Dealing with Challenges and Barriers

Adapted from materials prepared for the Center for Partnership Studies by Kathleen Hermes, M.A. Transformative Leadership, Partnership Concentration at the California Institute of Integral Studies.

Think about projects you have been part of that were successful. What do you think the reason for success was? Now think about a time when this wasn’t the case. What is the difference between a project that seems to fly on its own and one that is “dragging in the sand."  We believe that a key to success begins with people being clear about why they have come together and what it is that they are interested in doing together. The group needs to engage participants on a level that works for everyone. If people are energized to work on a group project, a conference, run a booth at a community fair, adopt an elementary school or a nursing home and model partnership values there, they can succeed. If a group agrees to be a sounding board where people can come to be inspired and supported to take individual action toward Partnership, that is great. Clarity of purpose is key. The group must have consensus about why they are gathered, beyond the global notion that Partnership is a great idea. It is important to avoid the trap of competing interests, or uneven participation in which some people do ‘all of the work’ while others just show up when it is convenient. There will never be an evenly divided amount of commitment, but expectation of group members needs to be clear. There needs to be strong leadership (partnership style) that facilitates the process toward its greatest good.

Another challenge that can come up is the human tendency to want to be right about our understanding of Partnership. Believing that there is only one right way to look at it can lead to a “more partnership than thou” kind of vibe which can be really off-putting. The very passion that people bring to partnership can actually be a turnoff when dealing with others. So inclusivity is essential.

Here’s an example to consider. Suppose you have a Partnership supporter who is passionately convinced that a vegetarian diet is ‘more partnership’ than eating the Standard American Diet or “SAD”. Now suppose you have a supporter who is in a position of influence in a big company and came to Partnership from a different entry point- like looking at it from a systems perspective.  These two people might disagree about diet issues, with the passionate veggie’s view, “If you eat the SAD you are a dominator.” The SAD eater doesn’t have the time or inclination to examine or change her diet and doesn’t want to be made to feel like a dominator, is offended, and never comes back. What was once possible in that corporation now doesn’t happen. There has to be a lot of room for people to be encouraged and supported and not judged. This requires a degree of self-awareness and good communications skills.

It is important to begin with these characteristics in mind, and to very clearly outline what aspect of Partnership you want to focus on. Clarity of purpose is essential. Are you gathering to provide social connection, inspiration and support? To engage in activism? If so, what would that look like? The more clarity you begin with, the more smoothly the process will unfold. You will attract people to your project that share your specific intentions. There will always be differing opinions and competing goals, but when you begin with clarity and a well-developed purpose, the project will be able to move along more smoothly.