CRAFTING COLLABORATION
BRINGING THE RIGHT PEOPLE TOGETHER FOR THE RIGHT PURPOSES AT THE RIGHT TIME
Collaboration thrives when the right people come together at the right time for the right reasons, with tacit knowledge—rooted in lived experience, intuition, and practice—at the heart of the process.
This project moved beyond routine coordination to foster real-time learning and adaptation, ensuring that collaboration wasn’t just about working together but about thinking differently and applying hard-earned insights.
Instead of relying on the same organisational circles and a limited set of trusted voices—who often share similar perspectives—we prioritised diverse voices with hands-on experience, creating an inclusive space where knowledge-sharing went beyond funding-defined partnerships.
The workshops reinforced this approach by focusing on trust-building, active listening, and the intentional use of tacit knowledge in decision-making.
Leaders played a central role—not as passive participants but as co-designers and facilitators—shaping discussions and ensuring learning remained practical and applicable.
The design of the workshops intentionally removed barriers to participation, from language accessibility to seating arrangements that fostered open dialogue.
Facilitators modelled active listening, using structured engagement techniques to surface insights, challenge assumptions, and deepen learning.
By creating the right conditions for inclusive knowledge exchange, the workshops embedded adaptive learning as a dynamic and participatory process, where collaboration became a tool for real change.
The Right People, For the Right Reasons At the Right Time.
Collaboration isn’t just about working together—it’s about bringing the right people into the right conversations at the right time to solve complex challenges. When organisations move beyond information-sharing to actively listening, co-creating solutions, and adapting in real time, learning happens. This approach shaped every stage of the project, making learning and action inseparable.
Collaboration flourishes with the right people—not just familiar faces, but diverse voices with real-world experience. Instead of defaulting to existing relationships, we focused on who had the knowledge that mattered. Inclusion wasn’t a box to tick; it was about creating space for those who could challenge assumptions, offer fresh perspectives, and shape decisions in ways joint funding agreements never could.
It also allowed participants to see their identity beyond partnerships defined by funding—shifting the focus to shared vision, mission, and goals. This made collaboration more than just working together—it became a way to think differently, adapt faster, and tackle complex challenges with real insight.
Margot Charles - Country Director, ACTED Somalia (INGO)
Margot Charles - Country Director, ACTED Somalia (INGO)
Look Beyond the Usual – Invite new voices, not just familiar faces.
Experience Matters –Bring in people with real, hands-on knowledge.
Mix Different Backgrounds –Include people from different areas of work.
Encourage Fresh Thinking –Choose those who ask questions and improve ideas.
Focus on Learning –Select people willing to listen, share, and apply new ideas.
The second workshop brought together leaders from the five organisations alongside carefully selected staff from different levels. From the start, we focused on building trust—not just ticking off introductions.
The first half of the two-day workshop was designed to break down barriers, encourage active listening, and help participants recognise the value of tacit knowledge in real decision-making.
By creating space for honest exchange, we set the stage for deeper collaboration and a stronger foundation for Adaptive Learning.
How We Fostered Collaboration
In-Person Workshop
To boost interaction and engagement.
No/Limited Laptops & Phone
To reduce distractions and stay focused.
No Tables
To create an open space for better dialogue.
Use of Own Language/Dialect
To help participants express themselves freely.
The Right Conditions: Setting the Stage for Learning and Change
Before the first workshop, we worked closely with leadership teams to create the right conditions for meaningful learning. We conducted one on one calls with each leadership team, ensuring Adaptive Learning objectives were relevant and immediately applicable.
Leaders shaped the agenda from the start—aligning learning topics with real challenges, identifying the right participants, and designing practical ways to apply insights.
Mohamed Hussein - Executive Director, SADO (NNGO)
Mohamed Hussein - Executive Director, SADO (NNGO)
The two-day workshop with leaders had three core objectives:
Creating the right conditions for learning
Building trust, openness, and a shared commitment to using tacit knowledge.
Ensuring learning applied to real-life issues
Focusing on challenges that mattered, not abstract concepts.
Developing leadership in facilitating tacit knowledge use
Leaders learned by doing, testing ways to surface and apply experience-based learning.
Engage the Learners:
Rather than taking a passive role, leaders became co-designers, learners and facilitators—driving discussions, setting priorities, and troubleshooting challenges like time constraints.
Open communication channels, including WhatsApp, kept engagement active between sessions. By shaping the process, leaders took ownership of the learning approach, making it more than just another workshop—it became a foundation for real change.
Creating Space for Inclusive Knowledge Exchange
Language can be a barrier to learning—or a gateway.
To ensure everyone could fully participate, facilitators took time to understand language preferences and created space for people to share in the languages they felt most comfortable using.
This wasn’t just about translation; it was about making sure knowledge exchange felt natural, honest, and accessible.
The physical setup of the workshop reinforced this openness.
Instead of rigid seating or tables creating distance, participants sat in a circle symbolising interconnectedness and shared learning.
Movement was encouraged, with participants taking ownership of the space, reinforcing the idea that learning is dynamic and co-created.
Facilitation techniques focused on inclusion and engagement.
Pair work, small group discussions, and open-ended questions encouraged reflection, deepened conversations and increase participation of those uncomfortable in larger group.
Active listening was modelled by facilitators who spoke less than the participants (30/70 % of the time spoken is an effective ratio to keep in mind), and visual tools like images were used to spark new perspectives.
Groups were deliberately mixed—bringing together different geographies, expertise, genders, and organisational backgrounds—so that diverse voices shaped the conversation and sometimes healthy debates.
By intentionally designing a space where people felt safe to speak, listen, and challenge ideas, the workshops enabled deeper, more meaningful exchanges of tacit knowledge.
Emily, SADO (NNGO)
Emily, SADO (NNGO)
MORE STORIES
ENABLING ENVIRONMENT
An enabling environment turns individual tacit knowledge into collective action by creating the right conditions for insights to be shared, tested, and applied.
ADAPTATION
Adapting isn’t just about making adjustments—it’s about staying responsive to real-world challenges. It means regularly assessing what’s working, what’s not, and making meaningful shifts based on evidence, experience, and feedback.
OUR PARTNERS
This project was supported by the UK Humanitarian Innovation Hub (UKHIH) and funded by UK International Development in collaboration with our learning partners in Somalia: GREDO, MCAN, SADO, REACH IMPACT &ACTED SOMALIA
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