6 Principles for More Effective Partnerships

Six principles for more effective partnerships is an excerpt from Andy Last’s book Business on a Mission: How to Build a Sustainable Brand. The book explores the essential components of a social mission and how to develop an optimal purpose for your organization. In his analysis of social enterprises, Andy Last analyzes the benefits of partnership structures in the realm of sustainable development, and looks at ways businesses can move forward with society’s best interests in mind. This excerpt is from chapter 7, “Strange Bedfellows.”

The following six principles for more effective partnerships are discussed in this article:

1. Being clear from the start about the mutual objective of the partnership
2. Equally, being open to each partner’s additional individual objectives
3. When two partners may not have equality of size, they can have equality of say in the partnership
4. Acknowledging different timescales
5. Internal communications are vital
6. Measure broader outcomes as well as specific outputs.