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DEVELOPING PROGRAMMATIC AGREEMENTS WITH

NO EXISTING RELATIONSHIP OR TRUST

Start small – if everyone has a good experience with

a small agreement, they will be more willing to enter

into larger ones later.

• Develop a simple agreement covering some small,

discrete part of the compliance process (a particular

resource type, a type of project).

• Make sure the agreement saves time and work and

focuses on preservation.

• Ensure that all parties get something out of the

agreement that they really want.

Make sure that your agency not only performs well

under the agreement, but goes the extra mile.

Acknowledge the problem

• Sit down with the other agencies and candidly discuss

the situation

• Ask everyone to work toward a new relationship and

identify some possible trust-building steps that you

might take to become better partners.

Bring in a neutral party as a negotiator early in the

PA development process

• Choose a person who understands the process gov-

erned by the PA (e.g., Section 106) but has no stake in

whatever problems there are among the parties

• Secure at least general agreement from all parties on

the choice of the negotiator.

• Arrange for the negotiator to meet with each of the

parties separately in their own offices.

• The negotiator should:

• assure all parties of absolute confidentiality for any

comments made at these meetings

• elicit from each party what (in a perfect world) they

would most like to have happen in the PA

• determine what (in the current, very imperfect world)

each party is most afraid will happen if the PA is

developed and implemented

• discuss with each party measures that might be

included in the PA to “bomb-proof” it against the

things that they fear will go wrong

Keep your promises

Honor your

commitments

Admit your mistakes

and remedy them,

no matter what it costs

Remember that

a professional

disagreement is

a professional

disagreement;

never let it get

personal.

Recognize

success and high-

achievement

Ensure staff meets

professional standards

and that they keep

upgrading their skills

so that other agencies

will believe that you

can take on additional

responsibilities.

Consider a staff

exchange or other

mechanism to help

understand the process

and problems of other

agencies and they can

understand yours

Emphasize face-to-face

meetings at all levels

in the management

hierarchy

Address issues

promptly, do not

let them linger and

become larger

problems later

Avoid the

obvious trust

killers

Express

appreciation

Be

professional

Invest in

knowledge

Invest in

relationships

BUILDING TRUST