Partnering Essentials

Recently, Ian took a trip across WA to help guide this fantastic group to evaulate and review their partnership.

As part of this review we were able to help the group understand their partnering purpose and identify a plan moving forward; partnering to protect, restore and manage the natural resources of the south coast.

Well done to all those involved!

Relationships and partnerships need as much care and attention as our environment does!

Yesterday representatives from South Coast Natural Resource Management Inc., Wilson Inlet Catchment Committee WICC, Torbay Catchment Group, Oyster Harbour Catchment Group Inc., Gillamii, North Stirlings Pallinup Natural Resources Inc, FBG - Fitzgerald Biosphere Group (with apologies from Ravensthorpe Agricultural Initiative Network (R.A.I.N)) came together to evaluate and review their historic partnerships.

Expertly guided by Ian Dixon, Dixon Partnering Solutions, the groups worked together to establish their partnering purpose and sketch out a path for the future; partnering to protect, restore and manage the natural resources of the south coast.

Thanks to Kylie Cutten, Australian Facilitation Company, for her assistance during the day.

This month Dixon Partnering Solutions celebrates 23 years in business. Owner & founder, Ian Dixon, took some time to reflect on the last 23 years as to what has changed with partnering, and what the future looks like for partnering.

Back in the beginning, in the late 1990's, greater collaboration between organisations from different sectors started to be talked about, but there was very little action. Fast forward to today and we see massive amounts of collaboration, helping to solve the worlds toughest problems.

But what's changed from the late 90's? Is it working? Are we partnering effectively now or is there still more work to do?

To see what's changed over the last 23 years, and Ian's thoughts on the future of partnering check out his latest piece - "23 years in partnering... So what's changed?"

23 years in partnering... So what's changed? — Partnering Essentials™ After 23 years in partnering, Ian takes the time to reflect on how far partnering has come, and what is next for partnering.

Back in 2010, the Australian Government embarked on helping young people achieve their full potential by forming strategic partnerships between schools, businessses, community groups and parents and families.

With this in mind the Department of Education Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) established a network of partnership brokers to build these partnerships, which is where we were able to provide support.

A key factor to bringing together these partnerships was training. Whilst also providing them with the necessary tools and strategic advice needed to build and maintain these partnerships.

See how we provided partnering support for this intiative to help young people achieve their full potential →

Case Study: School Business Community Partnership Brokers Program — Dixon Partnering Solutions DIXON Partnering Solutions supported the initiative from 2010 to 2014, through the delivery of partnering skills training across Australia, the design of a range of partnering tools and templates, developing initial case studies, and providing strategic advice.

TIP 2 – What type of partnering relationship are you in?

Our second tip in this partnering series is about understanding what type of partnering relationship you are in. Relationships between partners can change as the partnering process develops. You may start out with the aim of an integrated partnership where all partners have equity in the arrangement but may find that the power balance has shifted and one partner starts to dominate.

You may also find that the partnership has evolved and it is time to change from an integrated type of relationship to one which is more transactional and involves delivery of specific services.

Continually checking what type of relationship you are in at any time and that all partners agree with this will ensure more sustainable outcomes.

Our Online Academy is a great tool for businesses or individuals to learn how to partner quickly, simply & effectively.

Our courses will guide you through the entire partnering process, giving you practical skills that will equip you to partner effectively across all layers of community, education, government and business.

Get started today with our Introduction to Partnering Bundle - https://onlineacademy.partneringessentials.com/bundles/introduction-to-partnering

In his article on Systems Leadership published in the Stanford Review in the winter of 2014, Peter Senge talks of the need to create enabling conditions for change.

"Ineffective leaders try to make change happen. System leaders focus on creating the conditions that can produce change and that can eventually cause change to be self-sustaining.”

If your in leadership, perhaps it's time to assess the conditions for change in your organisation - are you creating space or just trying to make things happen?

We often see large scale change initiatives flounder as organisations and individuals try to make it happen.

Across industries and organisations we see an insatiable desire to be seen to be 'doing things' as it will surely result in outcomes and rewards.

But will this really result in any substantial change if those groups needing to be involved are not meaningfully engaged?

One the enabling conditions for change is the ability to 'create the space' for people to come together and explore possibilities and have the conversations they need to have to become fully engaged and aligned.

But how can we create this space and what does it bring? Click below to find out.

https://www.partneringessentials.com/news-articles/creating-space-for-change

Why Organisations Need to Create Space for Change — Partnering Essentials™ We often see large scale initiative flounder as organisation culture reflects no space for change. By creating a space for change it provide individuals and organisations opportunities. Opportunities to tackle new problems with a new way of thinking.

Tip 1 – Is your ‘purpose for partnering’ agreed by all partners?

Are all your partners on the same page or are different agendas starting to surface?

This is the first tip in our series, which is all about getting on the same page. It might sound simple, but time and time again we see this affecting a partnership.

Having a clear purpose statement agreed by all the partners is key to any successful partnering initiative. Sometimes as the partnering evolves over time we can see ‘purpose drift’ occurring. This is where some partners may want to change from the original intent without all partners agreeing. This can lead to lots of confusion around mixed objectives and potentially ongoing conflicts with resultant impacts on outcomes.

Partners should always be keeping an eye on the purpose and intent of the partnering. Regular checks with partners to reaffirm ‘the purpose statement’ is key to achieving alignment of all partners and the ultimate objective of the partnering.

The first question we ask in our eBook 'The 7 Questions every Partner Should Ask' is: Are we ready to partner?

What seems like a simple question to ask, is also a very crucial one.

In the chapter we discuss what it means to be ready to partner, the language around partnering, assessing your capability and capacity to partner.

If you want know if your ready to partner, get your free copy using the link below.

https://www.partneringessentials.com/7-questions-every-partner-should-ask-free-ebook

We often talk about 'building partner capability' but what does it actually mean?

By capability we mean having people within partner organisations who have a clear understanding of when to partner, what type of partnering is needed and how to do it effectively.

You may have seen Founder and Director Ian recently wrote a blog about the current state of partnering and why we need to rethink 'partnering'.

Our course on 'What is Partnering?" sets' out to help partners identify what they really mean by 'partnering'. We delve into the different types of partnering relationships and the different value that they bring.

See below the preview on "What is Partnering?".

What is Partnering in Business? (Course Preview) Not all partnering relationships are the same nor do they deliver the same value.When partners come together to tackle tough complex issues there can be diff...

We frequently see a partnering capability and/or capacity imbalance between partners trying to work together.

Like a helicopter, you need strong and equal blades in order to take off. Partnering is no different.

But what are the key elements that make a 'strong blade'? Click below to find out.

Partnering Tip: Getting Lift Off — Partnering Essentials™ Some years ago I was conducting a 2 day partnering workshop involving different levels of government and a major community organisation. It became very clear at the end of Day 1 that we had a major issue.

Back in 2011, Australian Government’s trade, investment and education promotion agency (Austrade) set out to achieve greater focus and effectiveness of its partnering relationships through developing ‘stronger but fewer partnerships’.

As part of this process Ian Dixon recognised the need for the organisation to develop a common partnering language and a partnering framework to utilise going forward.

Click the link below to see how Ian's work help build Austrade's partnering capability:

Case Study - Austrade - Building Partnering Capability — Dixon Partnering Solutions Dixon Partnering Solutions worked with Austrade, to help develop their business partnering capability. We developed business partnering frameworks to help them pursue a consistent partnering approach.

FREE DOWNLOAD - 'Adapt and Prosper: Unlocking the Potential of Cross Sector Partnering'

Over ten years worth of evidence, both anecdotal and empirical, demonstrates that cross sector partnering is being used more and more to find solutions to the significant challenges in the ‘too hard basket’; such as unemployment, poverty, pollution, an ageing population, economic pressures, and increasing productivity through innovation.

In this paper it addresses the challenges around maximising the potential and value from cross sector partnering and what it takes for individuals and organisations to set the right conditions for this to occur.

Download your copy of our white paper using the link below.

https://www.partneringessentials.com/white-paper-publications

What are the critical components of partnering?

A snippet from our free eBook "The 7 Questions Every Partner Should Ask"

Partnering can seem like navigating your way through a maze. With so many possible paths and relationships to negotiate, both internal and external, it’s easy to find yourself taking a wrong turn and having to double back.

Because each partnership is unique, no one can draw you a map. We can, however, give you a set of tools to plot your course. Our Partnering Framework is one such tool and identifies three critical components that you must pay attention to throughout your partnering, namely: purpose, people and process.

To read more on the critical components of partnering, grab your free copy using the link below.

www.partneringessentials.com/7-questions-every-partner-should-ask-free-ebook

What is Transformational change, why is it so prevalent today and what does it take to achieve large-scale transformational change?

Transformational Change is dramatic change. Large-scale radical changes that will solve critical issues or completely change the way our organisation operates. It is not about ‘business as usual’, with some small tweaking around the edges, but significant change that alters entire systems and how we work within them.

If your organisation is looking a transformational change, or perhaps you are the Change Champion, then take a look at some key enablers emerging from successful initiatives.

To see the list of potential enablers that you should consider when embarking on a transformational change initiative, click the link below.

Looking for Transformational Change - Partnering Blog — Partnering Essentials™ Looking for change in your organisation. Here are some enablers to help enable transformational change in your industry or organisation. See all Partnering Blogs.

Does your partnership need a health check?

Keeping a partnership on track and delivering results is not easy.

So how do you keep the partnership humming along and delivering over time?

One effective way of keeping your partnership on track is with a partnering health check.

In this article we'll show you how and the questions you should consider in a health check.

Does your partnership need a health check?? — Partnering Essentials™ Keeping a partnership on track and delivering results is not easy. So how do you keep the partnership humming along and delivering over a long period of time. And how can the partners continue to work together effectively throughout the partnering process?

Have you got your free copy of our eBook?

If your looking for a starting point to learn more about partnering, or you want to reflect on your current partnering situation then we'd recommend taking a look at 'The 7 Questions Every Partner Should Ask'.

You can get your free copy here: https://www.partneringessentials.com/7-questions-every-partner-should-ask-free-ebook

7 Questions Every Business Partner Should Ask! FREE EBOOK Founder & Owner of the Partnering Essentials suite of courses, Ian Dixon, introduces our free eBook the 7 Questions Every Partner Should Ask.One of the keys ...

Partnering is not easy! With so many moving pieces over long periods of time, it is no wonder so many partnerships struggle to reach their full potential.

Taking the time to look back and review your partnership, is crucial to making sure you are on track to achieving what you outlined in the initial stages of your partnering discussions.

Having some early indicators of poor performance means we can address the issues before they get out of control and take corrective action. Looking for the tell-tale signs and then acting on these will ensure you keep the partnering performing at its highest level continuously.

Here are 7 tell-tale signs of poor partnering performance that we look for:

Is Your Partnership Underperforming? 7 Signs to watch out for .... — Partnering Essentials™ Partnerships and collaboration are becoming more common every day. But how many of these partnerships are actually working effectively and delivering on their key purpose? And how many partners are applying the necessary rigour to maximise their return on investment from partnering?

Partnering is common language within many organisations across all sectors. However, in our experience very few have had conversations about ‘what partnering’ really means for their organisation and ‘how’ they should go about it.

It’s like jumping into a major construction project without doing any planning about what you want to build or how you are going to do it!

Add to this that everyone comes to a partnering situation from different experiences and often have widely varying expectations and understanding of just what partnering is in their context.

Getting an agreed understanding of what partnering is for your organisation and what you expect to gain from it should be a crucial first step in preparing to partner

A snippet from our free partnering eBook The 7 Questions Every Partner Should Ask. You can get your free copy below.

https://www.partneringessentials.com/7-questions-every-partner-should-ask-free-ebook

Back in 2016 the Indigenous Land and Sea Corporation (ILSC) recognised that they needed to develop a stronger skill set around partnering.

So we set out to help them on this journey, and still do today, to help build their partnering capability.

But how did we help them build this capability?

Click the link below to find out:

Case Study: Indigenous Land and Sea Corporation — Dixon Partnering Solutions We delivered partnering skills training to senior managers in 2016 and we continued to provide face to face and online partnering skills courses to ILSC staff.

Whenever we ask our participants what the biggest challenge they face with partnering, the most common response is getting internal buy in.

Why?

It’s like trying to bring together partners of varying sizes, structures and behaviours and getting them all heading in the same direction towards a common objective or purpose!

A snippet from our free partnering eBook The 7 Questions Every Partner Should Ask. You can get your free copy below.

https://www.partneringessentials.com/7-questions-every-partner-should-ask-free-ebook

Looking back at the major change processes we've been involved in over the last 20 years one thing that has stood out as a key success factor is the need for Change Champions.

These Change Champions provide the right style of leadership to advocate, catalyse and support change processes so they achieve real impacts.

Whether your organisation is currently involved in or considering transformational change you might need a Change Champion.

But what are Change Champions and why do we need them in our organisations? Click below to find out.

Why You Need Change Champions in Your Business — Partnering Essentials™ Why you need Change Champions in your Organisation to help push and initiate change. Change Champions are often a key success factor in organisations partnering.

What are Partnering Agreements?

In this video Ian gives an insight in to our Online Course on Partnering Agreements.

Where we answer what are partnering agreements, how they differ from contracts, as well as how you can build your own agreement.

To learn about Partnering Agreements:
https://onlineacademy.partneringessentials.com/courses/partnering-agreements

What Are Partnering Agreements? (Course Preview) What are Partnering Agreements? - Online course previewPartnering isn't easy and getting results requires more than good intentions. When organisations from ...

A few years ago Queensland Health established the Connecting Healthcare in Communities (CHIC) Initiative. The key focus of this
initiative was to minimize duplication, improve integration and service coordination and potentially increase the capacity of the health system, in order to improve the health of Queenslanders.

However, it was identified that there was a strong need to provide greater levels of capacity building and partnering skills to ensure these councils operated effectively and delivered the intended outcomes.

To find out how we helped build partnering skills with councils throughout Queensland click the link below.

https://www.iandixon.com.au/case-studies/2022/2/27/case-study-solid-partners-solid-future-initiative-qld-7wxem-r9s7r

Case Study: Partnering Training Courses - Queensland Health — Dixon Partnering Solutions DIXON Partnering Solutions provided partnering skills training in a partnership with Twyfords to some 15 Partnership Councils throughout Queensland, including Strategic Planning and Partnership Review sessions to help improve there partnering capability.

Are you struggling to get engagement, commitment or prehaps support in your business partnerships?

We call this getting 'buy in'. Getting buy in doesn't just happen with other partners, as it's also a common challenge to gain buy within your own organisation.

In fact, over the last 20 years of training, one of the most common challenges that partners faced was getting buy in internally within their own organisations.

Here are some actions you can take that will help you assess this and build better ‘buy-in’ in both interally within your organisation or with other partners.

Partnering Tip: Getting 'Buy In' — Partnering Essentials™ Have you ever been in a partnering process and become frustrated because others at the table seem to be sitting on the fence? Perhaps your partnering has been working really well and then someone leaves - does it all fall over? Or has one of your partners has just failed to deliver on their commitme

Are you looking to partner simply, quickly and effectively?

Although we do conduct some face to face partnering training courses, we understand that everyone's day to day is busy!

That's why we developed our online partnering training academy. It's so you can jump online at anytime convenient to you, and tick away at one of our partnering training courses.

Throughout our courses we provide you with approaches, frameworks, tools, tips and models to help you navigate and create a successful business partnership.

For more information please check out our video below with course instructor and partnering specialist Ian Dixon.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ec0eUQqYQw

Learn How to Partner with Our Partnering Training Courses Founder & Owner of the Partnering Essentials suite of courses, Ian Dixon, introduces our range of Online Partnering Training Courses.Our Online Partnering Tr...

Partnering Tip:
One of the greatest challenges in partnering is building and maintaining trust.

Ensuring there are 'no surprises' when your engaging with your partners is part of this trust building process.

Putting some agreed strategies in place gives us the best chance of limiting these surprises. To see some possible strategies you and your partners can implement, click below.

Partnering Tip: 'No Surprises' — Partnering Essentials™ One of the greatest challenges in partnering is to build and maintain trust. Ensuring there are ‘no surprises’ when engaging with your partners is a crucial part of this trust building process. But how can we make sure this happens and that all communication is open and transparent?

We recently launched our new partnering eBook 'The 7 Questions Every Partner Should Ask.'

We got Ian, author of the eBook, to give us a insight on what the eBook is all about and why these questions are so important to your partnering.

You can get your free copy on our website:

https://www.partneringessentials.com/7-questions-every-partner-should-ask-free-ebook

7 Questions Every Business Partner Should Ask! FREE EBOOK Founder & Owner of the Partnering Essentials suite of courses, Ian Dixon, introduces our free eBook the 7 Questions Every Partner Should Ask.One of the keys ...

Are you struggling to get enough commitment and support to partner throughout your organisation or your partner organisation?

A Partnering Tip we'd like to share with you to combat this is the 'Zipper Approach'.

The zipper approach is where people across the partner organisations at various levels are connected into the partnering process, so you may have CEO’s, Senior Managers and then operational staff linked too each other and supporting the partnering at all levels

To see the benefits on why you should use this technique, click the link below:

Business Partnering TIp - The Zipper Approach — Partnering Essentials™ Another installment in our Business Partnering Tip Series. The Zipper approach is used to get partners from organisations to input the same level of commitment to the business partnership.