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WIFE AND HUSBAND PARTNERSHIP

DEFINITONS:

¨FAMILY COMPOSITION ¨

b. A household consists of one or more people who live in the same dwelling and also share meals or living accommodation It also may consist of a single family or some other grouping of people. A single dwelling will be considered to contain multiple households if either meals or living space are not shared. The household is the basic unit of analysis in many social, microeconomic and government models, and is important to the fields of economics and inheritance.

Household models include the family, varieties of blended families, share housing, group homes, boarding houses, houses in multiple occupation (UK), and a single room occupancy (US). In feudal societies, the royal household and medieval households of the wealthy also included servants and other retainers ¨A household includes all the persons who occupy a housing unit. A housing unit is a house, an apartment, a mobile home, a group of rooms, or a single room that is occupied (or if vacant, is intended for occupancy) as separate living quarters. Separate living quarters are those in which the occupants live and eat separately from any other persons in the building and which have direct access from the outside of the building or through a common hall. The occupants may be a single family, one person living alone, two or more families living together, or any other group of related or unrelated persons who share living arrangements. (People not living in households are classified as living in group quarters.)

Partnership

A partnership is an arrangement where parties, known as partners, agree to cooperate to advance their mutual interests. The partners in a partnership may be individuals, businesses, interest-based organizations, schools, governments or combinations. Organizations may partner to increase the likelihood of each achieving their mission and to amplify their reach. A partnership may result in issuing and holding equity or may be only governed by a contract

Partnership

A partnership can be defined as a collaborative relationship between organizations. The purpose of this relationship is to work toward shared goals through a division of labor that all parties agree on. Partnerships are complex vehicles for delivering practical solutions to societal and community issues. Studies of how partnerships operate indicate that organizations manage the complexity by adopting a long-term, flexible approach. During the course of their partnerships, organizations often evolve. They learn about effective management, build capacity, and gain valuable experiences.

Therefore, a partnership can serve as a learning mechanism that teaches you to be better at what you do and enables you to achieve your organizational goals.

2.  BIBLICAL REFERENCES

a.Genesis 2 : 18 b.And then the Lord said, “ It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a HELPER FIT/ SUITABLE  for him” c.GENESIS 2: 24, “Therefore a man leaves his faherand his mother and cleaves to his wife, and they become ONE FLESH”.

3. Why this topic :

-For family development

-Community development

-Social, economic and cultural transformation

-Stewardship of giving

-Improving the standard of living

–Peace, harmony and right relationship

-Elimination of dependence

-To have a sense of belonging and a sense of identity

HOW TO DO DEVELOPMENT

The couple should engage in continuous capacity building programmes to equip its members with requisite skills to run income generating projects and small businesses.

Join with critical stakeholders like:
•Government
•NGOS
•Parastatals
•Private sectors to develop members in business
•Incorporating teaching

S of livelihood skills in our Sunday School curriculum right from the junior school to adult school.

KEY COMPONENTS FOR PARTNERSHIP

If you’re considering developing a partnership, you should become familiar with what a true partnership entails. There are several key components inherent in most approaches to partnering. Examine your organization and your potential partner’s organization with these components in mind: 

Leadership

Partnerships imply a shared leadership among respected individuals who are recognized and empowered by their own organizations to build consensus and resolve conflicts. However, one organization will generally take the lead on managing the process. Partners must have trust in each others’ ability to lead effectively and honestly.

¨Common Understanding ¨

Partners need to understand each other’s organizational framework, culture, values, and approach. Partners also need a clear understanding of individual members’ roles, responsibilities, and what the partnership’s division of labor will be.

¨Purpose¨

Partnerships must be guided by a shared vision and purpose that builds trust and recognizes the value and contribution of all members. Each partner must understand and accept the importance of the agreed-upon goals. This leads to improved coordination of policies, programs, and service delivery. Shared and transparent decision-making processes are also essential as partners work towards their common purpose.

Culture and Values

Shared “can-do” values, mutual understanding, and an acceptance of differences (e.g., norms, ways of working) are essential to successful partnerships. Partners need to discuss their organizational cultures to identify how to work with their strengths and weaknesses. When partners respect each other’s contributions and regard each other as equals, they can gain active involvement from organization representatives who will play a valued role in the partnership.

Learning and Development

A healthy partnership promotes an atmosphere of learning. This may involve monitoring and evaluation aimed at improving members’ performance. An open mindset and the desire to invest in partners’ skills and knowledge will create opportunities to shape each other’s work and learn together. In this environment, members can reflect honestly on both successes and failures

Communication

If a partnership is going to succeed, there must be effective communication at all levels within the partnership and inside each partner organization. In addition, strong feedback loops should be outlined from the beginning of the relationship so that all stakeholders receive timely information

Performance Management

The appropriate partnership structure, management practices, and resources must be in place to achieve the intended purpose of the partnership. Members must demonstrate both accountability for their actions and ownership for delivering on the objectives and targets for which they are responsible.

Forming Partnerships

As opportunities arise, organizations need practical advice on whether or not to form strategic partnerships, and, if so, where to begin the partnership development process. When considering a potential partnership, you may have questions such as: What benefits can a partnership provide? What organizations should we consider partnering with? How do we get a partnership process underway? The first step in developing a partnership is to define the need for a partnership. The second step is to start the process. The third step is to set up and maintain the partnership. Remember—a partnership should not be the end in itself, but, instead, a means to an end. Therefore, establishing a partnership may not always be the appropriate decision for meeting your goals.

¨The first step in partnership formation is to define the need for a partnership.

  • The goal in partnerships is to achieve more than individual organizations can achieve on their own. In other words, the whole of the partnership is greater than the sum of the individual parts. Identifying self-interest is a critical part of this first step.  In defining the need for a partnership, you should think not only about what the partnership can accomplish as a whole, but also about the concrete benefits to your organization in particular. Each potential partner should answer the following questions and discuss their answers together:
  • What are our short-term interests? What does our organization need to accomplish or gain in the next 12 months to stay engaged in the partnership?
  • What are our long-term interests? What does our organization need to accomplish or gain in the next 18-36 months to stay engaged in the partnership?
  • Possible answers might include additional organizational members or volunteers; enhanced products or services; greater community credibility or support; and improved access to businesses, agencies, or foundations.
  • The second step in partnership formation is to start the process.

Partnerships have to be developed and nurtured in ways that respect and recognize all individuals. Building relationships is not just the responsibility of organizational leaders, but of everyone working in the partnership. It’s also important at the initial stages to agree on a set of ground rules for the partnership. This may seem obvious, but very few groups perform this fundamental requirement necessary for valuing and respecting the individual partners.

The stages of developing a partnership can be compared to the stages of team development—forming, storming, norming, and performing. Forming involves bringing people together to start the partnership-building process. It’s important that all members help determine the partnership goals, structure, and processes from the onset. In the next stage, after the group has met several times, people start to question the purpose and direction of the partnership (e.g., “Why am I here?”, “What’s my role?”, “Do we have the right priorities?”).

It’s important to work through this storming stage so the group can be open and honest about their perceptions. Norming is the stage in which the partners begin to develop protocols and reach shared agreements. Performing is when the partners are working together smoothly and accomplishing their objectives.

  • The third step in partnership formation is setting up and maintaining the partnership.

There can often be ambiguity or conflict regarding the division of responsibility between the partnership and individual partners. For instance, it’s often difficult to clearly distinguish between strategic and operational (day-to-day) decision-making. Partners may be reluctant to delegate authority to the partnership. Therefore, the partnership can establish a clearly written legal constitution or contract (sometimes called a “terms of reference”). This document sets out the key objectives, procedures, structure, and outcomes of the partnership.

It’s also essential that this document reflect the business plan or strategy that forms the basis of the partnership’s work.

The document gives members an overview of how agreed-upon action will be taken and develops a sense of shared responsibility for the partnership’s achievements and failures. It also gives the partnership some structure and boundaries to work within, while allowing flexibility for change and growth. During the setup stage, partners can also develop a specific work plan and agree on their performance management processes so staff members know what they’re meant to accomplish and how they’re doing.

  • Norms and Communication Structures

Partnerships won’t be successful without thoughtful attention to the relationship. One issue to consider is how the partners should behave in the relationship. Obviously, cooperation is the ideal. But what should you do if a partner does not cooperate or fulfill commitments in a timely manner? The work of actively managing a partnership can be supported by partnership norms and communication structures.

Norms are informal agreements about how group members will behave and work together. For example, partners can set expectations for members’ behavior at meetings. Communication structures are practical guidelines and frameworks that help individuals and groups hold productive discussions, manage conflict, and reach decisions. For example, partners might use a specific process for having open dialogue about difficult topics. Norms and communication structures are useful tools for promoting healthy communication in partnerships.

Partnership healthy work relationships.

Successful partnerships are managed by people who recognize the importance of cultivating healthy working relationships. In a large partnership comprised of many relationships, it’s essential to establish guidelines on how partnership members will work together. Creating and following partnership norms is an effective way to maintain healthy working relationships.

Although partnerships have “contracts”— formal agreements between organizations that establish the goals, structure, and responsibilities of a partnership relationship—these documents do not establish the “how” of the relationship. Partnership norms are informal guidelines on how partnership members will behave and interact with one another. These four steps will help you implement partnership norms.

Identify the shared values of the group.
In the partnership kickoff meeting, engage your partners in dialogue about establishing norms, often referred to as “ground rules.” Identify the areas in which norms will be necessary. Suggested areas include communication, knowledge management, resource management, decision-making, conflict resolution, and/or meetings.

Take time to listen to each person’s perspective on each topic. Then, as a group, decide on what your shared values and norms will be. Partnership norms must be agreed upon by all members of the group.

  • Document partnership norms and make them easily accessible.
  • Based on your shared values, write statements that will serve as guidelines for behavior and how the group will work together. For example, if your partnership places a value on participant attendance at partnership meetings, a suggested norm might read:
    • We will attend all partnership meetings regularly.
    • I will notify members in advance if I must miss a meeting.
    • I will ask another member of the group to debrief me within one week of missing any meetings.
  • Using “we will” or “I will” statements can help create ownership of the partnership norms. Once your norms are documented, make sure they’re easily accessible to everyone in the group. Consider posting your partnership norms on a shared website or virtual workspace.

Communicate the norms regularly.
By communicating your partnership norms frequently, you emphasize people’s accountability to the group’s shared values. Consider creating laminated cards or fact sheets that can be distributed to members. You might also consider attaching a copy of partnership norms with all meeting notes or posting them in the meeting rooms.

Update the norms as needed.
As your partnership adds or loses members, it’s important to revisit your partnership norms. But even if you maintain the same members throughout the relationship, it’s necessary to review and assess your norms based on the current stage of your partnership. Partnership norms are only effective when all members of the group agree on the shared values.

  • Use communication structures to facilitate open discussion.

Open, honest communication is a cornerstone of good partnerships. It can be built by creating communication norms and using structures for facilitated discussion. To facilitate discussion is to be intentionally conscious of a framework for use in dialogue. Successful partnerships use consistent communication norms in every interaction and meeting. They engage in open dialogue within established parameters and allow for healthy conflict.

Below are some suggestions for building strong communication.  

  • Hire a consultant to train all staff and partners on facilitation techniques.

Build proficiency in two or more leaders who develop understanding of at least one proven model of communication and commit to using that model

 Managing the Partnership with Work Plans and Technology

After the partnership’s goals, structure, and procedures have been established, the detailed work must begin. At this point, it’s essential to develop a collaborative work plan in order to manage the partnership’s activities and guide members’ efforts. The best work plans establish buy-in from members, are realistic, have measurable outcomes, and hold people accountable. Technology can be a powerful resource to strengthen implementation of collaborative work plans and support partnership norms and communication practices. There are a host of platforms that allow you to effectively collaborate with partners online. Four types of technology tools that can be used are: methods for distributing information, systems for collaborating, systems for real-time interaction, and systems for managing the project. ¨

Ensure your collaborative work plans have these key characteristics.

A collaborative work plan is a document that outlines the structure of work for the partnership or a specific initiative within the partnership. Good work plans have the following characteristics:

Establish buy-in
Although collaborative work plans document the work breakdown for your specific tasks, they alone cannot motivate people to action. Increase your success rate by first establishing buy-in for the plan from the members of your work group. ¨

Are realistic
It’s important to be realistic when developing a collaborative work plan. People want to see progress, no matter how incremental. Stay within the scope of your project. 

Have measurable outcomes
Consider developing immediate, short-term, and long-term outcomes for your collaborative work plan. Identify how you will determine the success of your activities and efforts. What indicators will you measure?

Hold people accountable  
Communicate group accountability and interdependence of activities. Show how people’s specific tasks impact the completion of the overall task. Having an effective structure for open, honest communication can support conversations about accountability as issues arise.

It can be tempting to let the lead organization serve as the center for collaborative work. However, when all partners host meetings, facilitate gatherings, or provide training to other partners, responsibility is shared by all members. This, in turn, increases feelings of ownership and long-term commitment to the partnership.

Partnership Challenges and Evaluation

The challenges involved in managing your partnership will typically fall into two categories—substantive issues and relationship issues. Organizations tend to carefully consider substantive issues, such as budgets or administrative arrangements. But few pay adequate attention to a major cause of partnership failure—relationship issues, such as the inability to resolve conflict. The key, of course, is for partnerships to focus on both types of issues. Successful partnerships select someone to serve as a dedicated partnership manager. This individual is responsible for the partnership’s relationship management. A partnership manager might support healthy relationships by coordinating communication between partners, ensuring adherence to norms and collaboration processes, spotting potential conflicts, mediating disputes, and tracking the health of the working relationship over time. All partnerships need an ongoing process to monitor both substantive and relationship issues. Broad evaluation questions might include: Is the partnership meeting its aims and objectives? How well is it performing? and What lessons can be learned?

¨There are various challenges to sustaining effective partnerships. ¨It helps to anticipate potential barriers to working effectively with your partners. Some barriers are substantive, which means they involve financial, strategic, or technical issues. Other challenges are relationship-oriented. These issues might relate to leader compatibility, degree of trust, joint problem-solving capacity, or conflict resolution ability. ¨Other challenges that partnerships may face include turf battles among stakeholders, clashes between different organizational cultures, rigid policies regarding intellectual property, disputes over private sector engagement, inappropriate staffing and role assignments, the ups and downs of community politics, and member burnout. As the partnership evolves, partners must identify whatever barriers exist and work together to resolve them.

Effective partnerships use monitoring and evaluation processes.

Partnerships need to create methods for evaluating and revising aims and objectives. This means providing opportunities to learn what has been successful and what has not and to build these lessons into revised plans. Formal performance management processes, such as clarifying performance expectations and providing feedback, also contribute to partnership monitoring and evaluation

In addition, it’s important to monitor and report on the health of the working relationship between partners through use of a formal mechanism. This helps identify simmering conflict, negative perceptions, or relationship risks, which can then be constructively addressed before they undercut the partnership. It’s essential to look across multiple relationships to identify organizational barriers to effective partnering.

Monitoring and evaluation also helps partners anticipate changes that may affect the partnership so they can collaboratively plan for the implications of such change. For instance, this helps the partnership to:

  • Adapt to competitive or regulatory environment changes  
  • Expand, reduce, or shift the focus of a partner relationship, as needed
  • Reduce negative effects of downsizing, mergers, or restructuring  
  • Respond to reorganization and/or departures of key personnel ¨

Partnership Transitions and Endings

¨All partnerships experience transition and, ultimately, closure. In this stage, the primary question is, “Why continue?” The members need to assess whether the partners are still committed to working together, whether it still makes sense to collaborate on the work at hand, if the current partners are the right ones at this stage of the project, and whether the partnership’s purpose has been accomplished. If people are bored or burned out, partners should ask, “Is the work of this group done? If not, then why are people feeling this way?” Properly assessing your situation will help determine the best course of action. Just as launching a partnership requires broad thinking, ending one does too. Even during endings, it’s important to maintain a collaborative mindset that considers the well-being of the partnership as a whole, not just each organization’s separate interests. ¨

Transition and closure are natural stages in a partnership.

Every partnership must eventually consider issues of transition and ending. Some partnerships may use this time to renew goals and commitments. Others may find that it’s time to let certain organizational partners go or end the partnership altogether. Have an open and honest discussion with your partners to understand when the partnership is transitioning into a stage of renewal or ending. ¨

Every partnership relationship is unique. What motivates one organization or individual to continue working collaboratively might be very different from what motivates another.  In some instances, one organization may want to leave the partnership. In this case, you can discuss what would need to change to hold everyone’s interests. Perhaps the disinterest is an early warning sign that others are feeling the same way. In other situations it may be in the best interests of both the partner and the partnership as a whole to allow the organization to leave on appropriate terms. Ultimately, partnerships are effective only when all members see a value in continuing their participation and can willingly work together to achieve the common purpose. ¨

Although partnerships need closure, this step is often missed. Too often partnerships end with a hard stop without substantial communication between members. Or they might terminate without a real ending, gradually dwindling down without formally closing out. Make sure to discuss, plan for, and openly acknowledge the departure of a member organization or the formal ending of your partnership. ¨

Partnership closure is an opportunity to consolidate learning.

When you close a partnership, it’s part of the natural cycle to consolidate learning. Whether or not you provide structured time to explore “lessons learned,” partnership members will be thinking individually about what worked, what didn’t, people they learned from, and from whom they want to continue to learn. ¨

Since this is already happening at an individual level, you can capture that thinking and use it to close down in a way that allows participants to apply the learning to their next endeavors. You might help people consolidate learning through simple activities in which members describe what worked and what did not. You can also invite individual and group reflections on lessons learned. Or you might ask members to recap accomplishments while also discussing what must be left behind and what needs to be tackled next. ¨

10 Tips for a effective partnership

The success of any business can be boiled down to its relationships. Working well with others and possessing the deep knowledge of what makes people tick is essential to creating and sustaining successful partnerships. 

The secret to success is a deep understanding of human emotions and their subsequent behavioral outcomes. When you unlock this secret knowledge you can accurately predict the needs of those with whom you partner. 

1. Supportive.

For a partnership to be successful each member needs to feel a sense of support and optimism about the collaboration. When partnerships are supportive they are infused with hope. What sustains motivation is the belief that with partnership things can only get better.  

When people feel supported in a partnership they become inspired to more clearly visualize the process of achieving the goal. Therefore, it is essential the partnership be grounded in an unwavering belief in the integrity of the goals and values of the desired purpose. ¨

2. Rewarding.

Each member in a partnership must see the reward involved in coming together. In successful partnerships rewards are based solely on each partner’s worth and significance to the bigger picture.

There is nothing that more deeply inspires continued motivation than to make another person shine in their own importance and contribution.

3. Cohesion.

Trust is a basic need for a successful partnership. All partners need to know the relationship is collaborative, loyal and solid. If the partnership is in need of support or guidance, the partners trust they can come together in a way where needs and concerns can be met and realized.  

Elite partnerships are made up of people who view each other as necessary equals and show mutual respect for each other’s differences. They find ways to focus on solutions, not problems and are  committed to open communication to keep things together.  ¨

4. Open.

Successful partnerships require partners who are consistently attuned to what is happening within and outside of the relationship, and the possible impacts on the partnership. All members pay attention with an open mind. They set aside preconceived notions about the other partners and see each person for who they are and for what they bring to the relationship. Great partnerships enjoy the element of being surprised by the other members’ and their achievements.  

Solid partnership’s respect that constant intervention will block their process and slow progress towards their goals. A certain amount of openness and personal freedom is what makes these teams rise to the top in business. These partnerships aren’t locked into things being fixed in any certain way.

5. Protective.

Partnerships thrive when members feel protected within the partnership. The partners feel reassured they are in an environment that will not let them fail. Each member is aware that any threat to the security of their partnership undermines progress. Insecurity must be addressed openly so the proper changes can be put into place. The solutions made must be handled via discussion between partners and must serve to benefit all members.  

However, a mature partnership does not try to protect people from themselves. The growth of any partnership has to come from each partner learning through experience what works and what doesn’t, in light of the overall climate of the partnership. This type of freedom allows each person to grow within a safe environment, mistakes and all.

   6. Challenge.

Successful partnerships promote competition and reward achievement. Partnerships that are competitive crave more challenge. Competition brings an element of fun and comradery into the relationship.  

This competitive climate creates the desire in each member to keep proving themselves and their significance. As the partnership thrives through up’s and downs it becomes stronger. Like a palm tree, the more a partnership is forced to bend and flex the stronger it becomes from within. Partnerships that thrive can weather every storm and come out more successful. 

7. Catalyst.

Exceptional partnerships act as a catalyst for each member to grow and succeed. It provides the space for each member to generate their own innovative ideas. Whenever a partnership suppresses the creative energy of its members and is rigid, it kills the spirit of innovation. This is why it is said that rigid structures collapse first. Wherever creativity flourishes there must flexibility.  

Each partner must adapt to work in any setting without complaint. Each must be flexible and yielding, knowing that all interventions to the partnership must come from a place of clarity creating harmony between partners. This is the type of environment that supports innovation, invention and success.

8. Morale.

It is essential for each partner to be completely in touch with the emotional state of the other partners, and always seek to raise it. Exceptional collaborations create an environment of positive morale. Each contributing person must be open and honest with all others regarding behaviors that aren’t working for the group, including their own, if it is bringing down the morale of the partnership. 

Each partner is wise to pay attention to the silence and empty spaces in the relationship because it is there the tone of the partnership is most clearly revealed. No collaborative effort can tolerate endless drama that clouds clear thinking and thwarts forward moving progress. Successful partnerships allow time for each member to engage in silent reflection, as each partner can see more clearly what is essential for themselves and others.

9. Cleanse.

A great partnership understands it only takes one toxic person to destroy the entire relationship. With forethought, good judgment and quick decision making, effective collaborators weed out the weak links.   

A partnership cannot be successful when the behavior, manipulation and poor attitude of one person continues to impede progress. 

10. Service.

Successful partnerships are based in service, not selfishness. No one person does all the work, nor is any one member seeking more recognition than the others. The collaborative effort comes directly from the efforts of each individual partner contributing to the whole. Being in the mind of service, in the helping of others, keeps the partnership humble. 

Each member keeps a watchful eye in sustaining a healthy and openminded feedback loop. There is no coercive pushing for things to happen. Each partner allows the process of growth and innovation to unfold on its own rather than having any one member lecture and direct all others.  

In successful partnerships, there is an unceasing commitment to equality, diversity and flexibility. Each member leads by example, has a sense of personal freedom and an undying commitment to the goals at hand. Collaboration is built upon open and honest communication, direct and consistent interaction and the personal time to think things through. Each person understands their role in the relationship dynamic and what each must do to be successful.

There are barriers to achieving effective partnerships.

You should also be aware of common barriers to working effectively with a potential partner. As relationships evolve, partners must work to resolve any road blocks that may arise.

Typical barriers include: §Limited vision or failure to inspire §Lack of clear purpose or inconsistent understanding of purpose §Competition between partners for the lead or domination by one partner

  • Unequal and/or unacceptable balance of power and control
  • Lack of support from organizations with decision-making power in the partnership
  • Key stakeholders missing from the partnership
  • Lack of commitment and unwilling participants
  • Differences in philosophies or work styles
  • Inadequate understanding of roles and responsibilities
  • Hidden agendas
  • Failure to communicate
  • Failure to learn
  • Lack of evaluation or monitoring systems
  • Financial and time commitments outweigh potential benefits

¨Summary

Although organizations may have very different missions and approaches, they can often reap great benefits by working together towards a shared vision. When considering a partnership, organizations must ask, “Can we achieve more or better results through collaboration?” By having leadership and member commitment, very clear goals and working arrangements, and respect for organizational differences, partnerships can broaden community impact while also building the capacity of participating organizations. Thank you for taking the time to learn about Partnerships: Frameworks for Working Together. ¨

COMING TOGETHER IS A BEGINNING,

KEEPING TOGETHER  IS A PROGRESS,

WORKING TOGETHER IS A SUCCESS.