Partnering lessons from 2020 and Covid-19
After a year where our world was turned upside down by Covid-19 and we kept hearing the ongoing mantra of the need to ‘work together’ to tackle the crisis, it is timely to look at what we can learn about partnering in this context and what might it mean for the future.
There was no doubt that collaboration and partnering increased dramatically in 2020 as governments, businesses, community groups and researchers across the world worked tirelessly to build new PPE equipment, develop new vaccines, design strategies to minimise the impact of the virus and support those in the community impacted by this health and economic crisis.
This increase in multi sector partnering opened many people’s eyes as to just what was possible when different sectors came together around a common purpose to solve tough challenges. But it also highlighted the need for organisations to be able to partner simply, quickly and effectively.
It also became clear where success was being achieved and where it wasn’t, and how effective collaboration and partnering was the key to this success. So what can we learn about partnering in this new world and what might it mean for how we partner into the future?
Seven lessons on partnering now and in the future
In a recent think piece by our colleague Anna Hirsh Holland, Senior Programme Manager with The Partnering Initiative (TPI), Anna outlines seven key lessons that TPI learnt from their global research and experience in 2020 and then poses a number of reflective questions on what this might mean for partnering in the future.
‘The seven lessons featured in this TPI think piece are:
1. Despite challenges, existing partnerships were highly resilient in the face of the COVID-19 crisis
2. A common, urgent crisis can make it quicker and easier to develop new partnerships
3. A common crisis motivates a stronger business response
4. A complex, common crisis makes a stronger case for more and broader partnerships
5. The importance of pre-existing networks and relationships
6. The importance or local action, and creating space for local partners and partnerships
7. The importance of developing capacity in remote partnering through digital technology’
This article draws from significant research and input from global practitioners and you can access the full article here.
So what does this mean for those involved in partnering in 2021?
Some key take outs for 2021
From our own experience and reviewing the learnings from other partnering specialists like TPI, we believe there are some key take outs and questions we need to consider in 2021, such as:
Clarify your purpose
The pandemic showed us that a crisis draws people together very quickly and the purpose of what we are trying to achieve through partnering is abundantly clear. To replicate this situation without a crisis we need to spend time getting crystal clear about the purpose of our partnering and ensure all are on board
Are all your partners clear on the purpose for your partnering and would they all describe and explain it in exactly the same way?
Expand your networks and relationships
Being able to partner quickly means you need to engage the right partners very early in the process. Creating wide networks and relationships where you have knowledge of potential partners strategic direction, values, and capabilities will enable you to come together quickly to seek potential alignment
How wide are your networks of potential partners and stakeholders? Do they include any organisations from different sectors that you may not have considered partnering with previously?
Need for senior leadership buy-in
Fast partnering means fast decision making internally within partner organisations. This reinforces the need to build strong buy-in throughout all partner organisations especially at senior leadership level.
How engaged and committed are your senior leadership team in your partnering initiatives? If this is low, what action can you take to build this buy in?
Build your partnering capability
Not only is there an ongoing need to build capability within all partners if the partnership is to truly deliver results, but we will need to adapt to new ways of working together in partnership, including the use of digital technologies
How would you rate the partnering capability of your organisation and your partners? Do you all have the knowledge and skills to partner effectively, including the capacity to do this remotely?
Be proactive not reactive
There are two ways of partnering – reactive or proactive. The pandemic certainly taught us that you need to be proactive and get on the front foot when creating, developing and sustaining partnerships.
How proactive is your organisation when it comes to partnering with others?
Continue to build trust
While the creation of many partnerships in 2020 in a short time meant that many of the normal relationship building processes had to be cut short, it remains that there is no substitute for building a solid foundation of trust between potential partners preferably before any partnering opportunity occurs.
How much trust is there within your networks and with your stakeholders?
It is likely that 2021 is going to be just as challenging in life and in partnering as it was in 2020, so now is an ideal opportunity to take a step back and see just what you can do differently to ensure that your partnering continues to perform at the highest level and delivers the outcomes you and the partners are seeking.
What are your thoughts? How did your partnering initiatives evolve during 2020 and what did you learn from this experience? Please get in touch or add any comments to this post below.