As we all know, it is not always easy to track and keep up with a Twitter conversation. And when a chat is as lively as our last one was, look out!

That is why we feel so blessed to have Megan McFadden from Everywun who volunteered once again to sort through all those tweets in our last chat, to keep track of the various conversations and questions. There is no way we can thank Megan enough!!

As we prepare for next week’s chat, we thought it would be helpful for everyone to see what was discussed last time – including and especially the “key learnings” folks shared when all was said and done.

Key Learnings:

  • Orgs who focus on mutual vision can benefit from shared resources, visibility and impact
  • Building trust and true cooperation takes time and building on successes
  • General assumption is that competition is reality so must incorporate into thinking
  • Platitudes, but not specific examples are common

In your consulting, do you encourage your clients to be competitive or cooperative?

  • I would say collaboration as so much more can be accomplished when organizations work together
  • In this economy several of my clients are working on back office collaborations to benefit from economy of scale
  • Most org cultures resist collaboration out of fear of loss of power and control…..changes with initial success
  • I have been working on multi org collaborations around capital campaigns, insurance, finance and property management among others
  • I find many organizations are in a competitive mind set Helping them focus on vision leads to possible collaborators
  • cb/npo competition can be good – e.g. driving innovation – but can also shift focus away from those actually serving
  • So agree! npo/cb collab brings economy of scale – resources, visibility, impact. adding to the signal, not the noise
  • I like the idea that focusing on vision leads to greater collaboration. Great point
  • I focus on Creating the Desired Future in strategic planning resulting visions make need to collaborate clear.
  • Assuming that the sector is overpopulated, competition is really necessary to help ensure resources get to the right places…
  • However, orgs who truly put mission above ego, legacy, etc. can help collaborate to ensure the best use of resources.

What has your experience been with the effectiveness of backoffice collaboration?

  • Once you deal with confidentiality issues, the key if finding a larger partner who has full and competent staff and systems
  • I’ve worked on several where the orgs have similar prospect bases. Donors like one ask and the discipline collaboration brings
  • I am totally fascinated. CapCampaigns are among most competitive aspects of this work, yet collab works! Woo hoo!
  • Can you share more re: “larger partner” Is this a sm group colab w/lg group for mutual campaign? (Confused – sorry)
  • Larger partner related to back office collaboration..org that could provide sophisticated and low cost bookkeeping, accounting etc
  • First meet with the indiv execs to explore potential and then meet with them in group to…. to address their concerns. Must get them on board before going to lay leadership. Execs are most likely to derail in beginning, we develop understandings that are put in writing and gradually involve bd members to fine tune collaboration focus and process, Once the group of execs and selected lay leaders come to agreement we process it through each boad, Final step is to establish memos of understandings. All along way need to minimize potential of “gorilla” in rm to take over

Does competition drive innovation more than collaboration does?

  • Major funders in a community are driving force for most capital campaign collaborations..They encourage it as part of capacity bldg
  • I think collaboration drives innovation through the sharing of ideas. Synergy-we all work better together.
  • I think collaboration is always better than competition. Competition promotes short cuts and hype, not real innovation.
  • In our times, I feel strongly that collab leads to greater innovation. This may not have always been the case + may not remain true
  • Competition alwys makes me wonder b/c it connotes winners & losers.Does that make sense for Commty Benefit Orgs?
  • Do those capital campaign collaborations produce true collaboration for lasting change
  • competition can open the eyes of an org outward – unseat complacency, catalyze new ways of thinking about solutions
  • When collaborations work they ultimately lead to more significant collaborations. The cap campaigns were not their initial collabs
  • I’ve also found that the more innovative & effective programs come when 2 diff orgs collaborate – and greater audiences benefit
  • My issue with competition is that lot of energy is wasted, which used collaboratively cld be leveraged more usefully. #NPCons
  • Some forms of competition are good if it results in more service, better quality and outcomes ….not at others expense

So then which will benefit communities more – organizations that are competitive or cooperative?

  • Our mission is collab/ “combining efforts,” but I can see the benefit in increased efficiency from competition
  • Getting orgs to initially collab takes a lot of work, process and building of trust…Worth it but not easy..gets great results
  • What do you do as a consultant to help facilitate that trust-building?
  • in one case it was property management, in another it was community education and collaborative delivery of services
  • When collaborations work they ultimately lead to more significant collaborations.
    “competition” doesn’t have to mean competing against – it’s can be about making space for more solutions
  • Wow -Usually folks encourage collab for increased efficiency. Can you share example of compet increasing efficiency?
  • Competition should def not be a driving force for your org or actions. Do what you do well and work to do it better
  • the key is finding the balance – the downside is a shift in focus away from mission and risk toward power + recognition
  • w/competition we look inward at what can we do as org; w/collaboration we focus outward on what is possible
  • A real benefit of collaboration is also decrease in costs per organization, freeing up money for other services/initiatives.
  • A lengthy process but ultimately sounds like it has led to some successful collaborations for community benefit

Can organizations simultaneously compete and cooperate?

  • competition + cooperation can be a strong combination, key is finding the complements so collaboration can happen
  • absolutely – if the focus is the competition not the constituent
  • There are areas of competition (for funding, audiences, etc.) but also for collab (resources, strategies, awareness)
  • Many orgs will find they compete w/in their specific area and collab with orgs that differ. The trick is keeping their minds open
  • Competition ..connotes winners & losers.. #npcons -| |- The original meaning = to strive together for the betterment of all
  • Doesn’t competition improve everyone’s performance?
  • Healthy coopetition is possible, but the organizations have to participate in complementary parts of the value chain.
  • Or providing more funds to collaborative projects. Some orgs are working towards a similar goal & can share resources
  • collab btwn orgs on resources/ best practices & competition for funding

Are there benefits to competion, or are we just accepting it as “reality”? In your practice, do you encourage competition?

  • Is there a list somewhere of ‘collaboration consultants’? Ie, pros who work with orgs to help them leverage collab
  • 2 resources I know of – 1) Graduates of the Cmty-Driven Institute’s Consultant Trainings 2) HNKConsultants is funder-sponsored online cmty of consultants doing strength-based work http://is.gd/2kgIe
  • they can collaborate with each other to become competitive (together) in mainstream marketplaces
  • No. What’s needed to improve our resource usage is not org competition, but a pooling of human and financial resources
  • I encourage and embrace Transparent Competition- with the dawn of Social media things are more transparent naturally
  • what would collaborative consulting look like?
  • I think it looks like authentic, transparent alignment of orgs who bring diff but complimentary skills and resources
  • All charity is local- and the best donors are those who have a vested interest in a specific piece of the philanthropic pie
  • What the world needs from our sector right now is to move out of org silos and start working with all we’ve got cross-dimensionally
  • Hypothetical – wht happens when 2 orgs compete & 1 improves performance – does it share how w/ the other? Shld it?

Do we consultants collaborate? (Do funders for that matter?)

  • with fundraising I encourage collabs to make smaller orgs more competitive when they join forces
  • Been mtg w/many NPRs 4 collab opportunity. My experience: bigger NPR not nimble decision makers. Need 2 B easier to collab with
  • increasing efficiency of funding usage, not necessarily more efficient NPO work/ innovation #NPcons ^AH
  • I’ve just joined the www.i-propeller.com office in Bxl. They do collaborative consulting for corps w/academics & se’s
  • At least in Detroit, I notice more and more funders who are collaborating… sends a strong message to nonprofits.

What does all this mean for what you teach your clients? Are you teaching them to compete (std fundraising & mktg)?

  • We can teach clients how to share resources, how to engage others, how to build on their own assets.
  • NPsystems assume compet is reality, but we can teach clients to work non-competitively.
  • Are there truly competing NPs offering the exact same thing? Imagine the long tail, surely there is a specific niche to target
  • I think the challenge is shifting from focus on org. survival to achieving mission. That an org. continues is not always best.
  • Admit I have in past taught them to position themselves well to compete – e.g., recruitment easier if have good strategic plan
  • amystark RT @TammieJones #npcons I think the challenge is shifting from focus on org. survival to achieving mission. -| |- Amen!
  • Collaborative consulting easier with individuals than big firms. Guess it needs shared/split accountability not sub-contracts
  • Our job as consultants changes when we teach how to cooperate – not collaborate, but real cooperation.
  • a tip from from experience: orgs need to know how & when to develop collaboration agreements covering each parties needs.
  • When we see competition as “reality” that’s how we act. When we assume we can work cooperatvely to a shared vision, all is possible!
  • My opinion: old way was Find Me, Sell Me. Now it’s Know Me, Help Me. Engaging is a must

Thanks to everyone who participated, and again, many many many thanks to Megan!!