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

MISSION AND PLANNING
chapter six
Second, the partnership must be accountable.
Its progress and results should be assessed as
often as data are available. Performance indicators,
such as costs, number of clients/customers,
and service outputs, should be reported
monthly or quarterly. Less frequently available
data should be reported as often as feasible.
Third, the strategic plan should be tested. The
partnership should identify specific short–term
actions to test the plan. When timeliness is
essential, “plan a little, act, plan a little more,
act” is a common strategy, similar to the construction
industry’s design-build approach. A
partnership can become stuck in a planning or
implementation mode, failing to take stock of
where it is and make adjustments as needed.
An outside monitor can provide a reality check
and assist the partnership in being held
accountable for implementation activities and
actual results.
It is unrealistic to expect that the strategic planning
model automatically will produce results.
High performance seldom comes at the starting
gate. A partnership sometimes must take its best
shot and rigorously evaluate results to determine
the most effective approach to solving complex
problems. Although it can present short-term
difficulties, trial by error can be an effective way
to achieve results.
Even if a high-performance partnership strikes
a good balance between being mission driven
yet flexible, it still will encounter risks. It is
vital to be clear, even public, about them.
Organizations must understand, publicize, and
plan for variables that may work against reaching
their goals. In so doing, they can be better
prepared to respond positively when adversity
occurs. Regardless of any setback, it is important
to celebrate and reward successes that
occur. Recognizing good performance yields
further good performance. It is a tremendous
morale-booster for partners and staff and
encourages the community and funders to
continue their support.
The Family Strengthening
Coalition experienced significant
challenges at the outset in sustaining
interest among action-oriented
members. Creating the
“movement” required the community
to think differently about
how to build and sustain it. Much
time was spent defining and
understanding the coalition’s mission
and vision. This required a
certain amount of endurance and
resulted in the withdrawal of participants
who were anxious to
“do something.” For those dedicated
to action, work groups
were created to focus on particular
community results. At the
conclusion of this work, many
were more engaged and felt they
owned the action steps. A communications
team was assembled
to provide different methods of
communicating to partners and
the community.
Ellen Quigley, Family Strengthening
Coalition (Indianapolis)
88 Powering the Future: High-Performance Partnerships