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 goals Resource sharing Mutual learning Marriage: Involves long-term partnership Results in each organization affecting the way the other does what it does

Pre-Nuptials The Proposal: I Think I’m In Love o 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? ? 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 Poorer o 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 Vows o What are the check-in points to ensure that the partners are 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 expectations Lack of clear leadership and/or plan Lack of clear and consistent communication structures Lack of understanding of and appreciation for diverse organizational culture

Resources Alhadeff, M.A. A Prenuptial Contract. Prairie Public Television. National Center for Media Engagement.

Questions?