In today’s fast-paced, interconnected world, effective collaboration is no longer optional — it’s essential. Whether you’re managing a small or large business, leading a nonprofit, or navigating complex partnerships, the key to success often lies not just in strategy but in team relationships.
Partnering is a structured, proactive, facilitation-based process that empowers groups to align and unanimously agree to shared goals, solve problems collaboratively and build lasting trust. Originally developed to enhance efficiency and reduce litigation in large-scale construction projects, Partnering has since proven valuable across a wide range of sectors, including business, nonprofit organizations, public service and legislative design.
Last month, a newly organized nonprofit [on Oʻahu's North Shore] requested I help its board of directors apply the Partnering process to its planning efforts. At the outset, the board responded to a confidential Partnering survey. The board’s responses to the survey indicated that the board needed to develop camaraderie, trust and a clear roadmap to accomplish its goals.
Based on these needs, I designed a retreat for the board members. At the retreat, the board engaged in goal setting, goal prioritization and determination of the tasks necessary to achieve each goal. Individual board members then took responsibility for accomplishing each task within a specified time. At the end of the retreat, this new team had a detailed roadmap for accomplishing the group’s most important goals.
I was notified in a follow-up thank-you letter from the board that the group now clearly sees what is needed to be successful, is in alignment on how to achieve its goals and is motivated to do so as a team. The above wins were accomplished after the group completed a survey and attended a retreat that lasted only five hours.
For organizations looking to improve internal alignment, stakeholder engagement, and/or internal or external collaboration, Partnering offers a compelling alternative to traditional problem-solving and strategic planning models.
Shifting from reactive conflict resolution to proactive relationship-building isn’t just a procedural adjustment — it’s a transformative approach that boosts performance, sparks innovation, and builds stronger and more sustainable relationships and results.
While Partnering’s early adoption came from the construction sector, where agencies like the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Caltrans reported remarkable gains, it is equally effective in other environments.
Ltn. Gen. Henry Hatch, one of the founding fathers of Partnering, said at the time, “Clearly, the best dispute resolution is dispute prevention.”
Partnering delivers exactly that — and much more. The process establishes a collaborative environment, rooted in trust, shared goals and cooperative problem solving, that is proven to help any group achieve optimal outcomes.
What is Partnering
Guided by a trained facilitator, Partnering brings all stakeholders to the table to:
-Unanimously establish goals and priorities
-Establish responsibilities and personal expectations
-Identify risks and mitigation strategies
-Build a “problem resolution ladder” to address issues as they emerge
-Create a Partnering Charter — a shared moral, not legal, agreement that reflects the team’s commitments The result is a more aligned, focused, and resilient team — capable of navigating complexity without friction or misunderstandings.
Who can benefit?
Partnering is ideal for any group of individuals or entities working together toward a shared outcome. This includes:
- Businesses and corporate teams
- Government agencies
- Nonprofit organizations
- Community initiatives
- Cross-sector collaborations
- Boards and advisory committees
Why Partnering works
Partnering has been successfully implemented in:
- Strategic planning – Bringing leadership, staff, and stakeholders into alignment on mission and objectives.
- Policy and Legislative initiatives – Achieving consensus among diverse groups on complex new legislation and rulemaking.
- Organizational change – Unifying departments or teams during periods of transition or restructuring.
- Community and nonprofit work – Enhancing collaboration across agencies, boards, and volunteer teams.
Next steps
Most often, groups implement the Partnering process in one of the following three ways:
-Engage a Partnering facilitator – Bring in a trained professional to guide your next strategic meeting or retreat.
-Train internal leaders – Build capacity within your team to use Partnering principles for group facilitation and goal setting.
-Recommend the process to clients or partners – If you advise or support others in collaboration or negotiation, Partnering can be a valuable service to recommend.
Aloha State Daily previously reported on Partnering, here. Clay also recently authored an article about Partnering in the Hawai’i Bar Journal, here.
For more information about Partnering, visit claypartnering.com.
