Building Alliances and Coalitions 

Whether you are acting as an individual, an organization, an agency, a community, whatever, below are some things to remember when reaching out to others. And remember:  Relationship is equally important as the task you need to get done. Take time to listen, understand, respect and build trust. 

• Know their landscape
  • Physical, geographical, natural resources
  • Cultural, religious, traditional, historical
  • Economic and social
  • Power structure, how things work
  • Show that you have cared enough to learn                        (“I don’t care what you know til I know that you care”) 

• Be clear about your problem or need
  • Why this is important to you
  • Your hopes
  • Perceived obstacles 

• Listen to their problem or need
  • Give them plenty of time, make sure you understand
  • Look for overlapping interests
  • Offer to help whether or not there are overlapping interests (there may be common causes in the future)

• Share leadership
  • Join them, rather than ask them to join you
  • Agree how to share leadership 

• Be focused yet flexible
  • Be willing to change direction in order to keep coalition together
  • Together, develop process for working together 

• Be patient
  • Time is an oppressor
  • Weigh urgency against the value of partnership 

• Take risks
  • Show vulnerability by being human
  • Stretch in their direction to show commitment