MODULE

10
NETWORKING AND LINKAGING
WHAT IS AN ALLIANCE?
An alliance is an association of people, groups, or nations who agree to
cooperate and achieve a shared goal.
It is the coming together of persons, groups or nation,mutually
committing to support each other to achieve a desired goal.

When are alliances formed?

• Alliances are formed when there are needs or objectives that are perceived to be
shared like protection from a common enemy, or objectives to attain.
• Alliances are formed when aside from having common needs and objectives
mutual trust and respect and a willingness to commit are present.

Who are these Potential Allies?

Potential Stakeholders maybe the local government units from the barangay to
the provincial level, people’s organization, non governmental organizations,
academic and research institutions, media business associations, donor agencies,
even armed groups from the government or otherwise.
STEPS in ALLIANCE BUILDING
1. COMING TOGETHER- Before any alliance takes place one has to have a good
understanding about the project - the rallying point. It is responsive to the needs
Identified by the beneficiaries themselves. Does its scheme manifest assurance
of continuity or sustainability? Are the key personnel of its management without
doubt qualified and committed? What can you offer as your counterpart in the
alliance?

* Initiators for collaborative work come together due to:

1. need for action and
2. a common vision of a better community
3. other than knowledge about and access to
potential partners, initiators in alliance
building must consider also the following:
a. Adequacy of Partners. The coverage of the collaborative task
determines the adequate number of collaborative partners.
Too many alliances may require a restructuring to avoid
confusion and unnecessary delays. Breaking the big group
into smaller groups and the big task into smaller ones will
help keep the alliance effective and efficient. The more
specific task will be assigned to the sub groups.

b. Interest and commitment of decision Makers. To facilitate

and strengthen the collaborative bond, major policy makers
and authorities of all collaborating stakeholders should be
drawn into line. Initiators must sell the idea of working
together to them to get their interest and commitment. Once
you win them on your side, others will fall into line.
4. Threats but potential partners. Persons and
Organization perceived to be blocks to
collaborative work that possesses the needed
resources and skills for a successful collaboration
should be influenced to join in. Sitting down with
them to present the advantages of collaborating
with each other might work. There are cases
when staunch opponents become significant
allies.

5. History of potential partners. It is also to

consider
how the person or group worked with alliances in
the past. Identifying the goat from the sheep at
the inception stage will help secure the viability
of the
collaborative endeavor.

6. Skills, it is imperative to know what skills are

needed to bring this collaboration into success.
Initiators of the alliance should look into the
personal and collective skills in the market of
would be partners.
 7. Multi sectoral participation. Initiatives to
collaborate tend to involve only persons and
institutions within the same field of discipline and
or mission. However, often needed data, skills,
resources and other form of support can come
from persons or groups belonging to other sectors.

2. BUILDING AND STRENTHENING

After identifying Potential partners, what more can be done?
In 1992, Apple and IBM rushed to do a joint venture called Taligent tasked
to create a new-object oriented operating system. This joint venture for a
time showedindicators of synergism. But later, the objective of creating a
new operating system failed. IBM took upon its shoulder the burden of the
loss which was said toexceed $150 Million.
 What was wrong in that partnership? With all systems seemingly in
their right places at the outset, why did it fail? Why Apple and IBM
succeeded for a while to convince people that trust and respect were
present in the years of their partnership; the reverse actually happened.
Their years of togetherness were puckered with a number of lawsuits
thrown against each other for patent and technology infringement. Clearly,
trust and respect were absent from beginning of their alliance. This failure
of an early alliance prototype teaches us to properly establish the rules of
engagement for creating a genuine, honest and transparent alliance.

a. Getting Potential Partners to Engage

1. Gather as much information about the
prospective partner before meeting them.
Conduct profiling of potential stakeholders in
the vicinity in terms of their VGMO, programs,
projects, target beneficiaries and resources.
Identify from the data the potential partners
that have a role in addressing certain issues or
components of the project.
 2. Know the decision-makers and the key players
in the organization. Invite them to your program
presentation.
3. Present the program in a simple, organized and
understandable manner.
4. Show the potential mutual benefits that can be
gained from collaborating.
5. Be attentive to the interests and cultural
overtones of potential collaborators.
Be clear with the exploratory intentions of the
6.
first few meetings with potential partners.

b. Leveling off. By leveling off, partners create a base of

information accessible to all stakeholders to facilitate
common knowledge about partner’s self-interest, cultures
and visions.
1. Self-interest is a powerful stimulant which when
properly understood and considered can work to the
advantage of the alliance. It should be clear to all what
each partner has something to gain from
collaborating. The more self-interest is openly
expressed, the deeper trust and respect develop
between or among collaborators.
 2. Sensitivity and responsibility to be expressed and
implied cultural differences and similarities can further
enhance the level of respect and trust. Talking candidly
about cultural expectations and traditions during
formal and informal gatherings is important.
3. A shared vision ensures sustainability of collaboration.
A shared vision is an imagery of what partners hope to
create in the future. Formulating a vision out of many
individual or corporate visions is difficult because it
takes a lot of listening, thinking, time and maturity.
But, when partners are clear on what desired ends the
alliance is working to achieve, they will be motivated
and energized.
3. STRATEGIC PLANNING. This provides the framework for
allied work; it is divided into five (5) tasks:
*Formulation of the Mission Statement. The
mission statement expresses the particular of the general
direction stated by the vision, the purposes, values
and beliefs of the alliance.
 1. It must describe what must be achieved for whom
2. It must define the coverage of task.
3. It must express the desired objectives which is related to
the missions of individual or collective partners but
somehow unique from them.
4. It must be clearly expressed for all partners to
understand.
*Environmental and Capacity Assessment

1. Environmental assessment looks into the threats and the

opportunities external but affecting the collaboration.
2. Capacity assessment looks into internal strengths and
weaknesses and confronts the environment in the context of
its perceived capabilities. A hasty external and self-analysis
may spell disaster for the alliance. A careful analysis of both
reinforces strengths and fills in gaps consequently making
the alliance stronger.
 *Goal Formulation. A goal is a specific statement of what
alliance commits to do. This consists of the standard against which
the progress of the alliance is to be measured. Goals that span for a
period of three years or more are called long term goals and those
that are immediate are dubbed as short term goals.

1. A goal states desired achievements

2. It is realistic
3. It is measurable
4. It is specific
5. It is expressed in a simple and easily understood
statement.

*Strategy Selection. To achieve the goals, appropriate strategy

should be selected.
1. An appropriate strategy must lead to goal realization
2. It must work within the bounds of available resources
3. It must be consistent with the mission Statement.
 *Development of an Action Plan. Basing on the goals made, a
plan of action is made. The plan of action list down the steps to
be undertaken. The plan may best be arranged into a matrix for
easy reference. The action plan consists of the following data:
1. the activities to be undertaken
2. the partners responsible to carry out the activity
3. time frame for completion
4. accountability indicators
5. success indicators and
6. anticipated costs

4. IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ACTION PLAN. This is the time for

the allied partners to manifest their commitment to the mission and
vision that they set for themselves under this collaborative scheme.
The implementation may begin by piloting certain activities before
going full scale. This allows partners to fill gaps before resorting to full
implementation.
5. EVALUATION. This stage is the time of knowing how the collaborative
efforts and strategies fare against the set standards. Evaluation may be
conducted by all the stakeholders of the alliance or it may be conducted by all
the stakeholders of the alliance or it may be conducted by entities external to
it. AN evaluation tool that is sensitive enough to measure degrees of efficiency,
effectiveness, and other indicators of success should be designed. Invite the
stakeholders to be present in the present in the project’s evaluation and
phasing-out activities.

*the whole collaborative process is subject to review and revision as

more allies are added, as new events unfold and as new directions are
set.
SYNTHESIS

Building alliance or developing inter-agency collaboration is a

systematic process of research, group dynamics, planning, decision making,
implementing and evaluating. Alliances increase the quantity and the quality of
resources enhancing service delivery and encouraging the better use of available
resources in addressing most common interest and goals. It also increases
opportunities for cultural exchange and cultural awareness and competence.
However it is a difficult process since it necessitates sensitivity to individual/
institutional and cultural differences as well as sustained adaptation or coping up
with the ever changing environment. Moreover the act of collaborating can
sometimes drag on to a loner time and may also take considerable physical and
psychological investments. A strong alliance is a product of sustained effort and
commitment of partners. Transparency, right motivation and trust from each
partner for all partners in the collaborative alliance are in fact the essential bond
without which alliances dissipates.