Boundaries

If you have worked in coalitions and partnerships for a month or longer, you know that coalition work is all about relationships. Although there are many principles and practices that will support relationship-building, one of the most powerful is practicing compassion. One of the misconceptions about compassion is that if we demonstrate compassion, we are […]

One of the most rewarding and yet challenging aspects of leading coalitions is engaging coalition members in specific tasks. During meetings, many people will have ideas, recommendations and projects that can be implemented by the coalition. When the discussion shifts to assigning tasks and responsibilities, the room or “virtual room” can often become very quiet. 

When leading coalitions and partnerships, there is always the challenge of clarifying which roles staff play and which roles volunteer leaders play. Oftentimes, coalition staff want to engage volunteer leaders (e.g. co-chairs) in leading meetings but are not sure how to make it happen. Many volunteer leaders have an interest in engaging and leading but

When you are working in coalitions and partnerships, there are often very few paid staff. Sometimes you are the only one and you may only be paid part-time to do the work of the coalition. In a coalition or partnership, there are always more needs and areas of interest than time to adequately implement them.

When we are passionate about our work and we really care about others, one of the most challenging things to admit is that we cannot do it all. While we may intuitively know this, our calendars and our to-do lists may suggest a different reality. Once we begin prioritizing what we do, we also have

One of the best things about coalition work is the ability to generate ideas and find collaborative solutions to complex problems. One of the most challenging aspects of coalition work is choosing where to focus and continuing to honor the need for more work in other areas. You want partners to share ideas and have

As part of our coalition work, we are constantly leading meetings. During our meetings, we have some people who have joined us for years and others who may be joining us for the first time. Although we may try to get an accurate registration or RSVP, we often never know who is actually going to

In every season, we have experiences and opportunities where we can learn and grow as  coalition leaders. Whether we are attempting a new meeting strategy that is working well or we feel stuck in a challenging workgroup, if we are paying attention, each of these situations can teach us something new. Over the next several

In the process of regaining your rhythm, there will be times that you will give away your time to too many meetings, fail to say “no”, skip your rituals and struggle with feeling overwhelmed again. While you may be disappointed and frustrated with yourself, in order to regain your rhythm again, one of the most

What is the first thing you do when you wake up in the morning? How do you begin or end your workday?  As a coalition leader, you are in the role of “giving” most of the day. Although this work can be rewarding, it can also lead to burnout and exhaustion. When you create positive