Written by Sue Dyer, Founder, IPI      

Every construction project team is unique. That’s why no two partnering sessions should look the same. The right agenda depends on where the team sits within the Four Stages of Partnering, a practical framework that helps leaders diagnose current dynamics and choose interventions that move the team forward 

Stage I: Reduce Conflict by Creating Control 

Stage I is the “controlled” stage, but only after leaders confront conflict head on. The immediate objective is to reduce conflict by restoring a sense of control for all parties. Practically, this means translating hot button issues into very detailed, specific agreements, who will do what, by when, and how progress will be verified. As people follow through on these commitments, reliability becomes visible and the first shoots of trust begin to grow 

Real world example: On a contentious bypass project mired in disputes, the team started in Stage I. Through partnering, they surfaced core issues, then cowrote highly detailed steps everyone could accept. As stakeholders consistently executed those steps, hostility cooled. The visible follow through seeded trust, opening the door to Stage II and, later, Stage III. The team never reached Stage IV, but the project still succeeded because leaders matched the partnering approach to the stage. 

Stage II: Build Trust to Enable Cooperation 

With conflict and early reliability established, the work of Stage II is to develop deeper trust, so cooperation becomes possible. Leaders should set measurable goals in the partnering session and then make progress highly transparent, regular check-ins, shared scorecard, and clear recognition when commitments are met. Trust at this stage is earned by consistency, not charisma. 

Stage III: Build an Effective One Team Culture 

By Stage III, “us vs. them” thinking gives way to one team, one table. Stakeholders focus on the project, not on each other, because trust, shared experience, and mutual understanding are now strong enough to sustain a highly effective team. Communication flows, problems surface earlier, and solutions are shaped collaboratively. This is where productivity and quality gains accelerate as coordination friction drops 

Stage IV: Maximize Opportunities Through Collective Creativity 

At the highest stage, the team operates so seamlessly that roles blur, you can’t tell who works for whom. The shared identity is “the project team.” With psychological safety and systemic trust in place, the group can maximize opportunities: reframing constraints, piloting better methods, and pushing performance toward what once seemed impossible 

Why Every Session Must Be Different 

Stages I–II are driven by dispute prevention and resolution; Stages III–IV are driven by creativity and innovation. That difference demands stage specific partnering: 

• Stage I: Priority on conflict resolution, detailed agreements, and verification rituals. 

• Stage II: Priority on measurable goals, transparent progress reviews, and reliability signals. 

• Stage III: Priority on alignment to project outcomes, integrated planning, and joint problem solving. 

• Stage IV: Priority on opportunity hunting, innovative ideas, rapid experimentation and implementation. 

Teams can also move backward under pressure. That’s normal, leaders should recalibrate the next session to the stage the team is in, not the one it used to occupy, or you want to be in. 

The Leader’s Edge: IPI Project Leader Certification 

Skilled leadership is what converts stages into results. The IPI Project Leader Certification equips leaders to (1) diagnose stage accurately, (2) select the right interventions, and (3) sustain momentum as conditions change. Certified leaders learn how to craft Stage I agreements that deescalate conflict, Stage II routines that compound trust, Stage III practices that fuse stakeholders into one team, and Stage IV habits that turn challenges into advantages. If your goal is to move more projects into Stages III and IV, where quality and value compound, this is the most direct path. 

Quick self-check: What stage is your project in today? What is the single most appropriate stage move you could make this week to nudge it one level higher?