Written by Sue Dyer, Founder, IPI 

Collaborative Partnering has become essential for construction project success, yet many teams struggle to move beyond basic conflict resolution. Understanding where your project team sits on the partnering spectrum—and how to advance to higher stages—can transform not just project outcomes, but profitability for all stakeholders.

What Is Collaborative Partnering?

Collaborative Partnering is a structured approach where contractors, owners, subcontractors, designers, and construction managers commit to working together as allies rather than adversaries. It involves establishing shared goals, open communication protocols, and joint problem-solving processes that benefit the entire project rather than individual parties.

The Four-Stage Journey

Not every partnering session is the same. It should not be the same, because your objective for the session varies depending on how the team is operating. Every project team exists somewhere along one of four-stages. Each stage has a distinct objective, based on what is going on within the team and what needs to occur to achieve the objective. Let’s look at the four stages.

Stage I: Controlled When chaos has erupted or conflict looms, and some teams bring old baggage from past projects. Stage I partnering focuses on getting control. The primary goal is reducing conflict by getting agreements on how we are going to work together. Small agreements lead to alignment and defuse the need to protect your interests. Team members agree on basic working protocols to prevent conflict from escalating. A team at Stage 1 needs to focus on negotiating ways of working together and resolving past issues.

Stage II: Cooperative Here, team members begin knowing each other as people and are less adversarial. Focusing on trust-building allows the team to increase their level of cooperation. Focusing on measurable goals and consistent follow-through helps. Exhibiting trustworthiness by achieving promised deliverables creates the foundation for genuine cooperation.

Stage III: Collaborative The breakthrough stage occurs when the project team develops a successful working history together. The lines between different parties blur as everyone joins the same side of the table to examine project challenges collectively. The project itself becomes the focus rather than protecting individual interests. Trust runs high and communication flows freely across all team members.

Stage IV: Creative This pinnacle stage transforms teams into innovation engines. Creativity drives decision-making, with goals focused on achieving what others might consider impossible. Teams move fluidly to meet new challenges, making obstacles work for the project rather than against it. Here, true quality improvement and breakthrough solutions emerge.

The Reality of Progression

Understanding these stages reveals a crucial truth: real quality improvement happens in Stages III and IV, where creativity and innovation drive the team. Stages I and II, while sometimes necessary, focus primarily on preventing or resolving conflicts – sometimes unavoidable, but not the end goal.

Teams don't always progress linearly. Projects can regress to earlier stages when new challenges arise, team members change, or external pressures mount. The key is recognizing these shifts and making sure that your partnering focus is appropriate for the stage the team is experiencing.

Moving Forward

Progression through partnering stages isn't automatic—it requires intentional effort and regular reinforcement. Teams must honestly assess their current stage and identify specific actions to advance. This might involve establishing measurable trust-building goals in Stage II, or implementing joint problem-solving protocols to reach Stage III.

The investment pays dividends. Moving through partnering stages isn't just fulfilling—it's highly profitable for all parties involved. Projects that reach Stages III and IV consistently deliver superior outcomes: better quality, reduced conflicts, improved schedules, and enhanced innovation.

Your Next Step

Successful Collaborative Partnering requires ongoing commitment and the right frameworks. The International Partnering Institute provides resources, training, and community connections to help construction professionals master collaborative partnering at every stage.

Ready to advance your project team's partnering capabilities? Why not have your team become IPI Certified by taking the three IPI Project Leader Certification Trainings together!!

Take time this week to evaluate which stage your current project team occupies. Then identify one concrete action to begin moving toward the next level of partnering excellence.