High-Performance Partnerships - National Academy of Public ...
High-Performance Partnerships - National Academy of Public ...
High-Performance Partnerships - National Academy of Public ...
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COMMUNICATIONS<br />
chapter eight<br />
A high-performance partnership does not operate in a vacuum. It must establish<br />
two-way communications channels with constituencies to provide information and<br />
receive input. In addition to feedback loops, the partnership must have effective mechanisms<br />
for disseminating results information to all stakeholders, including the media and<br />
community at large. It is only through a comprehensive, capable communications network<br />
that a partnership can extol its accomplishments and build broad support for its work.<br />
Internal communications strategies are needed<br />
to ensure that member organizations thoroughly<br />
understand how a partnership’s activities<br />
individually relate to them.No single medium<br />
is sufficient, and the message cannot be<br />
delivered only once.<br />
HOW TO MEET CHALLENGES<br />
TO COMMUNICATIONS<br />
ESTABLISHING AN EFFECTIVE<br />
INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS<br />
STRATEGY<br />
The Challenge<br />
Information must flow through every level <strong>of</strong> the<br />
partnership so each participant can be on the<br />
same page and strive for a common objective.<br />
Sporadic or ineffective communications can lead<br />
to waning enthusiasm and participation.<br />
Building relationships across sectors and diverse<br />
organizational cultures poses even greater challenges.<br />
<strong>Public</strong>, nonpr<strong>of</strong>it, and civic sector languages<br />
are different. Finding a common message<br />
that appeals to all three is a monumental<br />
task. In fact, no single medium can achieve<br />
effective internal communications. Individual<br />
partners may use different media with different<br />
levels <strong>of</strong> technological sophistication. For example,<br />
the Internet may be a good technique for<br />
communicating information, but only if the participants<br />
can access and use it.<br />
Most cross-sector partnership issues are complex,<br />
even to the partners themselves. An<br />
effective internal communications strategy<br />
must overcome the challenges <strong>of</strong> finding the<br />
appropriate media and refining and simplifying<br />
the message.<br />
The Strategies<br />
1. Invest the time to develop a formal communications<br />
plan to reach all internal<br />
audiences.<br />
Communications strategies should be comprehensive<br />
and well documented. An established<br />
planning process will cause the partnership to<br />
think through issues and generate a more<br />
comprehensive approach to internal communications.<br />
It also will help the partnership<br />
develop a simple, focused message tailored to<br />
each <strong>of</strong> the partners. A formal communications<br />
plan will help the partnership identify<br />
both the message and the media.<br />
2. Take the time and spend the money to<br />
communicate well.<br />
Beyond strategies and tactics, a successful partnership<br />
must focus on logistics and communications.<br />
Even the best strategy will fail if it is<br />
not effectively explained to those who must<br />
undertake it. Internal and external communications<br />
must be a primary component <strong>of</strong> any<br />
strategic plan, and a partnership should spend<br />
the money and resources to implement it.<br />
Pr<strong>of</strong>essional assistance—such as facilitators,<br />
writers, and communications staff—can be as<br />
important as service delivery expenditures.<br />
The partnership may be able to minimize these<br />
costs by using loaned pr<strong>of</strong>essionals, students,<br />
or volunteers. Such avenues should be<br />
explored as these individuals <strong>of</strong>ten come from<br />
the community being served. Lacking free or<br />
low-cost alternatives, the partnership should<br />
102 Powering the Future: <strong>High</strong>-<strong>Performance</strong> <strong>Partnerships</strong>