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Power Mapping for

Effective Collaboration

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Welcome Welcome to the SelfSelf--Directed Quick Course: Power Mapping for Effective Directed Quick Course: Power Mapping for Effective

CollaborationCollaboration. It is expected that this course is self-led by your project team.

By completing this Quick Course, your team will:

Recognize the benefits of collaborating

Maximize your current partnerships

Identify others that you need to engage in your collaboration

Like many professionals and volunteers, time is likely your most precious resource. Collaboration takes both time and effort. Therefore many take the, “It’s easier to do it by myself approach.” However, our research continues to demonstrate that the programs that go it alone are often not sustainable. Those that effectively collaborate get recognition, support and are often able to embed themselves as a sustainable service within the community. The following example illustrates how collaboration with the right partners can help ensure the long term sustainability of your program.

A consortium received an Outreach grant to establish primary care services in a community with no local health care. Grant funds were used to hire a primary care provider and open a clinic in the community. Consortium partners were committed to sustaining the clinic beyond the grant period, and knew that the clinic couldn’t make it on third party reimbursements alone. They recruited a group of influential people in the community to advocate for the establishment of a local taxing district to generate funds to support the clinic. Voters supported the referendum to establish the taxing district and those funds are supporting the clinic today.

Ask yourself:

How could collaboration with other stakeholders positively impact the implementation of our program?

How could collaboration with other stakeholders positively impact the sustainability of our program?

i.i. Welcome Welcome

ii.ii. What is Effective What is Effective

Collaboration? Collaboration?

iii.iii. Why Bother with Why Bother with

Collaboration? Collaboration?

iv.iv. Power Mapping: Power Mapping:

A Strategy to Get A Strategy to Get

Started Started

Quick Quick

Course Course

OutlineOutline

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What is Effective Collaboration? Effective Collaboration can mean many different things. For our purposes, let’s start by set-ting up a standard definition to keep everyone on the same page.

EFFECTIVE COLLABORATION: EFFECTIVE COLLABORATION: Engaging partner organizations in meaningful ways such as sharing resources and responsibility for program activities.

WHAT IT TAKES?WHAT IT TAKES?

EffectiveEffective

COLLABORATIONCOLLABORATION

[[Takes a different Takes a different

mindset than a mindset than a

SOLOSOLO approachapproach]]

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Why Bother to Collaborate? When looking at a program that has successfully collaborated, three key results can typically be spotted. In general they:

Ensure Knowledge of Program

Create Interdependence

Your program has a much higher chance of sustainability if your partners are engaged and understand the value of your program to themselves and to the community.

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Pre-work: Assessing our Current Structure

Before you look at the entire system, it is important to take a look at your current partners and identify how you are working together, and how those partnerships might be better leveraged. The table below is a great way to start the discussion.

As you reflect on the information you collected in the table, ask yourself the

following:

Is there a way for current partners to play a more active role in the collaborating?

Are you fully leveraging the resources, influence and position that your partner

agencies have to offer?

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Power Mapping: A Strategy to Get You Started Identifying the partners you have or you would like to have is fairly easy. Building or

initiating a collaborative relationship can feel daunting. Power Mapping is strategy to help

you get started. For our purposes we’ll break Power Mapping into six steps:

Choose one of your major program outcomes of your program to start Choose one of your major program outcomes of your program to start Choose one of your major program outcomes of your program to start

List names of organizations and individuals that will be needed to achieve List names of organizations and individuals that will be needed to achieve List names of organizations and individuals that will be needed to achieve

your desired outcome your desired outcome your desired outcome

Label and Define the X and Y axes Label and Define the X and Y axes Label and Define the X and Y axes

Plot the names along a simple matrix according to influence and level of Plot the names along a simple matrix according to influence and level of Plot the names along a simple matrix according to influence and level of

support support support

Identify the people or organizations that are most important to achieving your Identify the people or organizations that are most important to achieving your Identify the people or organizations that are most important to achieving your

desired outcome desired outcome desired outcome

Repeat this process for each of your major program outcomes Repeat this process for each of your major program outcomes Repeat this process for each of your major program outcomes

Materials Needed:

Butcher paper or flip chart (1 piece per objective should do) Several sticky notes per person (10-20) Markers (1 per person)

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Power Mapping: Step 1 For each of the major outcomes of your program

Consider the major objectives of your program. The outcomes listed in your Consider the major objectives of your program. The outcomes listed in your Consider the major objectives of your program. The outcomes listed in your

logic model are a great place to start. logic model are a great place to start. logic model are a great place to start.

To begin, select one of the outcomes to focus on for the Power Mapping To begin, select one of the outcomes to focus on for the Power Mapping To begin, select one of the outcomes to focus on for the Power Mapping

exercise. List this outcome across the top of a flip chart or piece of butcher exercise. List this outcome across the top of a flip chart or piece of butcher exercise. List this outcome across the top of a flip chart or piece of butcher

paper. Display the paper where everyone can clearly see it. paper. Display the paper where everyone can clearly see it. paper. Display the paper where everyone can clearly see it.

Next, draw a typical X and Y axis plotting graph as seen below. (Relax; there Next, draw a typical X and Y axis plotting graph as seen below. (Relax; there Next, draw a typical X and Y axis plotting graph as seen below. (Relax; there

is no algebra involved in this process.) You will label these axes later in the is no algebra involved in this process.) You will label these axes later in the is no algebra involved in this process.) You will label these axes later in the

process. process. process.

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Power Mapping: Step 2 List names of organizations and individuals whom you might need to engage in order to achieve the

outcome

Note: the table you used to assess current partnerships will likely come in handy here, but the list will

probably be longer

Give everyone at the table a small pad of sticky notes. Give everyone at the table a small pad of sticky notes. Give everyone at the table a small pad of sticky notes.

List the names of those organizations or individuals whom you should engage List the names of those organizations or individuals whom you should engage List the names of those organizations or individuals whom you should engage

for this particular outcome. Use the list below to trigger some thoughts. for this particular outcome. Use the list below to trigger some thoughts. for this particular outcome. Use the list below to trigger some thoughts.

Jackie M

eyers

Jackie M

eyers

(Cancer Walk

(Cancer Walk

coordinato

r)

coordinato

r)

Fit C

hic

ks Gym

Fit C

hic

ks Gym

Chamber of

Chamber of

Commerce

Commerce

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Power Mapping: Step 3A Label and define the X-Axis

X-Axis: Level of support an identified organization or individual has over the particular

outcome you have identified.

Label the XLabel the XLabel the X---axis from left to right with “Least Supportive of Outcome” to axis from left to right with “Least Supportive of Outcome” to axis from left to right with “Least Supportive of Outcome” to

“Most Supportive of Outcome.” “Most Supportive of Outcome.” “Most Supportive of Outcome.”

As a group discuss how you would define supportive and nonAs a group discuss how you would define supportive and nonAs a group discuss how you would define supportive and non---supportive in supportive in supportive in

terms of your outcome. (What qualities or characteristics would those terms of your outcome. (What qualities or characteristics would those terms of your outcome. (What qualities or characteristics would those

individuals or organizations possess?) individuals or organizations possess?) individuals or organizations possess?)

For Example: Alignment of mission, program focus, achieving your objective is For Example: Alignment of mission, program focus, achieving your objective is For Example: Alignment of mission, program focus, achieving your objective is

a win for them as well a win for them as well a win for them as well

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Power Mapping: Step 3B Label and define the Y-Axis

Y Axis The level of influence that an organizational or individual has of the work you are

doing to achieve the identified outcome.

Label the YLabel the YLabel the Y---axis from bottom to top with “Not Influential in Terms of axis from bottom to top with “Not Influential in Terms of axis from bottom to top with “Not Influential in Terms of

Outcome” to “Highly Influential in Terms of Outcome.” Outcome” to “Highly Influential in Terms of Outcome.” Outcome” to “Highly Influential in Terms of Outcome.”

As a group discuss how you would define low influence and highly influential As a group discuss how you would define low influence and highly influential As a group discuss how you would define low influence and highly influential

in terms of your outcome. (What qualities or characteristics would those in terms of your outcome. (What qualities or characteristics would those in terms of your outcome. (What qualities or characteristics would those

individuals or organizations possess?) individuals or organizations possess?) individuals or organizations possess?)

For Example: Ability to affect policy change, access to essential resources, For Example: Ability to affect policy change, access to essential resources, For Example: Ability to affect policy change, access to essential resources,

inroads to populations you seek to serve inroads to populations you seek to serve inroads to populations you seek to serve

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Power Mapping: Step 4 Plot the names along a simple matrix according to influence and level of support

Label the ends of the X and Y axis with labels as show below (see next page for

clarification

As a team, discuss which organization or individual with the most influence/power

over your outcome

Plot the sticky with that organization’s or individual’s name along the graph above

X axis

Continue plotting the remaining sticky notes as a group

As each sticky is posted, share the relationship they have with your organization,

how much influence they have, whether they are typically cooperative

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Power Mapping: Details of the Graph

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Power Mapping: Step 5 Identify a few key people or organizations in which your team should target to build

collaborative relation

Take note of trends or generalizations that could be made by looking at your

graph

Identify positive items

Note improvements needed

Prioritize a few of the organizations/individuals to focus on building

collaborative relationships with

Ask yourself

What does our program have to offer this group/person?

What does this group/person have to offer to us?

Are there any areas where we overlap duties or services that could be

more efficient if shared?

List next steps for building those relationships and take action ships

Power Mapping: Step 6 Repeat this process for each of your major program outcomes

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Resources “Power Mapping.” The Change Agency. Available at www.thechangeagency.org.

Power Mapping: A Tool For Utilizing Networks. Bonner Curriculum. Available at

www.bonner.org.

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