Max Hardy talks about the differences between consultation and collaboration, and how “inviting people into your dilemma” can lead to more enduring solutions, and how complexity theory can help shift your perspective.

You come into this domain of complexity, which is where you only know what’s going to work after you’ve actually done it – you can’t predict it in advance.

About Max Hardy

Since joining Twyfords in 1997 Max helped establish the International Association for Public Participation Australasia. With a particular interest in Deliberative Democracy and Appreciative Inquiry, he has developed innovative models for community engagement covering a range of projects, including those with a social planning emphasis as well as infrastructure/natural resources management projects.

In 2005 Max played a major role in the preparation of the “Brisbane Declaration on Engaging Communities” which was presented to the United Nations.

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 the design and implementation of the Challenge 2014 Project.

In 2009 Max co-facilitated Australia’s first Citizens’ Parliament at Old Parliament House, Canberra and in 2010 he co-designed and co-facilitated the Premier’s Growth Management Summit in Brisbane.

More recently Max has been involved in building capacity for partnership approaches in the challenging area of Primary Health Care in Queensland.

Max is also the co-author of the new book from Twyfords: The Power of Co – the Smart Leaders’ Guide to
Collaborative Governance.

How you can use this episode

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Episode links and resources

• Twyfords Consulting
• National Coalition for Dialogue & Deliberation (NCDD) – USA
• Dave Snowden on the complexity sensemaking model
• Conflict and Dispute Resolution at the University of Oregon
• Participatory governance initiative in Arizona
• Newdemocracy
• Appreciative enquiry
• IAP2

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• Twitter hashtags: #opengov #collab

In this special 2-part interview with Zachary Tumin from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government’s Belfer Centre, we look at how all parts of society can collaborate to innovate.

Zach also previews his new book ‘Collaborate or Perish’ where he and co-author William J. Bratton have developed an 8-phase collaboration lifecycle to help anyone with an idea to more successfully collaborate.

“Gov 2.0, as a proxy for increased engagement and involvement of citizens with government, is mighty and a force to be reckoned with… Whether or not government gets the idea of collaboration, it’s constantly going on all around us and the best thing that government can do is tap into it.”

About Zachary Tumin

Zachary Tumin is Special Assistant to Director and Faculty Chair, Science, Technology and Public Policy Program, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government.

Over his career, Zach has served at the Kennedy School in research and staff positions, and in the public, private, and not-for-profit sectors as chief executive, staff, and consultant to leaders in industry and government.

Zach leads research initiatives, teaches senior executives in closed door sessions and addresses organizations in keynote and panels around the world. He is the author of numerous teaching cases, working papers, reports and essays.

How you can use this episode

Listen to the episode

Part 1 – Gov 2.0

Part 2  – Collaboration

Episode links and resources

• Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government
• Report – From Government 2.0 to Society 2.0: Pathways to Engagement, Collaboration and Transformation
• Zach Tumin’s personal website

Collaborate or Perish!

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You can use the social sharing links at the top of the page to easily share this story with your networks. You can also follow and join in the social conversation about this episode with:

• People and organisations:
  @zachtumin
  @Kennedy_School
  @BelferCenter
• Tags: #gov20 #society20 #collaboration #innovation