In today’s political arena, there is no shortage of good ideas. They are discussed during legislative committee meetings, dissected in white papers and outlined in policy statements. Everyday, people on the frontlines of county and city government think of innovative ways to trim costs, increase efficiencies and serve more citizens more effectively.

The problem? All-too-often good ideas are slow to make it out of committee and into the community. How many times have you seen a creative idea languish in a policy discussion instead of thrive in action? Have you ever been part of a committee that sacrificed a good idea in the name of partisan politics? How often have you had a bright idea, a sure-fire solution to a pressing problem, but didn’t pursue it because you felt it would never see the light of day?

Across Kansas, good ideas are making it out of committee and into the community. Leading the effort is The Kansas Collaborative, a cross-government initiative dedicated to optimizing public resources by saving money and boosting efficiencies. The Collaborative brings the state, county and city together as equal partners around the table to cut through bureaucratic clutter and move good ideas into action.

“We’re tackling problems from the ground up,” says Kathleen Harnish-Doucet, a principal at TeamTech, Inc., the private consulting firm that founded and manages The Kansas Collaborative.  We use the “Breakthrough Team Process” to solve problems, save money and network leaders. This is government working together for better results.”