The Improvement Network has identified Top 10 Partnership Killers, which very accurately describe some of the main challenges to joint working. These include:
• |
Purpose – because organisations have varying aims, sometimes the specific reason for working jointly can be forgotten. Sometimes, partnerships can be overtaken by events and lose sight of their main function. |
• |
Authority – to work effectively, all staff need to have the authority to take decisions. Otherwise this slows down decision making and can be frustrating. |
• |
Communication – it can be difficult to get the balance of communication right. Too much can put people off. But too little can cause lack of understanding and mistrust. |
• |
Funding – working together can be a requirement of funding. This means that some organisations may only get involved for this reason, and may not be committed to working jointly. |
• |
Time – it takes time to develop trust, understand organisational cultures and get used to working styles. Partners need to recognise that it is worth investing time at this stage. |
Find out more…How is this guide structured?
