COLLABORATION OF PROFESSIONALS FOR NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Being Paper Presented by

TPL. (DR.) MOSES OLUBUNMI AJAYI

At

THE MANAGEMENT RETREAT OF ASSOCIATION OF PROFESSIONAL BODIES

OF NIGERIA (APBN)

Held on

FRIDAY 29TH – 31ST JANUARY 2016

At

TINAPA LAKESIDE HOTEL, CALABAR, CROSS RIVER STATE, NIGERIA

Tpl. (Dr.) Moses Olubunmi Ajayi is a Fellow of Nigeria Institute of Town Planner (FNITP), Past National President of Nigerian Institute of Town Planner (NITP), as well as Past President of the Association of Professional Bodies of Nigeria (APBN).

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The paper is in five parts:

Part one is a brief introduction which includes some quotation from various sources which is

meant to be food for thought on the history, need and benefit of collaboration.

Part two is a brief examination of the word collaboration. It examines the manifestation of

collaboration in profession and workplace, the advantages, the limitation as well as its

challenges.

Part three has a brief discussion on what it means to be a professional and what is expected of a

good professional

Part four examine the subject of National development and the place of collaboration by

professionals to the conception and implementation of National development plans.

Part five which is the conclusion examines the implication of the discussion for APBN.

1 INTRODUCTION

1.1 It gives me great pleasure to be here and given the opportunity to lead the discussion on a

very important subject that justifies the very existence of Association of Professional

Bodies of Nigeria (APBN) – “Collaboration of Professionals for Nation Development”.

1.2 Before starting the paper, I like to give some food for thought as contained in the

following statements:

a.) Genesis 11:4 “And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may

reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face

of the whole earth” – (New KJV) .The pre Noah flood created being.

b) Genesis 11:6 –. “And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one

language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which

they have imagined to do” (New KJV)

c) “It is the duty of enlightened citizens to lead the way in their discovery and to create an

atmosphere conducive to their emergence. If this conscious effort is not made, good

leader like good money, will be driven out by bad – Chinua Achebe.

d) The prosperity of a country depends not on the abundance of its revenue nor on the

strength of its fortification, nor on the beauty of its public buildings but it consists in the

number of cultivated citizens, its men of character and enlightenment – Martin Luther

King Jr.

e) If you want to go fast, travel alone, if you want to travel far travel together – Chinese

proverb

1.3 There are three (3) critical words in the subject of discussion. Collaboration,

Professionals, and National development. The rest of the discussion will be along the

subject – How to collaborate for National development.

2 COLLABORATION

2.1 Definitions: The word collaboration can be defined from 3 perspectives;

a. General: Cooperative arrangement in which two or more parties (which may or

may not have any previous relationship) work jointly towards a common goal.

b. Knowledge management (KM): Effective method of transferring 'know how'

among individuals, therefore critical to creating and sustaining a competitive

advantage. Collaboration is a key tenet of KM.

c. Negotiations: Conflict resolution strategy that uses both assertiveness and

cooperation to seek solutions advantageous to all parties. It succeeds usually

where the participants' goals are compatible, and the interaction among them is

important in attaining those goals.

Collaboration for the purpose of this discussion, is defined as a mutually beneficial

and well-defined relationship entered into by two or more organizations to achieve

common goals.

The relationship includes a commitment to: mutual relationships and goals; a jointly

developed structure and shared responsibility; mutual authority and accountability for

success; and sharing of resources and rewards.

2.2 Nature of Collaboration

Collaboration can be found in the profession as well as work-place. Collaboration in the

workplace is when two or more people (often groups) work together through idea sharing

and thinking to accomplish a common goal. It is simply teamwork taken to a higher

level. Collaboration in the workplace incorporates teamwork and several other

aspects. In the profession, it can either be inter professional or intra professional.

i. Intra-professional  collaboration among colleagues who share a common professional

education, values, socialization, identity, and experience.

ii. Inter-professional  collaboration between professionals who may not share a common

professional education, values, socialization, identity, and experience.

2.2.1 Characteristics of Inter-professional Collaboration

Voluntary

Indirect service delivery

Professional relationships

Communal trust

Collective involvement

Shared goals and collective responsibility

Action for problem solving

Collaborative resources

Confidentiality

2.2.2 Method for developing a professional collaboration

Student/client centers approach

Goal achievement approach

Problem focused approach

Stakeholder approach

2.2.3 Advantages of professional collaboration

Shared professional competence and experience

Collective responsibility

Inter professional communication

Increase in resource availability

2.2.4 Disadvantages of professional collaboration

Communication difficulties

Time

Commitment

Resistance

Differing professional views

Lack of collaborative skills

Quality of decisions

Lack of resources

Role ambiguity and duplication of effort

Level of experience

Voluntary nature of collaborations

2.3 Factors helping or hindering collaboration efforts

Many factors work to make or break collaborations. Here are two lists to help you get a

sense of which factors might be at work in your collaborative relationships.

POSITIVEFactors which help collaboration

• Perception that the collaboration is needed

• Benefits outweigh the costs

• Positive attitudes

• Players see each other as valuable sources/resources

• Ability to maintain program identity, prestige, and power

• Reward system for staff who reinforce collaboration

• Accessibility to other organizations

• Positive evaluations of other organizations and their staffs

• Similarity or overlap in resources and goals

• Common definitions, ideologies, interests, and approaches

• Perception of partial interdependence

• Good history of relations

• Occupational diversity of staff that is complementary

• Leaders favour the collaboration

• Chances exist for regular contact and exchange of information

• Existence of boundary-crossing roles

NEGATIVEFactors which can hinder collaborations

• Vested interests of programs or other agencies

• Perception of threat, competition for resources or clients

• Perception of loss of program identity

• Perception of loss of prestige or role as “authority”

• Lower service effectiveness

• Differing leadership styles

• Differing professional background

• Different priorities, ideologies, outlooks, or goals

• Lack of a common “language”

• Negative evaluations of other organizations

• Imperfect knowledge of other agencies in the community

• Poor historyof relations

• Lack of communication among higher level staff

• Bureaucracies that inhibit internal, external communication

• Centralization of authority, “red tape”

• Little staff time devoted to boundary crossing roles

• Differences in priorities, goals, tasks

• Others have little to offer

3.0 PROFESSIONAL

Since this is an assembly of professionals, I will not spend much time other than picking

a few characteristics and features of a professional.

Things that Define a True Professional

You may be a brilliant developer, a highly skilled net admin, or a crackerjack Database

Administrator (DBA) but if you are unprofessional, your career is likely to fall short.

Alan Norton offers some attributes to strive for.

1 Make expertise your specialty

The very word professional implies that you are an expert. Technical competence is

essential,

Become an expert in the skills and tools necessary to do your job.

Always perform to the best of your abilities.

Keep your knowledge up to date.

Professionals know their trade.

2 Do more than expected

Professionals aren't bound by a time clock.

Professionals are expected to produce results. Strive to complete deliverables before their

due dates and under budget.

Professionals meet or exceed expectations whenever possible.

3 Do what you say and say what you can do

Professionals deliver on promises made.

4 Communicate effectively

Effective communication is ultimately your responsibility. Whether verbal or written,

professionals communicate clearly, concisely, thoroughly, and accurately.

5 Follow exceptional guiding principles

Appreciate and support those you work with. Practice good manners and proper etiquette.

Have high ethical and moral standards. Be honest and fair in all of your dealings with

others. Obey the law. These may sound like the attributes of a Boy Scout, but they are

basic values that all professionals should follow. Professionals adhere to high values and

principles.

6 Praise your peers not yourself

Respect and acknowledge the talents of your peers. There is nothing more unprofessional

and self-serving than telling others how wonderful you are.

Professionals are humble and generous in their praise of others.

7 Share your knowledge

Professionals help their peers and are respected for doing so.

8 Say thank you

Professionals thank others in a meaningful way that most benefits the recipient.

9 Keep a smile on your face and the right attitude in your heart

Professionals are pleasant even during trying times.

4.0 COLLABORATION OF PROFESSIONALS FOR NATIONAL

DEVELOPMENT  

4.1 National Development  

Simply put, national development refers to the ability of a nation to improve the lives of

its citizens. Measures of improvement may be material, such as an increase in the gross

domestic product, or social, such as literacy rates and availability of healthcare. Federal

governments draw up national development plans and policies based on the perceived

needs of their citizens. Many include an emphasis on reducing poverty, affordable and

available housing and community development. The goal of all national development is

to improve the lives of the citizens within the context of a growing economy and an

emphasis on the good of the community as a whole.

Economic, social, political and technological observable indices of nationa development

include reduction of the level of absolute poverty, improvement in literacy, health

services, housing condition and political consciousness of the people.

It is however noteworthy that community development consist in the  peoples capacity to

harness the resources within their reach, manipulate them to their advantage, and to do

this, the individual must recognize the limitations of his individuality and learn to live

together in peace and in co-operative spirit with human beings. 

It is also in this strand of thought that Ake speaks of development as “ the process of

social transformation in which the people themselves are in charge of the process” 

Development in social value, in the worth of man is quintessential to national

development and it is in this reasoning that one can best interpret Martin Luther King Jr.

when he said: 

   The  prosperity of a  country depends  not on  the abundance of  its  revenue   nor on the 

strength of its  fortification, not on the beauty of its public building but it consists in the

number of cultivated citizens, its men of character and enlightenment. 

Nigeria is blessed with crops of enlightened professionals that can contribute

meaningfully to the national development in their own ways but the need to come

together and identify with the goal and aspiration of the nation is essential. According to

Achebe “…it is the duty  of  enlightened  citizens to lead the way  in  their  discovery  and 

to  create   an  atmosphere  conducive to their emergence.  If this conscious   effort  is  not

made, good  leaders like good money, will be driven out by bad” 

4.2 National development has virtually become elusive to the nation called Nigeria.Series of

national development plans put in place since 1962 were either partially or badly

implemented. Failure of the development plans has been attributed by commentators to

various factors ranging from political instability, bad leadership to corruption.  Poor

national development has left the nation wandering up till today and manifesting in

problems such as poverty among the citizenry, tribal feud and unrest across the nation.

This situation has remained worrisome to the enlightened mind both nationally and

internationally. 

4.3 The professional and Natioanl Development Plans

4.3.1 One of the groups that is involved and believed, has stake at redeeming the situation is

the professional class. Not only because they have what it takes to transform any nation,

but because they are part of the elite group of a nation that directs the course of things

(Umotong and Mebiri, 2012). Any nation that is grappling with developmental issues is

merely a reflection of its elite class, not only of the leader at that point in time but the

aggregate of both the past leaders, present leaders and the totality of its elites(Umotong

and Mebiri, 2012). Whatever a nation is, no matter the system of government in place, it

is what the elite group or the aristocratic group of the nation says it should be that it

becomes. Elite is defined by The New Webster’s Dictionary of the English Language as

“the few that are considered socially, intellectually or professionally superior to the rest

in a group or society”.  The nation draws its meaning from them and they justify its

being.  As it is with  individuals so it is with nations, the burden of civilization of the

world, of the development of the world, lies squarely in the hands of the elite of such

nations in today’s globalized village.   

4.3.2 Umotong and Mebiri (2012) observed that it is the elite group, and its responsibility to

forge or inculcate that frame of mind that makes possible the pointers of national

development and where the elite group are bankrupt of that frame of mind, national

development even of those material observable things will be lacking and weighed by

any scale or margin, the indices of national development are present, they sure will lack

sustenance. There is no doubt that professionals has the wherewithal to drive national

development but the ability to come together and work in unison towards achieving this

goals is essential as national development is holistic in nature. It is on this note that this

write-up attempts to highlight the role of professional collaboration in achieving national

development.

4.4 COLLABORATION OF PROFESSIONALS

Professional are expertsi in their field of endeavor or custodian of expertise. This means

that their expert knowledge will be needed in the growth and development of any nation.

Basically, they cannot be circumvented. For the development of any nation, there is need

for the input of professionals in the development process.

The professionals are very key in economic development in general and in the provision

of public goods and services in particular. Corrupt practices and unethical conduct has

become endemic in both the public and private sectors and this has gone a long way to

undermine the development capacity of the nation. This has no doubt compromised

professionalism as no act of corruption goes without the knowledge of the professional.

Professionalism entails possessing specialist knowledge and following a standard of

conduct based on ethics that govern the use of this knowledge when providing a service

to the public. Professionals provide essential and valuable services to any society. It is for

this reason that the public depend on them more and more as economies advance.

Therefore, professional status is an implied social contract to provide a service over and

above normal duties. In this regard, a professional is viewed as one who carries additional

moral responsibility and is honest, objective, impartial and with high integrity.

The importance of professional in national development cannot be overemphasized and

the earlier this is realized the better. For the professionals to succeed there is need to

demonstrate appropriate levels of professionalism. Professionals should be open to views

of others, be objective and make decisions in the best interest of the country.

Professional civil service also ensures that government objectives and goals are achieved

in an effective and efficient manner thus assuring confidence to the public.

Professionals are guided by code of conducts which stipulates the core values and

responsibilities of their profession. The code of conduct is meant to guide and prevent

exploitative behaviour and to preserve the integrity of profession. The code sets a

framework for meeting standards and provides disciplinary guidelines for unprofessional

behaviour.

Our country needs professionals with high levels of social and moral awareness so that all

of us are aware of the moral obligations and potential impact of our thinking, decisions

and actions. We need to be good role models for others in behaviour, attitude and

relationships. Let us endeavour to act in a way that is professional and that retains the

confidence of the public at all times.

4.5 Collaboration as earlier described generally means to work together with a shared goal. It

is both a process and an outcome in which shared interest or conflict that cannot be

addressed by any single individual is addressed by key stakeholders. The collaborative

process involves a synthesis of different perspectives to better understand complex

problems. A collaborative outcome is the development of integrative solutions that go

beyond an individual vision to a productive resolution that could not be accomplished by

any single person or organization. Each professional in a collaborative relationship shares

information and resources and is accountable for the process and outcomes specific to

their specialty. Professional Collaboration implies team work in which all professional

team members work together and consult with each other depending on needs or project

status. When individuals and groups collaborate or work together successfully, the whole

is greater than the sum of the parts. The richness of the contribution of each member is

reflected in services and outcomes that would not be achieved by individual members in

isolation.

With the complexity multidisciplinary nature of development, national development often

requires efforts of many types of professionals. Each professional has its own

contribution which can only manifest when other professionals do their parts in a holistic

approach. All professionals share a commitment to deliver quality project that is national

development centered.

Effective collaboration within and among professionals in a nation is essential in order to

achieve sustainable national development. Collaboration in the practice setting is

essential in order to share perspectives, plan together and provide services in the interest

of nation.

Collaboration faces many barriers which if not overcome could jeopardize collaborative

effort. A lack of understanding of the roles of other groups and inconsistencies prevent

professionals from working together effectively. A lack of clarity of roles is further

eroded by archival perspectives that do not reflect current realities. When understanding

of roles is enhanced, respect for each professional’s contribution is also increased.

Professionals’ attitudecan make or break collaboration and truncate its goal.Collaboration

and consultation are essential elements of safe, competent, ethical professional practice.

Professionals are expected to collaborate with each other for the benefit of the public.

Professional in collaboration should:

1. Know their strengths, limitations and values in functioning as a member of a team.

2. Respect unique attributes and knowledge of other professional members

3. Describe sources of conflict in the environment.

4. Discuss strategies for communicating and resolving conflict among team members in

the work place

4.5.2 For effective collaboration the following among others as put forward by Gardner (2005)

are essential:

i Learn to value and manage diversity. Differences are essential assets for effective

collaborative processes and outcomes.

ii Develop constructive conflict resolution skills. In the collaborative paradigm,

conflict is viewed as natural and as an opportunity to deepen understanding and

agreement.

iii Use your power to create win-win situations The sharing of power and the

recognition of one's own power base is part of effective collaboration.

iv Master interprofessional and process skills. Competence, cooperation, and

flexibility are the most frequently identified attributes important to effective

collaborative practice.

v Recognize that collaboration is a journey. The skill and knowledge needed for

effective collaboration take time and practice. Conflict resolution, appreciative

inquiry, and knowledge of group process are all life-long learning skills.

vi Leverage all multidisciplinary forums. Being present both physically and

mentally in team forums can provide an opportunity to assess how and when to

offer collaborative communications for partnership building.

vii Appreciate that collaboration can occur spontaneously. Collaboration is a

mutually established condition that can happen spontaneously if the right factors

are in place.

viii Balance autonomy and unity in collaborative relationships. Learn from your

collaborative successes and failures. Becoming part of an exclusive team can be

as bad as working in isolation. Be reflective, willing to seek feedback, and admit

mistakes for dynamic balance.

4.5.3 From the above, the role of Association of professional bodies become manifest

as it stands to midwive the professionals.

Collaboration is a complex partnership. It is a process that occurs over time. It is also an

outcome, a synthesis of different perspectives, an integrative solution. It is important to

remember that conflict is a natural and expected part of collaboration. Conflict provides

an opportunity to deepen agreement. The strategic use of conflict resolution skills and

goodwill power can be effective in enhancing decision quality and team commitment.

4.6 Summary

In summary, interprofessional collaboration is the key to unlock and nurture national

development. Aside from their involvement, the professionals share certain

characteristics that distinguish them from others. Such characteristic as enumerated

earlier are the propelling factors for national development which is the general

improvement in the lives of individual, groups, and environment. Therefore, it is safe to

say, that, professionals are the engines for actualization of national development, if they

are able to propel it through collaboration.

The professionals are the custodian of knowledge, science and technology which are all

essential ingredient of national development. Knowledge and skill have become the

global currency of the world. The 21st century is a knowledge based century; the ability

of nations to rise and consolidate the gains of globalization, lies in harnessing and

utilizing the energy, creativity and passion of their professionals through collaboration for

national development.  

No doubt; if properly harness and utilized, professional collaboration remains one of the

major means of liberating our country from the domination and re-colonisation of foreign

professionals who are not more qualified but (at times) more equipped. The foreigners are

not into the country to develop it but to reap it off. For Nigeria to experience real

National Development, there must be genuine and sincere effort to substitute love for

domination, for equality; for love of victory, we must substitute justice; and for

dichotomous greed, we must substitute cooperation.  We must be sensitive and

considerate and must think of the nation as one family and further our common interest

by the intelligent use of natural resources towards prosperity. 

 5.0 THE CHALLENGE TO APBN AND INDIVIDUAL PROFESSIONAL BODIES.

5.01 From the discussion so far, it has become obvious that Professionals are an essential

group in the country both for plan conceptualization policy formulation and plan

implementation.

5.02 A natural development has the basic objective of improving the living condition of the

people of the country hence we as professionals should take the leading position.

5.03 Nature is not divided as we divide disciplines; hence there is the need for collaboration

amongst professionals to address national development issues.

5.04 There is no doubt that the need for this professional collaboration that led the finding

fathers of APBN who as the history told us were from different professional (Surveying,

Medicine, Law etc) to start “the Professional group” which metamorphosed to APBN

today.

5.1 The question then arises- why is it that Nigerian Government has not given us the

necessary and required recognition?

The answer to this will be many and varied but with the benefit of experience and

hindsight the fault is not in our style but in us that we understand. These include the fact

that

a. We, as professionals have collective taken a distant look at National Development and

have projected an image of critics rather than builders.

b. We, collectively look down on politician and cast aspersion on them forgetting that for

good or bad, they affect our destinies.

c. We, as a group are contemptuous of politics and do not want to get near, talk less

participation.

d. We, as a group are not united despite the existence of the APBN

e. We, as a group have not demonstrated that we are different. A number of professions

who ventured into politics have bungled it. They became part of the crowd and therefore

lost the high pedestal on which we ought to and are supposed to stand.

5.2 In indicting the professional, I will like to finally say that the APBN should make herself

more visible and more relevant to National Development.

5.3 The aggregate capacity in the APBN cannot be found in any institution and this aggregate

capacity should not be allowed to continue to waste.

5.4 The other side of the coin of this submission is – why do Nigerian government refuse to

use this available capacity? I venture to say that they do not for various reason. These

include ignorance, fear, type and quality of governance, and corruption which is the base

of all the others.

5.5 Where then do we go from here?

I submit the following:

APBN should make herself and her capability visible in the public mind

a) APBN should co-ordinate and take leadership in the collaboration of the professionals in

the country.

b) APBN should make the Nigerian professionals relevant to all issues of the National

discourse rather than bury our head in the sand in the name of “we don’t want to get

involved in politics”

c) The challenge to individual professional bodies is to co-operate with APBN and

appreciate and belief in the benefit derivable from collaboration.

d) The implication of the above in the individual professional body should pay their dues

and levies and physically and intellectually participate in the APBN

e) The president of member bodies should in the light of the advantage of collaboration give

maximum personal attention to APBN issues rather than see it as an irritant. It is only a

strong, united and virile form that can project and protect the Nigerian professionals as a

group and make them relevant for and to National development.

5.5 It will not be fair to conclude this discussion without acknowledging the excellent job

done by the APBN, particularly in the area of conflict resolution- NIA/NITP,

NSE/NIESV, ICAN/CITN e.t.c.

5.6 Mentions should also be made of the direct participation and contribution to National

Development- pre-budget and post-budget seminars, participation in election monitoring

duties, workshop in housing, position papers in various issues,participation in the vision

20-20-20 steering committee etc.

The challenge therefore is to intensify and possibly extend the scope of the activities of

APBN through your individual professional group’s co-operation and construction.

5.7 Conclusion: I will like to conclude this discussion with the quote by Martin Luther King

Jr.

“Let us all leave here with the conviction that there is the need for professional

collaboration and resolve to work for it. Lord helps us.

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Bukhari Muhammed Bello Jega (2012):Nigeria Youth and National Development 

http://saharareporters.com/2012/03/26/nigeria-youth-and-national-development

Fundanga, C. M (2009): The role of professionals in economic development.

Remarks by Mr Fundanga, C. M, Governor of the Bank of Zambia, at the Annual

National Development Conference of the Zambia Institute for Policy Analysis and

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