team and local stakeholders to facilitate the co-creation of social wellbeing strategies. Max’s style is both collaborative and supportive and he gets the best from people involved. I highly recommend Max to anyone who is embarking on a process of co-creation.' Eugene McGarrell District Director, Northern Sydney

Lindy Fentiman

'I have had the pleasure of working with Max when he ventures up to sunny Queensland!  He is a generous, insightful and highly skilled professional who absolutely practices what he believes in.  Nobody understands the importance of collaboration, engagement and the challenges this brings for organisations better than Max!  He is an excellent coach, facilitator

Craig Wallace

I have worked with Max Hardy on two complex projects which took deliberative democracy and applied it to new problems. In 2007 at a ceremony in Arizona, USA Max along with the ACT Disability Advisory Council was awarded the IAP2 (International) Award for "Project of the Year" for our Citizens Jury project which provided scorecard

Amber James

'I have known Max for more than ten years. I was a student of his doing the IAP2 Certificate, engaged him as a consultant for in-house work in local government, and then worked alongside him on a consumer engagement capacity building project at the Royal Brisbane Womens Hospital. He is great to be around and

Beatrice Briggs

'Max Hardy brings to his work a delightful combination of common sense, integrity, experience, laced with a sly sense of humour.'   Beatrice Briggs Director International Institute for Facilitation and Change (IIFAC) Tepoztlán, Morelos, Mexico

Courtney Brown, Director, BDR Projects

'I have known and worked with Max for about two years, however I have been very aware of his career and engagement experience applied to major projects across industry sectors for a much longer period. Max has been at the forefront of pioneering new mechanisms and methodologies for genuine engagement and this resonates for his

Jessie Keating

Working with Max is a delight. Max’s facilitation, collaboration and problem solving style is respectful and calm, along with being both accessible and professional. The most significant project we have worked on with Max was the planning and undertaking of a community symposium, focused on the drafting of our city’s 20 year strategy, MV2040. We

Moira Deslandes

'Max is a democracy enthusiast. He finds ways to enable, empower and encourage every voice to be heard and designs processes that foster the principle: every voice is worth hearing.' Moira Deslandes Director, Moira Deslandes  Consulting  

Crispin Butteriss, Bang the Table

'Max is a long time colleague, mentor and friend. He has a deft touch as a facilitator and collaboration strategist due his deeply developed empathetic listening skills, along with the experience and wisdom of many years of working on thorny problems with people from all walks of life'. Crispin Butteriss, PhD Co-founder and Chief Practice

The Honourable Andrew Powell MP

'I have always been impressed with Max’s ability to navigate and resolve the thorny issues through collaboration.  He involves all participants right from the beginning: asking “what’s the question that needs answering here”? His efforts alongside John Dengate in the journey that was The Queensland Plan were stellar and he was a significant contributor to

Ian Dixon, Dixon Partnering Solutions

'I have worked with Max on many occasions and have great respect for his skills and knowledge around community engagement and collaboration. He is an expert trainer and a strong advocate for Appreciative Inquiry approaches.' Ian Dixon, Principal, Dixon Partnering Solutions

Lisa Rae

I first encountered Max in Auckland when he delivered IAP2 training I was attending. Many years later, I’ve had the opportunity to work with him on two significant local government projects in Melbourne using co-design and deliberative engagement approaches. Max’s great strength was helping council decision makers understand their role in the engagement process and

Amanda Newbery, Articulous

'Max Hardy has a unique ability to build the confidence and capacity of teams working in engagement. He brings a wealth of experience and insight. We have worked together on a number of deliberative projects and he is a delight to work with!' Amanda Newbery Articulous

Becky Hirst

'Max is one of the leading superstars of community engagement and collaborative governance in Australia. Since I first met him as my trainer in Adelaide back in 2007, I've admired his approach. He's passionate, dedicated, admired in the field and I look forward to seeing the next steps of his career unfold. Watch out world!'

Liz Mackevicius

'Max worked with us to design and execute a series of workshops based on the citizen jury principles, to enable a conversation between community members about the growth and change expected to occur in a challenging inner city municipality. Max understood the key issues at hand, gave expert advice and worked with us to tailor

Amy Hubbard, Capire

“Max is a trusted and respected colleague and friend of Capire. He is always able to provide us with a sound, strategic and independent perspective – even on the toughest projects in very complex communities” Amy Hubbard CEO, Capire.

Barbara Dart

Max recently facilitated a two day course for us at Council about tackling the internal and external challenges of community engagement. Max is an exceptional facilitator and his ability to draw on experiences across such a broad and diverse background in CE is invaluable to those before him. I would highly recommend Max to anyone

Vivien Twyford

'I worked with Max for 17 years and appreciate his honesty, integrity and ability to connect with people at all levels. I learned much from him, particularly around Appreciative Inquiry, the appreciative approach and the value of deliberation. While I miss him, I have confidence that he will continue to be a wise advisor and

Anna Kelderman

'Max's extensive experience with deliberative engagement, as well as his uniquely calming facilitation style, has helped bring about a step-change in the type of public engagement expected in Western Australia. It has been an absolute pleasure to partner with and learn from the best in the business, and I continue to look for opportunities to

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