Forming Forming Community Community CoalitionsCoalitions

A Statewide OHCE Leader LessonA Statewide OHCE Leader Lesson20082008

Renée A. Daugherty, Renée A. Daugherty, Ph.D.Ph.D.

Associate Professor and Extension Associate Professor and Extension SpecialistSpecialist

Department of Human Development and Family Department of Human Development and Family ScienceScience

Oklahoma Cooperative Extension ServiceOklahoma Cooperative Extension ServiceOklahoma State UniversityOklahoma State University

Lesson ObjectivesLesson Objectives

By participating in this By participating in this lesson, you will learn to:lesson, you will learn to:

Recognize the three basics elements Recognize the three basics elements of coalescing/partnering.of coalescing/partnering.

Use recruitment tips and strategies, Use recruitment tips and strategies, including convening the first meeting.including convening the first meeting.

Recognize the ten dangerous traps Recognize the ten dangerous traps that can threaten the sustainability of that can threaten the sustainability of a coalition. a coalition.

Use the Sustainability Web.Use the Sustainability Web.

The Basics of Coalescing/PartneringThe Basics of Coalescing/Partnering 1 - Respect for Each 1 - Respect for Each GroupGroup

Encourage a joint approach to:Encourage a joint approach to: define problemsdefine problems identify solutionsidentify solutions define successdefine success

Respect the skills & capacities of Respect the skills & capacities of partnerspartners

Recognize that you have as much Recognize that you have as much to learn as you have to offerto learn as you have to offer

The Basics of Coalescing/PartneringThe Basics of Coalescing/Partnering 2 - Accessibility2 - Accessibility

Help inexperienced partners Help inexperienced partners negotiate the complex negotiate the complex structure of each other’s structure of each other’s organizationorganization

Make what you offer more Make what you offer more readily availablereadily available– Properly publicized?Properly publicized?– Expertise equally available to all?Expertise equally available to all?

The Basics ofThe Basics of Coalescing/PartneringCoalescing/Partnering 3 – 3 – Resources for the Resources for the CoalitionCoalition

Invest what is needed to make it Invest what is needed to make it work; partnerships are not freework; partnerships are not free– timetime– efforteffort– monetary resourcesmonetary resources

special allocations?special allocations? corporate sponsorship and investment?corporate sponsorship and investment? new fee structures for services delivered?new fee structures for services delivered? government, universities, others?government, universities, others?

Recruiting PartnersRecruiting Partners

Starting PointsStarting Points

Be clear about the purpose of the Be clear about the purpose of the coalition.coalition.

Prepare a brief description of the issue. Prepare a brief description of the issue. List groups/organizations that have the List groups/organizations that have the

capacity to be part of the coalition.capacity to be part of the coalition.

ResourcesResources LegitimacyLegitimacy

Consistent goalsConsistent goals CompositionComposition

Motivation to Motivation to partnerpartner

Recruiting PartnersRecruiting Partners Starting Points, cont’dStarting Points, cont’d

Develop background on potential Develop background on potential partnerspartners– Type of relationships with community Type of relationships with community – How/when to approachHow/when to approach

Develop a time frame.Develop a time frame. Invite to participate.Invite to participate.

– Introductory letterIntroductory letter– Follow-up meeting/appointmentFollow-up meeting/appointment

Convene the first meeting of the Convene the first meeting of the coalition.coalition.

Recruiting PartnersRecruiting Partners Convening – the First Convening – the First MeetingMeeting

Use the first meeting to develop:Use the first meeting to develop: Responsibilities/roles of each partnerResponsibilities/roles of each partner Ways to make the coalition mutually Ways to make the coalition mutually

beneficialbeneficial– Common goal or vision Common goal or vision – Allowance for each partner to achieve Allowance for each partner to achieve

his/her goalshis/her goals– Potential for different outcomesPotential for different outcomes– Sharing of resourcesSharing of resources

Guidelines on sharing clientele (if Guidelines on sharing clientele (if applicable)applicable)

Sustaining the Sustaining the PartnershipPartnership

10 Dangerous Traps10 Dangerous Traps The Sustainability WebThe Sustainability Web

Sustaining the PartnershipSustaining the Partnership 1. Loss of Direction or 1. Loss of Direction or FocusFocus

SuggestionsSuggestions

– Review issue Review issue descriptiondescription

– Conduct a Conduct a seminarseminar

– Select strong Select strong leadersleaders

Sustaining the PartnershipSustaining the Partnership 2. Loss of Leadership or2. Loss of Leadership orLeadership StrugglesLeadership Struggles

SuggestionsSuggestions

– Change leadershipChange leadership

– Develop role Develop role descriptionsdescriptions

– Conduct an orientationConduct an orientation

– Select “neutral” and Select “neutral” and competent leaderscompetent leaders

Sustaining the PartnershipSustaining the Partnership 3. Founding-Partner 3. Founding-Partner SyndromeSyndrome

Suggestions:Suggestions:

– Shift leadershipShift leadership

– Assign new responsibilitiesAssign new responsibilities

– Develop leadership guidelines and policiesDevelop leadership guidelines and policies

– Rotate meeting chairsRotate meeting chairs

Sustaining the PartnershipSustaining the Partnership 4. Unequal Involvement & 4. Unequal Involvement & Recognition of PartnersRecognition of Partners

Suggestions:Suggestions:– Involve every partner.Involve every partner.

– Set limits for minimum involvement.Set limits for minimum involvement.

– Rotate leadership positions.Rotate leadership positions.

– Conduct orientation sessions.Conduct orientation sessions.

– Provide team-building opportunities.Provide team-building opportunities.

– Recognize partner contributions to Recognize partner contributions to the coalition.the coalition.

Sustaining the PartnershipSustaining the Partnership 5. Poor Planning Efforts5. Poor Planning Efforts

Suggestions:Suggestions:

– Start smallStart small

– Provide trainingProvide training LeadersLeaders PartnersPartners

– Evaluate Evaluate annuallyannually

Sustaining the PartnershipSustaining the Partnership 6. Negative Publicity6. Negative Publicity

Suggestions:Suggestions:

– Get accurate information to partners.Get accurate information to partners.

– Appoint a public spokesperson.Appoint a public spokesperson.

– Correct inaccuraciesCorrect inaccuracies

– Acknowledge & correct errors.Acknowledge & correct errors.

– Develop a crisis communications plan.Develop a crisis communications plan.

– Change leadership.Change leadership.

Sustaining the PartnershipSustaining the Partnership 7. Failure of Planned 7. Failure of Planned ProjectsProjects

Suggestions:Suggestions:– Hold a debriefing.Hold a debriefing.

– Study causes.Study causes.

– Recognize Recognize positives.positives.

– Assess capacity.Assess capacity.

– Solicit outside Solicit outside feedback.feedback.

– Launch a small Launch a small project.project.

Sustaining the PartnershipSustaining the Partnership 8. Burnout8. Burnout

Suggestions:Suggestions:

– Slow down.Slow down.

– Rotate leadership.Rotate leadership.

– Have fun.Have fun.

– Get feedback on Get feedback on expectations.expectations.

– Conduct stress reduction Conduct stress reduction seminars.seminars.

– Expand membership.Expand membership.

Sustaining the PartnershipSustaining the Partnership 9. Bureaucratic Structure9. Bureaucratic Structure

Suggestions:Suggestions:

– Streamline structure.Streamline structure.

– Take new approaches.Take new approaches.

– Rotate leadership.Rotate leadership.

– Brainstorm alternative Brainstorm alternative approaches to doing work.approaches to doing work.

– Simplify policies and procedures.Simplify policies and procedures.

Sustaining the PartnershipSustaining the Partnership 10. Turf Battles10. Turf Battles

Suggestions:Suggestions:

– Talk about differences.Talk about differences.

– Mediate differences.Mediate differences.

– Develop a Develop a grantsmanship plan.grantsmanship plan.

– Seek “common ground”.Seek “common ground”.

Sustaining the PartnershipSustaining the Partnership Sustainability WebSustainability Web

What Did You Learn What Did You Learn Today?Today?

““Headlines”Headlines”

Evaluation TechniqueEvaluation Technique