CULTIVATING AND MAINTAINING HEALTHY

PARTNERSHIPS

‘I Think I’m in Love’

Cultivating Healthy Partnerships

Excellent partnerships are about sharing:

o Skills, knowledge or specializations

o Resources (funding, in-kind, time, space, etc.)

o Effort (equally distributed or agreed upon)

o Appreciation or acknowledgement

Are we blind dating, steady, or getting hitched?

Steady dating includes: Mutually agreed upon interests and goalsResource sharingMutual learning

Marriage:Involves long-term partnershipResults in each organization affecting the way the other does what it does

Pre-Nuptials

The Proposal: I Think I’m In Loveo Are the participants/decision-makers

compatible? o Will they be able to achieve resolution when

potential conflicts arise? o Is it a mission-fit for all partners? o Is the leadership shared or defined? Are partner

roles defined?o Are partner benefits clearly outlined?o Are the capacities either equal or

complimentary?

’Til Death Do Us Part

o How long should the partnership last? o Is this a monogamous relationship? o How many partners will there be? o What does each partner add to the project?

Caveat: Each additional partner adds exponentially to meeting time and decision-making time and effort.

Write Your Own Vows

Memorandum of Understanding/Agreement

What are the goals for each partner? Shared knowledge? Shared resources? Expanded scope or reach? Extension of project visibility and public service?

What is the project? What are the project objectives, goals and outcomes? What are the roles and responsibilities for each organization? (Be precise.)

What are the shared values, procedures, protocols, and policies? How are leadership and protocols established? Distributed? Modified? What is the process for finding consensus on issues and resolving conflicts?

Who are the decision makers for each organization? Is there a need for regular meetings? What are the other mechanisms for communication? Email? Online discussion forum? Telephone conferencing?

Blessings and Terms

Having the Marriage Blessed

Does the partnership need formal/informal buy-in or a memo of agreement between organizational leadership or the Board?

Will There Be Progeny?

Will there be secondary or limited partners? What are their roles, privileges, and obligations?

Marriage License

Mr./Mrs./Ms.?o Does the partnership have a name? o How will each partner be acknowledged in

print materials? At public events?o How will organizational logos be

incorporated? o What language will be used to describe the

partnership?

Keeping the Vows

For Richer or Poorero What are the financial commitments of each partner? o What will each contribute in cash or in-kind? o What are the roles in fundraising?o How will key stakeholders be acknowledged?Renewing the Vowso What are the check-in points to ensure that the

partnersare satisfied and that goals are being met?

o How will we determine whether to extend the term of the partnership?

o What are the criteria to critique project success?

I Want a Divorce!

o What is the process for ending the partnership on amiable terms?

From soulmate to ball in chain . . .

Danger Zones

Un-expressed or unclarified expectationsLack of clear leadership and/or planLack of clear and consistent communication

structuresLack of understanding of and appreciation for

diverse organizational culture

Resources

Alhadeff, M.A. A Prenuptial Contract. Prairie Public Television. National Center for Media Engagement. http://www.mediaengage.org

Questions?