1.
THE POCKET GUIDE TO PARTNERSHIP:
STEP-BY-STEP PROCESS
The Pocket Guide to Partnership summarizes the process and principles leading to effective, multi-lateral, missional partnerships
that will enable Christian organizations to accomplish together what could never be done alone.
For more information, visit: visionsynergy.net
STAGES
STAGE 1 : EXPLORATION
Exploration discovers if a partnership is even feasible.
Identify and meet individually with potential partners,
discuss a vision for working together, and explore their
readiness to at least talk about partnership.
STAGE 2 : FORMATION
Organize a meeting or a series of meetings for potential
partners to build consensus around key issues,
priorities, and possible action steps. Make the "yes/no"
decision - whether or not to move forward together as a
partnership.
STAGE 3 : OPERATION
The partnership moves forward to accomplish its
purpose. Set goals, define roles, and agree on timelines
and points for evaluation. Turn talk into action.
STEPBYSTEP
The purpose of the Exploration stage is to meet with
individuals who are influential or interested in the
ministry area that concerns you.
Throughout this process, look for a positive interest
around two key questions: (1) “Do you think there is
anything that might be accomplished more effectively if
the various groups worked together rather than each
working independently?” (2) “If other groups are
interested in exploring possible partnership, would you
want to be part of those discussions?”
1. Knowledge. Broaden and deepen your knowledge of
the field or specific challenge.
2. Connections. Find out who is influential, involved,
and interested in this area.
3. Interviews. Conduct a series of informational
interviews with as many of these people as possible.
Keep all personal or ministry “issues” confidential.
Everyone must trust you.
4. Interest. Evaluate the readiness of others to meet
and explore the possibility of collaboration. When the
time is right, move towards a formation meeting.
The purpose of the Formation stage is not to FORM a
partnership; it is to explore the POSSIBILITY of a
partnership. The goal of this initial meeting is to work
toward consensus through a series of key questions and
then ultimately make a “yes/no” decision to form a
partnership.
1. Consensus – questions for potential partners
* Introductions: Who are you? What do you do? What is
your motivation/vision?
* Key questions: What is the challenge/concern that
brings us together? What is the context of the current
situation? What are the primary obstacles to
breakthroughs? What are potential solutions to these
obstacles?
2. Commitment – the critical decision
* Move forward together as a partnership: Yes or No?
3. Planning – form a tentative plan
* If yes, celebrate and determine initial responsibilities,
timetables, communications, and points for evaluation.
If no, celebrate positive points, highlight key issues for
further discovery, and see if the group is willing to meet
again.
The purpose of the Operation stage is to organize the
partnership for action around your common goals.
Develop open communication, broad participation, and
a sense of shared ownership. The partnership belongs
to all the partners.
The Operation stage will look different for different
kinds of partnerships. Here are the general activities
that should happen in this stage:
1. Organize for action & work toward objectives
2. Evaluate & document progress
3. Communicate with new & existing partners
4. Plan for future partnership meetings
5. Address operational issues but stay focused on
the primary goals
SIGNSOFSUCCESS
1. Clarity. You understand the important issues in the
field. You know who is influential, involved, and
interested. You know how they individually view the
situation.
2. Connections. You are the person who gets to know
everyone. You have an idea of who could potentially
serve as the future Facilitator for the operating
partnership (might be you or someone else).
3. Common interest. You are aware of the level of
mutual interest - whether or not there is enough to
move to the next stage.
1. Confidence. Your group of partners have grown to
trust both the people and process of working together.
They are advocates or "champions" for partnership who
see the benefit for the Kingdom as well as their own
ministries.
2. Consensus. Your partners have developed a
consensus around the big vision, the major obstacles,
the key priorities, and the potential solutions.
3. Commitment. Your partners have made a definitive
"yes" decision to work together on defined objectives in
the context of a big vision.
1. Groups. The partnership is organized for action with
active participation in smaller working groups. Partners
are actively communicating with each other.
2. Goals. You see tangible progress on your agreed
objectives in light of your big vision.
3. Gathering. You have a plan to meet again as a whole
partnership to review progress and plan for the future.
4. Growth. Your initial success encourages the
partnership to do more together. Working groups and
objectives expand.
PITFALLS
NO TIME
The Exploration stage will likely fail if little time is given
to conducting research, building relationships, and
listening to others. A common mistake is to rush
through the Exploration stage and simply call a meeting
without adequate preparation.
NO TRUST
The Formation stage will likely fail if potential partners
do not trust one another and do not develop a
consensus of understanding. A common mistake is to
simply assume a partnership will be formed and
present a pre-determined vision rather than develop
the vision through discussion and consensus.
NO TASK
The Operation stage will likely fail if the leadership does
not motivate the partnership to accomplish actual work
toward the common goals. A common mistake is to
become distracted by “internal” issues of structure,
budgets, meetings, etc. and lose sight of the primary
vision.
KEYROLES
CATALYST
The Catalyst is the person or team with the initial vision
for the potential of a partnership. The Catalyst is the
one who builds the credibility and connections that can
draw others together. The Catalyst(s) build a network of
relationships, identify interest, and cast a vision for
working together.
CHAMPION
The Champions are the individuals representing
ministries or organizations in the partnership. They
advocate for the partnership within their own
organizations or wider spheres of influence.
FACILITATOR
The Facilitator is the person or team who provides
operational leadership for the partnership. The
Facilitator and Catalyst might be the same person. The
Facilitator is often loaned to the partnership by a
partner organization to serve in a neutral role to
coordinate the activities of the partnership. Facilitators
keep the partnership focused on the big vision and all
active elements working together.
CORECOMPETENCIES
RESEARCH
Catalysts conduct thorough research in order to better
understand the ministry area and its challenges,
become aware of work already going, identify potential
partners, and strengthen their own credibility in
relationship with these other leaders.
CONSENSUS
Champions work through consensus to develop a sense
of common ownership. They decide together whether
or not to move forward as a partnership. They
encourage consensus-based decision-making. They
come to agreement around the big vision, the primary
obstacles or challenges, and the achievable objectives
that can be accomplished together.
COMMUNICATION
The partnership Facilitator is attentive to the many
partners involved. Facilitators foster frequent,
interactive communication among the partners. They
keep progress visible for all participants - widening the
breadth and depth of commitment and strengthening
trust in the process of working together.
RELATIONSHIPS
Catalysts develop a network of relationships with a
significant number of those who are influential, already
involved, or sincerely interested in the common
ministry concern. Catalysts take the time to make
connections, build trust, and listen carefully to others.
COMMITMENT
Champions work to secure commitment from their own
organizations or spheres of influence. They clearly see
the benefit of the partnership for themselves and/or
their organizations. They advocate for the partnership
vision among their own colleagues and associates. They
secure commitment from others in order to contribute
knowledge, talent, and other resources.
IMPLEMENTATION
Facilitators keep the focus of the partnership on results
while strengthening personal relationships. They
effectively organize and motivate the partnership to
work together on specific objectives through various
action groups.
DISCERNMENT
Catalysts constantly listen to God in prayer and discern
how the individual calling of each potential partner can
connect to a compelling vision of what can be done
together. Catalysts are attentive to the level of interest
among all potential partners to determine if the time is
right to call a meeting of all potential partners.
FACILITATION
Good facilitation of the formation meeting(s) by the
Catalyst(s) is critical to the successful launch of a
partnership. Likewise, Champions who lead discussion
groups, working groups, or other meetings are good
facilitators of group discovery and decision-making.
EVALUATION
Facilitators constantly evaluate the partnership with
regard to the process (how well the partners are
working together) as well as the results (what the
partners are actually accomplishing). They create
regular reports that keep all partners informed and
encouraged.

2.
THE POCKET GUIDE TO PARTNERSHIP:
KEY PRINCIPLES
The Pocket Guide to Partnership summarizes the process and principles leading to effective, multi-lateral, missional partnerships
that will enable Christian organizations to accomplish together what could never be done alone.
For more information, visit: visionsynergy.net
PURPOSE
PRAYER
Effective partnerships are committed to continual
prayer and seeking the direction of God in all they
do.
Strong partners understand that it is the intention of
Satan to destroy relationships, fragment the
partnership, and neutralize the effectiveness of their
work. An effective partnership seeks the presence,
power, and provision of the Spirit of God through
prayer and communion together – intentionally
soliciting prayer from others outside the partnership.
Strong partners who have spent time together in prayer
listen and respond to the direction of God.
VISION
Effective partnerships are driven by a compelling
and commonly-owned vision.
A strong partnership vision will energize, motivate, and
challenge each participant in the partnership. It must be
compelling and larger than the capacity of any one
individual or single organization. The vision must also
be commonly-owned and connect to the individual
values or goals of each participant. Partnership merely
for the sake of partnership is meaningless. Partnership
must have a larger purpose.
OBJECTIVES
Effective partnerships begin with limited and
achievable objectives which expand as the
partnership experiences success.
An effective partnership is driven by a big vision, but
does not attempt to do too much too soon. An effective
partnership focuses first on defined objectives that are
both valuable to all the participants and have a
reasonably high possibility of short-term success. This
positive experience demonstrates the capacity of the
partnership to realize change through its efforts –
leading to greater confidence, increasing hope, and a
willingness to pursue broader and more challenging
objectives.
PEOPLE
FACILITATOR
Effective partnerships have a committed Facilitator
who serves the operation of the whole partnership.
The partnership Facilitator is a person - or a team of
people - approved by the partnership to help facilitate
its operation. This person is dedicated to the big vision
and the process of working together - serving in a
neutral role for the common good. An effective
partnership values the contribution of the Facilitator(s)
and provides for their resources, training, and
encouragement.
CHAMPIONS
Effective partnerships have an advocate, or
“Champion,” within each partner organization.
A partnership Champion is a person who clearly sees
how their own organization can benefit from practical
collaboration. This person promotes the vision of the
partnership among their own colleagues and facilitates
the involvement of their own organization in the
partnership. Collectively, the partnership champions
provide ongoing communication among the partners
and help keep the partnership focused on results.
DIVERSITY
Effective partnerships are made up of a diversity of
partners who have a clear sense of their own
identities.
A diversity of strong partners is essential for success. A
strong partner is one who knows their unique strengths
& weaknesses (both individually & organizationally),
how they fit into the partnership, what they can
contribute to the big vision, and how they can benefit
from the joint effort. Clear identities strengthen
relationships among partners and reduce ambiguity,
overlap, and duplication in the work.
TRUST
Effective partnerships depend on relationships of
trust, openness, and mutual concern.
A partnership is more than the "mechanics" of
coordination, planning, strategies, and tactics. It is
about real people working together in relationship. To
be effective, there must be trust in both the people and
the process. A strong partner invests the time it takes to
know, understand, and appreciate the other partners. A
strong partner is especially sensitive towards those
from cultures or backgrounds other than their own. The
heart of the Gospel is restored relationships, and at the
very core, an effective partnership demonstrates this
reality.
COMMONALITY
Effective partnerships recognize and accept the
differences among partners but concentrate on
what they have in common.
Acknowledging differences is important, but a strong
partner looks for commonalities with other partners in
areas like vision, values, and experience. It is not
necessary to agree on every aspect of history,
methodology, and belief in order to accomplish
significant Kingdom objectives. A strong partner values
the diversity of the backgrounds of other partners but
emphasizes their common focus.
STAKEHOLDERS
Effective partnerships recognize and meet the
expectations of key stakeholders.
As a partnership grows, it acknowledges at least four
key groups: (1) the people the partnership is trying to
reach or serve; (2) the partners themselves and the staff
of their own agencies; (3) those who pray, give, and
provide support; and (4) the partnership itself. An
effective partnership continually communicates the
progress of the partnership in ways that each group of
stakeholders understands and appreciates.
PROCESS
PATIENCE
Effective partnerships are an ongoing process, not
an event.
It takes a great deal of time and effort to form and
maintain a partnership. An effective partnership does
not rush through the early stages of doing the research,
identifying potential partners, building relationships,
establishing trust, and forming consensus. Strong
partners are patient, and they know that the bigger the
challenge, the more essential it is to form a foundation
of common understanding.
STRUCTURE
Effective partnerships build only the minimum
structure necessary to accomplish the big vision.
A good structure should not constrain or complicate the
partnership. It should only be what is required to
accomplish the priorities for action. As the needs
change, so can the structure. The form of the
partnership (how it is structured) should always follow
the function of the partnership (what it is trying to
accomplish).
PARTICIPATION
Effective partnerships maintain the widest possible
participation in decision-making.
Commitment, ownership, and participation is
encouraged by actively engaging people in the process,
not just the vision. An effective partnership is never top-
down or hierarchical in nature. Partners give special
attention to developing processes for planning,
decisions, and communication that enlist broad
participation.
INVESTMENT
Effective partnerships require intentional
investment from all the partners.
Strong partners know that an effective partnership
requires resources to accomplish its purpose. An
effective partnership strives to keep the "overhead" of
its operating costs as low as possible by avoiding
complicated partnership structures, offices, equipment,
staff, and so on. An effective partnership finds ways to
share the resources of the partners. Where the
partnership itself requires additional resources to
operate and accomplish its objectives, the partners
contribute together to make it possible.
REINFORCEMENT
Effective partnerships proactively reinforce the
values and skills of collaboration among the
partners.
Changes and conflicts within a partnership are
inevitable. Strong partnerships expect problems,
disagreements, disappointments, and other negative
issues. But they also expect positive changes, such as
new leadership, new opportunities, and the potential
for new partnerships to emerge. In order to best handle
all these situations, an effective partnership reflects on
its learning and reinforces the best practices of
collaboration among the partners.
CELEBRATION
Effective partnerships appreciate the importance of
ongoing reflection, evaluation, and celebration.
Working in partnership to accomplish a big vision can
be very challenging. An effective partnership develops
clear measures to evaluate the work and makes
adjustments as needed. It can take a great deal of time
to achieve significant objectives, so an effective
partnership celebrates progress along the way - even in
small things. Finally, an effective partnership is
committed to shared success, and claims achievements
in the name of the partnership.
ABOUT VISIONSYNERGY
visionSynergy empowers Christian organizations to work together for maximum impact by developing and strengthening strategic ministry networks & partnerships in critical areas
of world mission. We play a unique role in the worldwide Christian movement as one of the few mission service organizations specifically dedicated to advancing ministry
collaboration. Over the past 25 years, members of our team have formed, facilitated, or advised more than a hundred missional networks & partnerships which have collectively
involved thousands of Christian organizations. Through these groups, organizations work together to share information and resources, and ultimately, accomplish significant shared
goals. We believe that Christians are called to work together and, having seen the success of partnerships, we are convinced that collaboration is the single best strategy for
addressing the most pressing needs in the world today. Collaboration is the key that reduces the duplication of our efforts, increases the effectiveness of our ministries, and
strengthens the credibility of our witness for Christ.
visionSynergy | PO Box 232 - Edmonds WA 98026 - USA | +1.425.673.5644 | visionsynergy.net