Making them work.
WHY THEY FAIL IN OPERATION
Nobody is responsible Expectations were never aligned Communication stops One party stops prioritising it Problems are not raised
WHAT TO ESTABLISH
A named person responsible on each side.
WHY NAMED
Partnerships owned by nobody receive nobody's attention.
WHAT THAT PERSON SHOULD DO
Maintain contact Track what was agreed Raise problems Report on performance
WHAT TO ESTABLISH
Regular contact, scheduled.
WHY SCHEDULED
Contact that depends on need becomes contact only when there are problems.
HOW OFTEN
Proportionate to the arrangement.
WHAT TO DISCUSS
What is working What is not What each party needs What is coming
WHAT TO ESTABLISH
How problems are raised.
WHY
Unraised problems accumulate into resentment.
WHAT TO DO ABOUT UNDERPERFORMANCE
Raise it early, specifically, with evidence.
WHY EARLY
It is correctable before it becomes the definition of the relationship.
WHAT TO AVOID
Assuming the other party knows there is a problem Escalating without discussing Comparing contributions competitively
WHAT TO ESTABLISH
Realistic expectations of pace.
WHY
Partnerships develop slowly and early disappointment ends them prematurely.
WHAT TO TRACK
What the partnership actually produced Against what was expected Cost of managing it
WHAT TO REVIEW PERIODICALLY
Whether it is worth continuing.
