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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