The art of partnership
Eight quick partnership tests
Digging deeper into a healthy partnership
Partnership life cycle
Five degrees of partnership
What influences partnerships?
1
Eight quick partnership tests
How does your partnership rate?
never
sometime
s
often
always
Partners can demonstrate real results through
collaboration
Common interest supersedes partner interest
Partners use “we” when talking about partner
matters
Partners are mutually accountable for tasks
and outcomes
Partners share responsibilities and rewards
Partners strive to develop and maintain trust
Partners are willing to change what they do
and how they do it
Partners seek to improve how the partnership
performs
2
Digging deeper into a healthy partnership
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Successful partnership takes time to achieve and can be difficult - complete the
tables below to benchmark where you currently are and what might need tackling:-
Leadership
Benchmark
NO action
is
needed
NO but
action
is in
hand
YES but needs
improving
YES working
well
Partners share a common vision of the
difference they want to make and the direction
to take
Partners focus on partnership added value:
how they can achieve more or better results
through collaboration
Partners are willing to make changes to
achieve shared goals
Partners facilitate partnership working and
engender support within their own
organisations or interest grouping
Partner objectives are aligned in a common
direction
Do you need to tackle any of these common occurrences?
 limited vision
 failure to inspire and push the bounds of the possible
 resources not devoted to where they will make the greatest difference
 tendency for partners to react to, not anticipate events
 pursuit of quick fixes
 partners competing for the lead or unwilling to take the lead
 some partners are unwilling participants
 individual partners dominate decision-making
3
Trust
Benchmark
NO action is
needed
NO but
action is
in hand
YES but needs
improving
YES working
well
Partners are mutually accountable for their
contributions
Partners understand and respect differences
amongst partners
Partners behave openly and deal with conflict and
frustration promptly
Partners behave openly and deal with conflict and
frustration promptly
Communications are sufficient and effective
Partners ensure that there is fair sharing of
contributions, risks and rewards amongst partners
Partners have an equal say in decision-making
Do you need to tackle any of these common occurrences?
 too much concern for formal procedures and protocol
 failure to listen/ engage in genuine dialogue
 inordinate time spent in meetings/ communications
 'exclusive behaviour' (ie, placing barriers to the participation of other parties)
 stereotyping or judgmental behaviour
 defensive behaviour
 culture of blame/ criticising partners.
4
Learning
Benchmark
NO action is
needed
NO but
action is
in hand
YES but needs
improving
YES working
well
Partners continuously seek improvements in
activities and ways of working
Partners periodically review the partnership: its
vision, achievements and how it is working
Partners seek to learn from each other and from
experience elsewhere
Partners recognise and use strengths and talents
within the partnership
Partners manage the changes needed for
improvements to be made
Do you need to tackle any of these common occurrences?
 partnership activities based on partner views on what people or businesses need
or should be doing ("solutions in search of problems")
 failure to take stock of partnership progress/ ways of working
 lack of recognition of need to develop the capabilities of those developing,
directing or managing the partnership
 parochial focus - "not invented here" mindset
 aversion to risk-taking
 acceptance of "lowest common denominator" solutions
 weak links between strategic decision-makers and what is needed and
happening on the ground
 "groupthink" - consensus based on lack of objective knowledge.
5
Managing poor performance
Benchmark
NO action is
needed
NO but
action is
in hand
YES but needs
improving
YES working
well
The partnership structure fits its purpose
Partner roles, responsibilites and contributions are
clearly defined and accepted
Objectives, targets and milestones are set and
owned by those responsible
Adequate resources are devoted to achieving
partnership goals
Partners use appropriate methods for project
management and co-ordination
Do you need to tackle any of these common occurrences?
 expectation of gain without pain - that real partnership success is achievable
without some changes or "giving something up"
 lack of accountability amongst partners for delivering commitments
 objectives poorly specified or set without consultation/ involvement of those who
have to achieve them
 failure to recognise that partnerships, like teams, go through stages before they
perform effectively
 failure to review how the partnership is operating and how it can become more
effective.
6
Partnership life cycle
It is helpful to think of partnerships going through a series of stages, during which
particular tactics are most appropriate to ensuring partnership progress and success.
These are similar to the stages that any team is likely to go through, as people come
together to achieve common goals.
PRODU CT IVIT Y
T he Partnership Life Cycle
Stage 1
Stage 3
Stage 2
Stage 4
Fail!
T IME
Form...
Frustrate...
PART N ERSH IPS...
Function...
Fly?
Fail!
Typical characteristics of each stage:
1
Forming
 common cause, arising from shared interests, opportunities, threats
 early enthusiasm: new challenge, new relationships


2
3
exploring what’s needed, what’s possible
nature of commitments unclear
Frustration
 partners feel “in a fog”

disputes or tension over priorities and methods

individuals questioning purpose of the partnership and reasons for being
there



hidden agendas influencing what partners do
doubts about what each other brings to the party
partners competing for credit and control
Functioning


renewed vision and focus
progress through joint project teams
7
4

partners talk in terms of “we” not “you”

clear roles and responsibilities

full accountability to each other for actions
Flying
 successful achievement of partnership goals


5

shared leadership
partners changing what they do and how they do it to achieve partnership
objectives
trust and mutual respect

partnership priorities central to partner activities
Failing
 disengagement
 lack of commitment


recurrent tensions
breakdown or frittering away of relationships
8
If you’re at this
stage…
1. Forming
consider…




2. Frustration







3. Functioning






4. Flying

5. Failing







Is this
action
relevant?
create opportunities for people to get to know each other
encourage partners to focus on a common vision, the
difference they want to make together
define tasks and tangible outcomes
shepherd the process of building the partnership agenda including through use of research
ensure neutral meeting ground
revisit the common ground - allow time to redefine issues,
purpose, etc
maximise opportunities for practical involvement
implement actions which demonstrate progress (“little
victories”)
encourage open expression and constructive disagreement
clarify benefits to individual partners
promote mutual appreciation of what each other can
contribute
fix the problem, not the blame
agree clear objectives, milestones, responsibilities, success
measures
establish principles/ protocols for collaboration
encourage shared leadership and accountability
develop common methods and quality standards
seek learning consciously through cross-partner project
teams, joint training and reviewing activities
anticipate future challenges and build partner capacity to
respond
take stock of how well the group is performing
keep working at communications
avoid any unnecessary partnership working
ask: does the partnership still serve its purpose?
ensure that all partners are getting the benefits they expect
continue to celebrate success
go back to Stage 1?
9
Five degrees of partnership
Co-existence
“You stay on your turf and I’ll stay on mine.”
Co-operation
“I’ll lend you a hand when my work is done.”
Co-ordination
“We need to adjust what we do to avoid overlap and
confusion.”
Collaboration
“Let’s work on this together.”
Co-ownership
“We feel totally responsible.”
Co-existence may be a rational solution - where clarity is brought to who does what
and with whom.
Co-operation is often a pre-requisite of further degrees of partnership, where there
is early recognition of mutual benefits and opportunities to work together.
Co-ordination is where the parties accept the need to make some changes to
improve services/ activities from a user/ customer/ community perspective and make
better use of their own resources.
Collaboration is where the parties agree to work together on strategies or projects,
where each contributes to achieve a shared goal.
Co-ownership is where the parties commit themselves wholly to achieving a
common vision, making significant changes in what they do and how they do it.
Think about where your partnership (or partnerships) sits on this range. More than
one type may be present across an established partnership.

How are partnership objectives best served by the different degrees of
partnership?

In what areas do you need to concentrate on, say, Co-ordination, and where do
you need to move to Collaboration or Co-ownership?
10
What influences partnerships?
Good Things
Bad Things


Initiate positive phone calls
Make recommendations


Return calls only
Make justifications


Candour in language
Be concise, to the point


Accommodative language
Use longwinded correspondence

Show appreciation

Wait for misunderstandings


Make service suggestions
Use "we" problem-solving
language



Get to problems


Personality problems aired
Talk of "our future together"


Wait for service requests
Use "owe-us" legal language, or
"as a representative of so-andso"
Only respond to problems
Personality problems hidden


Make responses routine
Accept responsibility

Plan the future




Talk about making good on the
past
Fire drill/emergency
responsiveness
Shift blame
Rehash the past
Diagnosing prospects for successful partnership working :
Forces for Collaboration
“I can only satisfy my interests if I
recognise my partner's interests…”
Forces Against Collaboration
“It’s always win or lose.”
“I need to work with others to get what
I want.”
“Competition brings out the best in
people.”
“I have confidence in my own
problem-solving skills.”
“Collaboration wastes time.”
“I have confidence in my partner's
ability to solve problems.”
“Things can only get worse.”
“All of us will have to work together
again in the future.”
“People will take advantage of me.”
11