What did we learn about partnering in 2021?
With the global pandemic still as active as ever in our society, we’ve decided to take the opportunity to reflect on something we wrote at the end of 2020.
At the end of 2020, we reviewed some key take outs we’ve learnt about partnering and how we should apply them in 2021.
It’s now 2022 and these key take outs are as applicable as ever. The ways in which we partner is constantly changing in this new way of life. We encourage you to take a look through and reflect on your partnering experiences in 2021 and what can you bring forth to your partnering in 2022.
Key Take Outs From 2021
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 in 2022 we will still face new challenges in partnering. Using the 6 questions, reflect on your partnering experiences in 2021, and how you can apply this to 2022 to ensure we can continue to deliver the outcomes that partners are looking for.
What are your thoughts? How did your partnering initiatives evolve during 2021 and what did you learn from this experience? Please get in touch or add any comments to this post below.