Leadership and collaboration challenges in not for profit partnerships

Page, Margaret

Abstract

In this paper, I describe and reflect on my experience of leadership challenges in two not-for-profit transnational partnership projects. I explore the contrasting qualities of relatedness which were enacted between partners and project leaders in the two projects, and describe how the desire for recognition emerged as a theme within them. I then draw out the challenges of facilitating collaboration within the partnerships and describe how I developed reflective practices through inquiry to sustain myself in partner and consultancy roles.
The issues which I explore are specific to my experience of facilitating and of being a partner in cross-sectoral partnerships in the UK and European not-for profit sectors. In my reflections, I offer a framework for understanding some of the flashpoints which are likely to arise, in my experience, in any interorganisational collaboration. In that sense, I offer an approach for thinking about the leadership qualities needed for enabling collaboration within partnerships, which goes beyond the particular stories I am about to tell.
The structure of the paper is as follows:
* first, I set out my definition of effective partnership and the context in which it was developed;
* next, I tell the story of the two partnerships;
* then I introduce the theme of `recognition' as it emerged within my experience of the partnership projects and draw from Benjamin's concept of intersubjectivity to consider the leadership skills needed to enable collaboration and learning within partnership;
* finally I explore the concepts of mirroring and triangulation as a means offurther conceptualising the challenges to leadership and learning within the
two partnerships;
* in conclusion, I return to the specific context of my experience, and speculate on the transferability and usefulness of my analysis to other practitioners.

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jan 1, 2003
• Publication Date: Jan 1, 2003
• Deposit Date: Apr 16, 2018
• Journal: Organisation and Social Dynamics
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 3
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 207-225
• Keywords: partnership, relational dynamics, diversity, not for profit
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/1074217
• Publisher URL: http://us.karnacbooks.com/KarnacPub.asp
• Contract Date: Apr 16, 2018