Working Together Agreements & Guiding Principles

Working Together in Meetings: (brainstormed at the 5 Feb. 2011 event) - FEEL FREE TO EDIT AND MODIFY, being respectful of what is here. Thanks! - kw

What happens if someone breaks these agreements?

Suggestion: Post at each event. When someone doesn't align with this, matter-of-factly point out the gap between our agreements and the behavior, and get back on track.

Guiding Principles: (brainstormed at the 5 Feb. 2011 event) - Carolyn & Kimberly to post, wordsmith, and get it ready to share with the others.

What happens if someone breaks these agreements?

Suggestion:

Raise the issue with the people involved.
Resolve the issue fairly.
Decide whether to collaborate again in the future

I suggest we use cross-referral agreements that are simple and fair. Here's an example from my consulting practice. - Kimberly

Consulting Working Together Agreement (example attached)

These are the guidelines that we use for paying for referrals to people for connecting us with paying work and for sharing the gains created when someone works with us on a consulting project for which one of us has primary responsibility and manages the billing and collections:

1. CLIENT OWNERSHIP: If one of us brings someone else into a client we remain the primary contact for that client for billable work unless we explicitly reach some other arrangement. In other words, the person brought in would not be working directly with the client and billing them directly.

2. IF SOMEONE REFERS YOU: If I refer you to a person or company that contracts with you within 6 months after the connection is made, and we agree that you will do work with and bill them directly, you agree to pay that person who referred you ____ (Usually between 10 – 15) % of your gross billings for at least the first 12 months of paying work.

3. IF YOU REFER SOMEONE: If someone refers me to a person or company that contracts with me within 6 months after the connection is made I profit share with them approximately you ____ (Usually between 10 – 15) % of my gross billings for at least the first 12 months of paying work, as a token of my appreciation.

4. BILLING FOR OTHER CONSULTANTS THROUGH WIEFLING CONSULTING: If I bill a client on behalf of work that someone else does I pay the person doing the work 80% of the billable net (gross less expenses) for the work that done. This is paid within 15 calendar days AFTER the client pays and is delighted with the work. If the client is NOT delighted, there is no charge to the client, and therefore no payment to the person doing the work.

5. SHARING PAYMENT FOR SINGLY BILLABLE WORK HOURS: If I work simultaneously with someone on an hourly basis for which I can only bill my time, not independently billing for both of our time, I pay the person for whom I am co-billing 40% of the hourly rate collected. Again, this is paid AFTER the client pays and is delighted with the work. If the client is NOT delighted with the work there is no charge to the client, and therefore no payment to me and the other person doing the work.

6. GETTING OFF TO A GOOD START: Shared values and expectations for serving each client are important, and we therefore agree to make our best efforts to start each engagement together set up for success. Contracting and preparation for any engagement together would include discussing items such as 1) expectations for account management - what kinds of interaction with the client will be needed to gauge progress and client satisfaction, especially if the engagement involves multiple sets of work that might call for different forms or frequency of account management. 2) Roles, responsibilities, and success measures - who will be responsible for what, and how will we together measure how effective we're being at the client. 3) Billing guidelines - what work is billable, what is non-billable.

7. SHARING FEEDBACK AND FEELINGS: Conflict is a part of every relationship, and in fact is a requirement for growth of the relationship. I value learning from each other, and want to benefit from each other’s feedback on how we can work together more productively, how we can be more accomplished as professionals, and how we can evolve to be more effective in achieving our dreams and goals. Therefore I expect that we would take the time to formally meet and share feedback with each other regularly, especially after a client engagement, where we can discuss specifics of “What’s working well?”, “What’s not working well?”, “What’s missing?”, and “What would the ideal be, if we could change anything – what would it be?”

8. FAIRNESS AND RESOLVING DIFFERENCES: This arrangement is intended to be completely clear and fair to both me and the people with whom I work. My intention is that we both feel valued for what we contribute and share in the compensation equitably. If, for any reason, the least little thing about our agreements doesn’t sit right, doesn’t feel right, or bugs either of us at all in any way, I expect that we will raise the issue for conversation so that we can resolve it amicably while it is still a teensy little thing.

9. VALUING THE RELATIONSHIP: Your relationship means more to me than a couple of bucks, so let’s agree that we will dissolve our working relationship, or put it on hold, if it becomes destructive or toxic, until we can work through whatever it is and once again work together productively and enjoyably. One of the benefits of being an independent consultant is the power of choice, being able to choose both our colleagues and our clients. If we can’t enjoy working with people whom WE like, admire, respect and choose - - - well what’s the point? Bottom line: The quality of our relationship must take top priority, and if we cannot maintain an enjoyable and respectful relationship working together we agree to stop working together.

This document is intended to capture the spirit of our understanding, and as such is not filled with legalese. If we cannot resolve our differences without outside assistance we agree to submit to mediation and binding arbitration to do so fairly, swiftly and respectfully.

Date: ______________________________________ Date: ______________________________________

Agreed by: Agreed by:

___________________________________________ ___________________________________________

Name: _____________________________________ Name: ____________________________________

Title: ______________________________________ Title: _____________________________________

What happens if someone breaks these agreements?

Suggestion:

Raise the issue with the people involved.
Resolve the issue fairly.
Decide whether to collaborate again in the future