Cross-sector collaboration: Insights from a leaders' Playbook

This session of Engaging with Evidence will look at an exciting new publication on transformative cross-sector collaboration that has been commissioned by the Whitehall and Industry Group and the Blavatnik School of Government. The work by Ian Taylor and Nigel Ball, entitled ‘The Collaboration Playbook: A Leaders’ Guide to Cross-Sector Collaboration’, surfaces considerations for effective cross-sector collaboration presenting tactics that draws on academic literature, thought leadership and case study examples from various contexts.

The challenges facing our societies and economies today are so large and complex that in many cases, cross-sector collaboration is not a choice, but an imperative. Yet collaboration remains elusive for many, often being put into the ‘too hard’ category. The collaboration playbook has been researched and written with ideas on how to seize collaboration opportunities successfully and rise to the challenges, focusing on the intangible aspects of collaboration that often prove to be the most challenging for collaborating partners. The 18 discrete ‘plays’ presented in the playbook will be outlined, alongside the five themes of power, culture, trust, leadership, and learning.

For this session will be joined by leaders who have been engaged in cross-sector collaboration and experts who have researched and taught on the subject. All speakers in this session were involved in contributing to the Collaboration Playbook project and each will speak about their experiences.

The speakers will be:

- Paul Morrison – CEO of the Planning Inspectorate

- Mike Adamson – CEO of the British Red Cross

- Nigel Ball – Director of the Social Purpose Lab at UAL and Author of the Collaboration Playbook

- Cathy Butler – Head of Leadership at the Whitehall & Industry Group

- Andy Boucher – Former International Tax Partner at PWC

- Ian Taylor – Author of the Collaboration Playbook and Research Associate at the Government Outcomes Lab, Blavatnik School of Government

Participants to the session will have the opportunity to:

- Learn about the need for a collaboration guide.

- Hear how the collaboration playbook attempts to help leaders with cross-sector collaboration.

- Hear advice and opinions from organisational leaders from the private, public and third sectors who have been at the coalface of cross-sector collaboration.