I want to continue on the theme of collaboration. Last week I looked at the importance of helping partners succeed. But how do you choose an organization to collaborate with?
Collaborations work best when each partner brings a high level of competency — but also complementary (though not identical) strengths.
In the nonprofit world these strengths can include implementation skills, innovative program design, connections to diverse communities, or strong donor relationships. Nonprofits often have unique resource mixes, from passionate volunteers to specialized grants.
Their leaders typically come from varied backgrounds — some with deep field experience, others with strong management or academic credentials. It’s important that the personalities can work together.
For collaborations to succeed, it’s crucial that the partnering organizations not only have aligned missions but also compatible working styles and values. You want to make sure the organizational cultures and missions align well for effective cooperation. The goal is to create synergies where each partner’s distinct assets contribute to the collective impact of the shared cause.
- In the collaborations you’re considering, do your prospective partners’ strengths complement your organization’s?
- Could this collaboration succeed without such an alignment?