Getting Started
Think about projects you have been part of that were successful. What do you think was the reason for success? 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.
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.
Three Initial Steps
Now that you know what a Partnership Community is, you are ready to get things moving! Here are three initial steps:
1. Look around and decide where to start. Every community is in a different place in their openness to consider new cultural values. Find out where you stand by talking with people, post notices, connect with Wiserearth.org (http://www.wiserearth.org/) and other social networking websites that can link you up with others in your area that share your interest. Gather a group of people that are willing to take the next step toward action.
2. Take the plunge and get started. Begin with a speaker, an article or a book review. Check out the website for study guides on the books The Power of Partnership and The Real Wealth of Nations. You will also find online resources that can help you choose topics for group discussions, discussion questions and articles that can stimulate dialogue. There are also partnership talking points that can be used with business people, educators, activists, parents and businesses.
3. Build the audience that is needed to create momentum. Use the Partnership Attitude Self-Assessment on the website to see where people’s opinions are around Partnership. Take chances, try new things. Let us know what works and what doesn’t. We are all learning together what it takes to turn this great cultural “ship” from domination to partnership.
Engage with the Center for Partnership Studies (CPS)
CPS addresses Partnership issues primarily through its Sector Committees. These committees are charged with developing projects, initiatives or strategies to create partnership models in the areas of Education, Leadership, Economics & Business, and Family & Social Relationships. Their work is broad in scope and evolves as opportunities present themselves. We are looking for the synergy that can come from working on the same topics at different levels, and thus would like to know about the work that you are doing in these topic areas. We want to support you and encourage your success. Look for more information about the Sector committees on the website.
Goals and Outcomes
We spoke earlier about the importance of clarity in approaching a Partnership project. When there is clarity, there is also a clear sense of the common goal that everyone is working toward. Goals don’t have to be formal or even written, but it helps greatly to be able to look back at the original goal of an effort, when in the middle of it. It also helps a group to recognize success when they see it. Documenting outcomes is an important component of any project or initiative, to demonstrate that people’s time and energy has been well spent. Or if the outcome wasn’t desirable, evaluating the results against the goals can serve as a learning tool. If you have received funding for your work, it is critically important to begin with the goal in mind, to document the process and to gather data at the end of it to determine if the goals were met. There are many excellent tools online. See the section on the website, Nonprofit Tools.
