PARTNERING: HELPING CONTRACTORS WORK TOGETHER

By PERRY FOWLER
The Effectiveness Institute

The buzz word in today's construction environment is Partnering. In theory, the benefits Partnering brings to a project are straightforward and simple:

• Projects are done on time and within budget;
  
• Problems are pro-actively solved and individuals work together to minimize road blocks;
  
• People walk away from a project feeling great about what they have accomplished;
  
• There are no residual disagreements or litigation claims after project completion.

If it is so simple, then why is it so hard to do? Changing the way people work together in this industry will not happen overnight. It is like that diet many of us talk about going on. We know what we need to do, but can't seem to change our lifestyle to accomplish it. The Effectiveness Institute, a human resource company focused on improving individual and organizational productivity, is a provider of Partnering consulting services. We provide the expertise to help "map out" an effective long term strategy to reach the success factors listed above.

Our firm is currently consulting to the Port of Seattle and PCL Construction Service's Bell Street Pier Project team. Overlooking Puget Sound, the snowcapped Olympic Mountains and Seattle's bustling waterfront, the 161,000 square foot state-of-the-art project on Seattle's central waterfront consists of high quality finishes, built-in simultaneous interpretation capabilities and sophisticated audiovisual and technical communication systems. The facility is not a typical office building construction project. The high visibility, community interest and number of specialty contractors needed for the project, as well as the impact of the migratory fish run nearby, increased the need for powerful communication, trouble shooting, and teamwork.

The scope and complexity of this project provides an exciting challenge to The Effectiveness Institute and our Partnering facilitators. Our Partnering process focuses on specific phases that are critical for success; executive management must commit to and visibly support the partnering program; the project team must develop a project specific business plan that addresses how the team will work and collaborate on the management of this project; the team must present the business plan to executive management for their approval; the project and executive management team must meet periodically to address risks they anticipate 30 to 90 days out and to stay connected.

The initial workshops for the Bell Street Pier Project achieved the following:

• Increased approval level in the field by the owner's resident engineer for faster payment;
  
• Pushed the decision making authority down to a lower level for quicker decisions and increased flexibility;
  
• Implemented an issue resolution matrix that encourages quick resolution at the lowest level or escalation immediately to higher levels if unresolved:
  
• Developed a pro-active team process to anticipate potential risks to success and a means to identify actions to eliminate these risks.

Based on our accomplishments to date, we are excited about celebrating our successes on June 11, 1996, the project's dedication date. We might even eat a few "cookies" as we reflect back on how far we have come and the achievements of our team! The opportunity to partner has been a great growth experience for all of us.

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