High-Performance Partnerships - National Academy of Public ...

LEADERSHIP
chapter five
HOW TO MEET CHALLENGES
TO LEADERSHIP
Every high-performance partnership must be
vigilant in addressing the challenges to establishing
and maintaining effective leadership. The
challenges deal with relationships and a partnership’s
intangible features, not the actual bricks,
mortar, or dollars. These aspects are difficult to
quantify and resolve. Yet the lack of dynamic,
strong leaders can doom a partnership faster
than any other factor.
STRONG LEADER VS. SHARED
OWNERSHIP
The Challenges
One or several key decision-makers “convene”
the parties during a partnership’s formative
stage. Leadership often is centralized around a
dynamic, inspirational individual or organization
that can focus attention on the issues and
create a collaborative environment. Centralized
leadership may facilitate a cross-sector partnership,
but a single leader cannot dominate collaborative
endeavors indefinitely. A shared leadership
structure is crucial for long-term viability.
“A leader’s strength is defined by one’s ability to
influence. Strong leaders must be able to balance
their decisiveness with their ability to engage multiple
partners.”
Design Lab Participant
The Medical Care for Children Partnership has
existed for 15 years. Leadership is provided by an
executive committee composed of representatives
from every sector of the partnership. To address
the leadership continuum, the executive committee
has a co-chair, treasurer, and positions-elect, so that
individuals have a learning experience before they
actually begin their term. Officers who have
completed their term remain in an ex-officio
capacity. Over time, several individuals have recycled
into the same position or assumed other leadership
roles. Thus, all the partners share in the leadership
and qualified others wait in the wings.
The complexity and diversity among stakeholders
and partners increase the imperative for a
more decentralized leadership structure. An
institution built around a single party is unlikely
to weather transition well.
Authority sharing is essential to a sustainable,
effective partnership. Participants must feel a
sense of shared ownership and be willing to
accept joint accountability for results. Also, individual
partners must reduce their parochial interests
for the greater good. Yet attaining a collaborative
decision-making approach can be difficult,
especially with dynamic and directive leaders. As
leadership functions are diffused throughout the
partnership, sustaining broad commitment to the
same vision and goals is challenging; partner
organizations may have different cultures and
approaches to problem solving.
The Strategies
1. Map assets to identify other leaders.
During its initial start up, the partnership should
map its assets and identify those that exhibit
some or all of the Five Cs of Effective
Leadership. It is important to nurture and train
them and provide opportunities to develop their
leadership skills. Mentoring opportunities, continuing
education, and sometimes “trial by fire”
are useful techniques.
2. Invest in team building.
Cross-sector partnerships often involve organizations
that are unfamiliar to each other. Trust
and real understanding may not exist at the outset.
Investing in team building is investing in
leadership development. This strategy assists
participants in learning and understanding other
philosophies and values, diffusing internal competition,
and facilitating the power sharing needed
for productive collaboration. A stronger
team is more willing to share decision-making
and accept accountability for results.
3. Recruit from other successful initiatives.
Qualities proven effective in other partnerships
may be well suited for another endeavor. It is
worthwhile to recruit parties with solid track
records, convince them of a partnership’s value,
and urge their participation as steering committee
members, staff, or volunteers.
78 Powering the Future: High-Performance Partnerships