The First Years Last Forever Building, Growing and Sustaining Partnerships Garrison Kurtz Director of Programs

The First Years Last Forever

Building, Growing and Sustaining

Partnerships

Garrison Kurtz

Director of Programs


Charge for the Day:

•How Can We Make Sure That We Form the Right Partnerships?

•How Can We Maximize Our Effectiveness as Partners?

•How Can Librarians be Invited to the Table from the Beginning?


Overview

Influencing the Success of the Collaboration

Single-Mindedness

Relationships, Relationships, Relationships

Why This Project/Partnership?

Know Your Collaborative Partner

Know Your Assets/Challenges

Know Your Mission and Goals


1.Know Your Mission and Goal

• What do your customers think?

• What does your funder think?

• What do staff members think?

• What is needed?

• WIIFM?


2. Know Your Assets

• Facilities

• Dedicated, educated, experienced staff

• Untarnished image and unparalleled public and civic support

• Data and Information

• Access to diverse families

• Funding


2. Know Your Challenges

• Image

• Language, Acronyms

• Organizational Culture

• Fast Changing Environment

• Siloing & Isolation


3. Know Your Collaborative Partner

• What type of organization is it?

• Funding source

• Customer base

• Mission

• Political pressures

• What do they need but not have in order to be successful? WIIFM?


4. Why This Project/Partnership?

Efficiency?• Simplicity of message• Easier access for customers/

Recruitment to increase utilization of libraries(Early Literacy Initiative

Evaluation 2003)• Stronger case to funders• Less redundancyEffectiveness?• Better outcomes• Easier assessment


4. Why This Project/Partnership?

Systemic Challenge• Societal or transorganizational

challenge (e.g. reaching diverse populations)• Resource limitations• Booming demand• Societal changeAccess to Expertise and Resources• Marketing• Funding • Image


5. Relationships, Relationships, Relationships

• When facing the choice between a task and a relationship, choose the relationship

• Dedicated time for staff and volunteers to attend events

• Careful selection of advisory group, board members- -Engage key “types” of players (Gladwell)

• Make it easy for others to know what you are doing

• LEVERAGE, LEVERAGE, LEVERAGE

• Promote the work of others


An Experimental Study of Search in Global Social Networks

Table 1. Type, origin, and strength of social ties used to direct messages. Only the top five categories in the first two columns have been listed. The most useful category of social tie is medium-strength friendships that originate in the workplace.

Type of relationship

% Origin of relationship

% Strength of relationship

%

Friend 67 Work 25 Extremely close 18

Relatives 10 School/university 22 Very close 33

Co-worker 9 Family/relation 19 Fairly close 22

Sibling 5 Mutual friend 9 Casual 22

Significant other 3 Internet 6 Not close 4

Peter Sheridan Dodds, Roby Muhamad, Duncan J. Watts, Columbia University follow up to Stanley Milgram’s , “The Small World Problem


5. Relationships, Relationships, Relationships

• When facing the choice between a task and a relationship, choose the relationship

• Dedicated time for staff and volunteers to attend events

• Careful selection of advisory group, board members- -Engage key “types” of players (Gladwell)

• Make it easy for others to know what you are doing

• LEVERAGE, LEVERAGE, LEVERAGE

• Promote the work of others


6. Single-Mindedness

• Reduce and/or Manage complexity • Make it easy to say YES! And carry

the message (Allport)

• Use language, brand and communication mechanisms to convey your focus

• Employ all your staff, volunteers and partners towards the goal


The Information Chain Theory:Population + Motivation + Technology + Codification + Centrality + Symbols

Scale of Cooperation (ICL) Wealth.

http://www.siue.edu/SOCIOLOGY/journal/blain.htm








Every Child Ready to Read








7. Factors Influencing the Success of the Collaboration (Amherst H. Wilder Foundation) http://www.wilder.org/pubs/collab_bibliography/collaboration_bibliography.htm

Environment• History of community cooperation

• Favorable political and social climate

• Collaborative group/players are seen as leaders in community


7. Factors Influencing the Success of the Collaboration (Amherst H. Wilder Foundation) http://www.wilder.org/pubs/collab_bibliography/collaboration_bibliography.htm

Member Characteristics• Ability to compromise

• Mutual respect, understanding and trust

• Appropriate cross-section of members

• Members see collaboration in their self-interest


7. Factors Influencing the Success of the Collaboration

Process and Structure

• Flexibility

• Adaptability

• Appropriate pace of development

• Development of clear roles and policy guidelines

• Members share a stake in process & outcome

• Organizational participation at multiple levels



Communication

• Open and frequent communication

• Established informal relationships and communication links



Purpose

• Concrete obtainable goals and objectives

• Shared vision

• Unique purpose



Resources

• Sufficient funds, staff, materials and time

• Skilled leadership



Growth & Sustainability

Communication =

Development +

Program +

Garrison Kurtz

[email protected]

206.525.4801 x 28

mailto:[email protected]

Documents

The First Years Last Forever Building, Growing and Sustaining Partnerships Garrison Kurtz Director of Programs