Partnerships

							   A Guide for Navigators




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Objectives
 Understand the distinction among networks,
  collaboration and partnering
 Understand the importance of being strategic
 Understand how to create and sustain strategic
  networks and strategic partnerships
 Understand results accountability and the connection
  to partnerships




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21st   Century Organizations
 Strategic
    Understand the operating environment
    Mission/Vision Driven
    Established organizational goals/objective/strategies
 Competent
    Capacity and competencies to reach objectives
 Collaborative
    Organizational culture emphasizes collaboration
 Accountable
    Results oriented in all activities
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What % of your time is spent
 In meetings with external organizations
 In networking events




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Critical Question
 Does this time result in in measurable results?




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Relationship Hierarchy
 Networking: exchange information
    Coordinating: exchange information and link existing activities for
     mutual benefit
    Cooperation: share resources for mutual benefit and to create
     something new
 Collaboration: work jointly to accomplish shared vision and mission
  using joint resources
 Partnerships: Collaboration where decision making is shared and all
  partners are accountable for outcomes.
       Source: National Association of County and City Health
        Officials



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What is Strategic
 Connecting networking, collaborating and partnering
  activities to the goals of your organization
 Setting goals for these activities
 Developing plans around these activities
 Evaluating the effectiveness of these activities




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Why Strategic
 Your time is limited and valuable
 Others’ time is limited and valuable
 No organization can be all things to all people
 Resources are limited and trending downward
 Now more than ever, the environment is conducive to
  partnerships
 Networks and Partnerships must advance your
  organization’s strategic objectives


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Benefits of Strategic Networks
and Partnerships
 Ability to leverage your organization’s resources
 Opportunity to improve your organization’s
  performance
 Build your customer pool
 Reduce your customer pool
 Greater community visibility for your organization
 Greater opportunities for expanded partnerships


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Strategic Networking
 Networking to accomplish the strategic objectives of
 your organization by
   Promoting your services
   Developing trust relationships
   Expanding the collaboration/partnership potential




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Networking Objectives
  Have purpose for each networking opportunity
    Identify employers
    Identify needed resources
    Identify potential partners for collaboration
 Set objectives for each networking opportunity




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Networking Opportunities
 When you meet people, use the time to gather
 information from them:
 • Primary concerns about their business
 • Unmet needs.
 • Overlap of solutions you provide overlap with their
 needs
   Overlap of solutions others provide that overlap with
    your organization’s need
   Their contact information



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Networking Competencies
 Ability of identify productive marketing opportunities
 Knowledge of the mission, strategic objectives,
  capacities and needs of your organization
 Ability to communicate
 Ability to market and sell
 Ability to communicate who you are and who you
  represent quickly and succinctly (elevator pitch)


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Elevator Pitch
 Short-30 -60 Seconds
 Concise
 Tells a story
 Has a hook




     http://www.dumblittleman.com/2007/08/how-to-craft-killer-
       elevator-pitch-that.html


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EXAMPLE
 I am the director of a program that provides training
 and consultation to state agencies and private
 nonprofits whose mission is to find employment for
 people with disabilities. We work primarily in the
 southeast, but are a part of a national network of
 similar programs.




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Your Ideal Network
 A group of individuals or organizations that :
    Know what you do (what your mission is)
    Can meet your organizational needs
    You can meet their organizational needs
    Can expand your network




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How to sustain your network
 Keep in touch
    Frequency of contact should be proportional to the
     value of the network member
 Acknowledge the value of each network member
 Acknowledge contributions of your network members




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Partnership
 A relationship characterized by collaboration and
 responsibility for the achievement of a specified goal




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Partners
 Have shared:
   Vision
   Objectives
   Resources
   Decision making
   Accountability for results




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Characteristics of Effective
Partnerships
 Shared vision
 Trust
 Clear Communication
 Clear and quick decision making process
 Ability to anticipate and manage change




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Partnership Value
 Assessing value
    What does each partner stand to gain?


 Leveraging Value
    How will the partnership create additional value




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Benefits of Partnership
 Leverage strengths
 Share responsibility
 Gain competencies
 Increase potential for innovation
 Enhance competency sets
 Increase organizational visibility




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Competencies needed to Establish
Effective Partnerships
 Ability to analyze needs of consumers
 Knowledge of potential partners
 Ability to negotiate
 Ability to develop performance measures
 Ability to share decision making
 Ability to communicate




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Barriers
 Differing levels of interest
 Differing levels of resource commitment
 Lack of role clarity
 Differing levels of community visibility
 Differing levels of power




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Barriers
 Lack of time and interest
 Lack of compelling reasons to partner
 Lack of incentives to partner
 Lack of clear and fair rules of the game
 Interpersonal issues
 History
 Lack of shared values



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Ready To Partner
 Define current and future needs of your customers and
  your organization
 Determine what resources your organization can
  commit
   Consider time
   Consider cost
 Determine how the partnership will effect your
 organization
   Increase effectiveness
   Your organization’s visibility in the community
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Formalizing Partnerships
 Structure the decision making process
 Assess resources available
 Determine roles and responsibilities
 Develop strategic plan-(goals, objectives, actions)
 Determine outcome measures
 Determine evaluation process




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Evaluation of Partnership
Effectiveness
 Develop clear measures of effectiveness
 Mutually agree on evaluation strategy
 Discuss results




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Key Steps in
Growing Partnerships
  Monitor
  Measure
  Learn
  Communicate
  Innovate




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Sustaining A Partnership
 Communicate
 Recognize
 Reward
 Publicize




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Importance of Communication
 Speeds decision making
 Lessens the silo effect
 Speed resolution of issues
 Fosters mutual understanding and trust




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Population Accountability
 Quality of life we want in our community
   What would these conditions look like?
   How can we measure these conditions?
   Who are the partners that have a role to play?
   How can we do better (innovation)?
   What will we do?
   How will we know how well we are doing and
    communicate this?
          Source: Mark Friedman


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Results Accountability
 How much did we do
   Number of customers served
   Activities
 How well did we do it
   Percentage of Consumers Employed
   Percentage of Consumers with increased self-sufficiency
   Customer satisfaction




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Benefits of Results
Accountability
 Facilitates Goal Setting
 Defines Success
 Facilitates improvement and growth
 Encourages innovation
 Tangible proof of value to the community
 Can be marketed




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      Contact:
ckenney@ndi-inc.org
   904-686-1463




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