The factors and determinants that shape and influence the course of collaboration are highly complex and interrelated. They are nested in a multifaceted and tangled web consisting of contextual, governance and agential elements – context shaped by institutional and structural factors, legislative arrangements and statutory duties, financial regimes, broader economic and social drivers, and local history of collaboration; governance moulded through culture, decision-making structures, accountability and performance management frameworks, and role and purpose; agency manifested through leadership, professionalism, experience and personal characteristics of public leaders, practitioners, politicians and managers.

The focus of this book lies squarely on the role and contribution of ‘middle managers’ in this mosaic of collaborative machinery. Previous chapters have examined some of the theories and research available on this subject, and presented additional insights particularly from my own research studies in this area. This chapter responds to the ‘so what does this mean for policy and practice’ question. What lessons can policy makers and practitioners take from this analysis to help shape the design and delivery of future collaborative interventions, and how might it inform the progress and trajectory of existing management practice? In particular, it explores some of the implications of this book for learning – for the education, training and development of middle managers. As a general statement, the thrust of middle management training and development is still heavily biased towards intra-organisational management and not managing in collaboration. This might be considered somewhat perverse given the exponential growth of collaborative working which is likely to be sustained into the future. A report of the National Academy of Public Administration (2007: 273) was stark in its message that: