Minnesota Institute of Public Health

You hear a lot about collaboration, partnerships, coalitions and alliances, to get things done. How very valid and critically important these relationships are!

But there’s more to the story.

What seems most needed in my view is an integrity of the partners, and an agenda that is transparent and real. We don’t want to get tricked, or ‘finessed’ into playing nice together because it looks good; we want to do it because of the cumulative win-win, the greater good in pulling together, and the best value to those we serve. We need to do what we can to help ensure that gathered ‘networks’ and ‘coalitions’ accomplish more than to determine the next time to meet.

Partners need to bring time, talent, specific expertise, energy, political will, and resources to the table, as often as not. At least there needs to be balance: we need partners at the table who are every bit as willing or able at signing the front of a check as they are at endorsing the back of one. Again, balance.

At MIPH we use some introspection in forming and renewing partnerships and alliances – which we do on a very regular basis. The introspection has been sage and helpful, including examining the overall ‘mission fit’ of ourselves to a potential partner, and vice versa. They include a process of risk analysis that takes into consideration these aspects:
• Legal -- do we inherit any liabilities of the affiliating group?
• Financial – is there a threat to our financial health and well-being?
• Association – is there any risk to our reputation?
• Performance – is there adequate evidence that the prospective partner can do what it says it can do?

In our line of work, the resources for prevention and for health promotion are, more than ever, precious and limited. Success requires teamwork and strategic alliances at many levels. That means Partnerships.

So, to our current Partners out there I ask you to weigh in: what value does MIPH bring to your organization? And, what do you bring?

To our Potential Partners out there, how do you gauge what’s important in collaborations and affiliations, and how might we help you do what you do well?

Let us know.

- JJ