Fostering a Collaborative Culture in your Non-Profit Organisation

In 2020, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) estimated a shrinkage of 3% in the global economy due to the pandemic, the brunt of which was borne by the vulnerable populations. With the loss of livelihoods, millions are fighting against poverty. The number of out-of-school children and child labour have witnessed a dramatic rise. Violence within and outside households against women, children and elders are on an all time high.??

The core development issues are complex and layered due to the prevalent social norms, local beliefs, cultural aspects, gender disparity, education levels, occupational structure, and pre-dominant ideologies. The pandemic has opened our eyes to the glaringly uncomfortable sides of society and highlighted how coming together as a community can create sustained and impactful change.?

Moving beyond this crisis, the issues that were further amplified by the pandemic can be overcome through nationwide solidarity and cooperation amongst all duty bearers and stakeholders, including government, CSOs, NPOs, academia, CBOs, etc.???

An inclusive partnership has always been the cornerstone of any development agenda. The Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) recognizes Global Partnership as the 17th goal for sustainable development.?

A multi-dimensional approach is the best resolve, shifting from an individualist to a collectivist approach.?

However, partnerships, like charity, begins at home. Before embarking on the journey of creating collective impact with an external partner, it is essential that our own team is open to working collaboratively. This will enable adopting partnership as an organisational strategy.?

As non-profit leaders, it is imperative to sharpen our collaborative leadership skills. We must adopt inclusive practices and enable a participatory work environment that promotes teamwork and integrates efforts to enhance a collaborative culture. We must create a democratic space for team members to have their voices heard.??

It is important to inculcate the spirit of collaboration from the very stage of hiring, induction and continue through performance appraisals. Holding Town Halls is an effective example of ensuring democratic decision making.??

A collaborative organisation is policy driven and abides by the principles of good governance. It must ensure all the policies are in place such as HR, finance, IT and data management, code of conduct, sexual harassment, child safeguarding, etc. Inter-departmental collaboration and cross-functional relationships should be encouraged while laying stress on inclusion, based on gender, disability, ethnicity, and marginalisation.??

We must foster a culture of reward and participative inquiry like obtaining anonymous feedback from team members and be an active listener to them. We could opt for an experiential professional development course or a fellowship or an incubator that enables us to explore collaborative approaches to leadership. These are also platforms for network building.???

The essence of this shifted perspective is to enhance the impact on the field and must facilitate the achievement of the organisation’s goals. Once we are prepared from within and arrive at the same page as our team, we can look to effectively collaborate outside.??

We could partner within or outside our domain but it is crucial to choose a credible partner only after conducting thorough due diligence and an appraisal visit. It is also necessary that our credibility as a partner does not come under question. Thus, there is a need to adhere to legal compliances, maintain financial stability and provide evidence of programme success in a timely fashion.?

A common thread running in partnerships should include pre-defined objectives, outcomes, and a shared mission. Like-minded NPOs should pool relevant expertise, knowledge, skills, and resources to leverage upon each other’s strengths and experiences. This will ensure there is no duplication of efforts and re-invention of existing interventions. The immediate outcome will be an augmented programme. Its sustainability will result in an amplified impact in the long run.?

Any harmonious partnership relies upon ideological alignment and trust. So, lay that foundation of trust and let the partnerships prosper!??

Click here?to?access the Succeeding in Partnerships Guide and find out more about collaborative culture for partnerships.?

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Sheena Gandhi Chandrika Rao Aarti Mahadevan Pravin Gandhi Ujwal Thakar Paramita Ghosh Sarayu Menon Souradeep Roy

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