CCS helps organizations and stakeholder groups to build their capacity to create powerful, collaborative projects and workplaces. In our work in pursuit of this goal, we serve as trainers, facilitators, consultants and neutral conveners.

From our own experience and the best and most current research in the field, we have concluded that:

1. Building collaborative workplaces:

• Creates strong organizations
• Empowers all stakeholders to realize the mission & vision of the organization
• Engages the energy and commitment of the employees
• Fosters creativity and improves outcomes
• Builds strong and resilient workplace relationships
• Brings deep satisfaction to those involved
• Creates workplaces of choice

2. Building collaborative workplaces starts with a deep recognition and appreciation for the inherent interdependence of all of its stakeholders—owners, stockholders, governing boards, managers, supervisors, unions, employees, customers and vendors and the community.3. Creating collaborative workplace communities requires

Interdependence, Interests, Inquiry, Integrity and Commitment

SERVICES

All of our workplace services are designed to help you succeed. In addition to our training and facilitation services, we convene an annual labor-management conference that provides a variety of learning experiences – from basic labor relations courses to cutting-edge approaches to labor-management cooperation. We also sponsor workshops on key topics of interest, and serve as the conveners of the California Education Coalition for Health Care Reform, a joint labor-management initiative.

We specialize in working with unions, employers, leadership and work teams to:

• Recognize their inherent interdependence and harness its power
• Make decisions, solve problems and negotiate more effectively
• Resolve and avert one-on-one and group conflict
• Strengthen and repair working relationships
• Build collaborative partnerships

CCS offers training, facilitation and consultation services to help you achieve the results you want!

• Greater success in achieving shared goals
• More effective partnerships and teams
• Enhanced organizational performance
• Increased job satisfaction, productivity and commitment
• Decreased complaints, grievances and litigation
• Effective negotiations and problem solving with better solutions
• Elimination of destructive conflict
• More constructive labor-management relations

CCS works closely with all its clients to provide and integrate the services that are most helpful at every stage of our work together. Often, our training, facilitation and consultation services are combined at a client’s request. For example, a client may ask for a refresher collaborative-skills training because they have integrated new people into their leadership or workplace teams. As the training progresses, the parties surface an underlying relationship issue that is affecting their ability to work together effectively – and we may set aside the training agenda on the spot, and facilitate a problem-solving session before continuing with the training.

Also, many avenues can be opened after completing a CCS training program that has helped strengthen and unite a group. Their increased trust and confidence in themselves and what they may be able to create in the future can lead to adding facilitated sessions on such things as developing a joint vision, tackling additional projects or problems, or deciding to train a wider group of people. Conversely, we may begin our work with a client when we are called in to facilitate a difficult multi-stakeholder issue, and this can lead to recognition that training is needed.