How can we get the different individuals and interest groups in our community to work together on community health development goals?

Forging a truly functional collaboration among stakeholders interested in effecting changes in community health access, services or outcomes is no easier than any other initiative that requires the cooperation of human beings. In fact, it may be more difficult. Considering the conflicting political implications, social welfare issues and profit-driven motivation (or desperation) inherent in today’s health care delivery “marketplace,” the prospect of teambuilding within this sector may seem daunting.

The challenge of developing a working community network is similar to preparing a small-town ball team for a trip to the state tournament. The process requires good coaching (principle-centered leadership), teammates who talk to each other (basic communication skills), achieving more hits than errors (negotiating through disagreements), lots of practice (calculated investments of time and energy), selling a few t-shirts (fundraising or in-kind contributions to cover basic expenses) and a desire to win (a cause or focus for the group).

Successful networks thrive on a central mission—knowing what it is they need to do. For some communities, that might be saving/remodeling/devising a re-purpose plan for the local hospital. For others, the goal might be to recruit a family practice physician or other provider. Other possibilities: study solutions for indigent care needs, design a plan for a regional trauma center, investigate telemedicine linkages, compile an area health services resource directory, apply for a federal Network Development Program grant—the list goes on and on.

A primary cause of network failure is attempting to tackle too large a project or too many projects at one time. A basic question any group would do well to consider is, “What is the one thing about our local health care services and delivery system we’d like to change right now?” Answering that question will help the group sort out possibilities, priorities, resources and timeframes to guide them toward cooperating on a single project. That single project, if successfully executed, then becomes the springboard for further goal development and project planning. Even if the project fails, the group can learn from the experience. The group can realistically assess the boundaries of their capacities, and adjust accordingly, before trying again.

Success for community networking groups is always based on the willingness of the group to work together. Communities who have previously formed partnerships in civic, church or school projects can build on that teamwork. Communities who suffer from attitudes of division, distrust and competition have to realize that these attitudes are not “free-floating.” They are usually attached to previous failures. Factors contributing to failure are internal (e.g., lack of education, communication breakdown, ineffective leadership), as well as external (e.g., local or regional economic pressures, inadequate infrastructure, regulatory changes). Assessing a community’s overall readiness for collaboration is part of an initial community assessment process, as described in Toolbox Section Assessing Community Needs.