Building coalitions

BUILDING COALITIONS

@LeadershipInst @PauloSibaja

Leadership Institute

The Things You Didn’t Learn in

School and Won’t Learn in the

Real World

Building Coalitions Leadership Institute @LeadershipInst @PauloSibaja

IN THIS PRESENTATION

• Identifying Coalition Members

• Coalition Management

• Supporters

• Detractors

• Working Coalitions

Building Coalitions Leadership Institute @LeadershipInst @PauloSibaja

IDENTIFYING COALITION MEMBERS

• Bringing groups into your project/campaign

• Voter ID & Targeting

• Credibility

Building Coalitions Leadership Institute @LeadershipInst @PauloSibaja

IDENTIFYING COALITION MEMBERS

• Understanding your project/campaign

• Identifying project/campaign deficit

• Target specific groups: • Taxpayers

• Business

• Professions

• People of faith

Building Coalitions Leadership Institute @LeadershipInst @PauloSibaja

Business Community

Corporations Manufacturing Service Conglomerate

Trade Associations

Geography Interest

Philosophy Policy

Generic Chambers

Commerce Econ Development

Size Geography

IDENTIFYING COALITION MEMBERS

Building Coalitions Leadership Institute @LeadershipInst @PauloSibaja

IDENTIFYING COALITION MEMBERS

Home Depot

Shareholders Employees Customers

Craft Management Residential Business

Building Coalitions Leadership Institute @LeadershipInst @PauloSibaja

IDENTIFYING COALITION MEMBERS

• List each group

• Determine their perceived position

• Determine actual position

• Which groups’ positions can you influence?

Building Coalitions Leadership Institute @LeadershipInst @PauloSibaja

IDENTIFYING COALITION MEMBERS

Perceived Position Who Do We Know? What Do We Know?

Focus on:

• Historical Knowledge

• Institutional Memory

Actual Position To find out:

• Ask Them • Ask Others • Do your

homework

Potential Position

Where Might They Be?

What Might They Do?

How Might They Help?

Building Coalitions Leadership Institute @LeadershipInst @PauloSibaja

COALITIONS MANAGEMENT

Potentially Positive Groups:

Incorporate into your project/campaign

Building Coalitions Leadership Institute @LeadershipInst @PauloSibaja

COALITIONS MANAGEMENT

Potentially Negative Groups:

Neutralize when possible.

Building Coalitions Leadership Institute @LeadershipInst @PauloSibaja

COALITIONS MANAGEMENT

• Identify potential threats on stakeholder matrix.

• Determine which can be neutralized.

• Build relationships

• Identify common ground

• Identify support within the group

• Organize counter-groups

Building Coalitions Leadership Institute @LeadershipInst @PauloSibaja

COALITIONS MANAGEMENT

• Prepare to approach the leadership

• What are the leaders’ names?

• Non-profit, civic, community, etc?

• Membership requirements?

Building Coalitions Leadership Institute @LeadershipInst @PauloSibaja

COALITIONS MANAGEMENT

• Newsletter? Circulation?

• Calendar of events? Important holidays, or observances?

• Partisan? Causes they’ve adopted in the past? Public policy interests?

Building Coalitions Leadership Institute @LeadershipInst @PauloSibaja

COALITIONS MANAGEMENT

• Approach leadership or entire group (depending on circumstances)

• Your victory is their victory

• When time is right, ask for their support - Don’t expect it if you don’t ASK

Building Coalitions Leadership Institute @LeadershipInst @PauloSibaja

WORKING COALITIONS

• Formal endorsement

• Financial support from group and/or members?

• Membership list for voter database?

• Issues with using lists

Building Coalitions Leadership Institute @LeadershipInst @PauloSibaja

WORKING COALITIONS

• Communication to members of group’s support?

• Volunteers?

• Surrogate speakers?

• Voter registration?

• Participation in events?

Building Coalitions Leadership Institute @LeadershipInst @PauloSibaja

The Leadership Institute

QUESTIONS?

The Leadership Institute 1101 North Highland Street

Arlington, VA 22201 Phone: (703) 247-2000 or (800) 827-5323(LEAD)

Fax: (703) 247-2001