In an era defined by complex challenges and interconnected systems, partnerships involving multiple stakeholders and sectors have become a vital mechanism for achieving systemic change, particularly in philanthropy and education. While frameworks, tools, and organizational strategies often take center stage in public and informal discussions about partnership building, the real engine of sustainable collaborative success lies in the mindset of the individuals stewarding these relationships. From my own experiences managing multi-stakeholder collaborations across sectors and geographies, I’ve seen firsthand that mindset and individual skillsets can make or break a partnership.
The Invisible Infrastructure: Human Mindsets
Successful partnerships are not built solely on memoranda of understanding or governance models. They are shaped and sustained by people with their attitudes, behaviors, and capacities. Very often, we forget about this important aspect. At the same time, highly intrinsically committed staff setting up and managing such complex partnerships are struggling on their journey. Because of the partnerships' complexity, their usually long-term time horizons versus quick results required for Board meetings and the types of skills that are very specific to managing multi-stakeholder partnerships.
Based on my own experience, I started reflecting on what these key skills and mindset shifts are to become a collaborative leader. I also looked into a range of recent reports who have been reflecting on their partnerships experience, from the United Nations's SDG Partnership Guidebook to Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust's Promise or Pitfall?, and to Co-Impact's Handbook to Big Bet Philanthropy, to name a few. Several critical mindset traits have emerged as foundational to effective collaboration.
1. Humility and a Willingness to Learn
Humility is the foundation. It means recognizing that others may possess more relevant knowledge or resources, and being open to learning from all stakeholders. Reports like the GSMA Foundation's Humanitarian Positioning Strategy and The Bridgespan Group's How Asian Philanthropy Works with Government emphasize how impactful partnerships often begin by listening, not leading. Back in my program manager role at the Jacobs Foundation, when we initiated a large public-private partnership with cocoa and chocolate companies, government bodies, and implementing and research partners through pooled funding in Côte d'Ivoire, humility and simplicity were crucial. As a partnership broker, we didn't come in with all the answers, we came in with a clear vision and a lot of listening.
2. Empathy and Trust-Building
Empathy, the ability to genuinely understand and consider others' experiences and motivation, is a cornerstone of trust in partnerships. Trust is cultivated through transparency, consistent behavior, and a willingness to be vulnerable. In Promise or Pitfall?, Juliet Prager underscores how emotional competence and differentiated and sensitive communication are central to resilient partnerships.
3. Adaptability and Cultural Intelligence
Partnerships often span multiple organizations, sectors, and geographies. This diversity necessitates a high degree of cultural intelligence and adaptability. The SDG Partnership Guidebook outlines how flexibility in navigating different organizational cultures is a non-negotiable skill.
4. Comfort with Ambiguity and Risk
Collaborative efforts are inherently uncertain. Leaders must be comfortable operating without all the answers and making decisions in evolving environments. The Handbook by Co-Impact talks about embracing an experimental mindset, a lesson I also had to internalize. I am a person who loves planning and knowing the details of any given initiative. Letting go of that and at the same time starting to embrace ambiguity, collaborative emergence and calculated risk is something I had to acquire over the years. And it's a skill that I value immensely.
5. Letting Go of Ego and Brand
Perhaps the most difficult, yet transformative, mindset is the willingness to let go of ego. In Big Bet Philanthropy and the Big Shift to Working With Government published in Stanford Social Innovation Review, the authors Rakesh Rajani and Tim Hanstad speak about adopting a “low-ego, low-logo” approach to work with governments. From personal experience, I know how tempting it can be for organizations to seek visibility for one’s own organization. But lasting impact demands that we subordinate branding and individual recognition to the shared mission of the partnership.
6. Active Communication and Listening
Effective communicators not only articulate their views but also actively listen. This includes being open to critique, seeking feedback, and facilitating conversations that include all voices. In Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust's Shifting Power: Exploring the value of pooled funds in the UK funding landscape report, the authors Lena Baumgartner and Alice Sachrajda emphasize how low-burden, values-led communication is key to leveling the playing field in a partnership.
7. Strategic Patience and Long-Term Vision
True impact takes time. Individuals setting up and managing partnerships must resist the pressure for quick wins and instead foster long-term thinking. This theme also recurs throughout the Foundations Partnering With the World Bank Stanford Social Innovation Review article by Leslie Tsai , which demonstrates how systems change unfolds over years, not quarters. In my previously mentioned cocoa-sector collaboration experience in Côte d'Ivoire, building trust in the beginning of our partnership took a considerable amount of time. Many stakeholders hesitated to join unless others committed first. Some distrusted the process or each other; others cited bureaucratic delays and timing concerns. Through it all, it was essential to stay patient, be consistent, and keep reiterating the shared vision. Only through perseverance did the partnership eventually take shape.
8. Political Savvy and Diplomacy
Finally, partnerships are never immune to organizational politics, whether around visibility, influence, or strategic priorities. Navigating this terrain requires political savvy and a deep sense of diplomacy. One must be able to understand institutional dynamics, align diverse interests, and manage tensions without escalating conflict. It’s a delicate balance between honoring each partner’s position and staying true to the collective vision. In practice, I’ve found that maintaining a neutral stance, while championing shared goals and listening deeply, helps mitigate turf wars and fosters a spirit of collaboration.
From Technical Frameworks to Transformational Collaborations
Relevant technical tools and formal structures are essential for partnership development. They are, however, not sufficient on their own. The intangible qualities and mindsets of the people involved determine whether collaborations will simply be transactional or truly transformational. For funders, NGOs, governments, and businesses alike, investing in the cultivation of these mindsets may be the most strategic and underleveraged tool for long-term success and sustainable impact through collaboration at scale.
As someone who has walked this path, I can attest: the hardest part of partnerships isn't building the tools or governance frameworks. It's reshaping yourself to show up in ways again and again that center the collective good.
The next time we think about building a partnership, let us start not with the framework, but with the people and the mindsets they bring to the table.