Partnership is one of those words we use so often that it can start to lose its meaning.
In local government, almost everything worth accomplishing requires partnership. Cities cannot solve housing challenges alone. We cannot build a strong economy without businesses, educators, and entrepreneurs. Public safety depends on relationships among law enforcement, neighborhoods, schools, service providers, and families. Addressing homelessness, improving health, supporting young people, and preparing for growth all require people and organizations willing to work across boundaries.
But putting several logos on a flyer or sponsoring an event does not necessarily make something a partnership.
The strongest partnerships I have experienced in Columbia begin with a shared understanding of the problem and a willingness to listen. A recent example is the group of community partners working with Columbia/Boone County Public Health and Human Services staff to develop a strategic plan focused on homelessness. The strategic planning process started with listening to the community and those affected most.
The plan will help us create action items for the community to work on together to prevent and reduce homelessness. While the goals and objectives will be important to achieving a solution where homelessness is rare, brief, and nonrecurring, it is the partners working on developing and implementing the plan that will make the biggest difference.
Like other collaborative projects we have conducted, this project involves people bringing different resources, perspectives, and responsibilities to the table. Sometimes one partner has funding. Another has expertise. Another has relationships with people most affected by the issue. And sometimes the most important contribution is simply showing up consistently and doing the work.
Authentic partnerships also require some humility.
If we stand in a room believing we already know the answer, we are not really partnering. If we tell our partners what they should be doing without first listening to what they are doing, we are not collaborating. If we are not authentically engaging in finding solutions by sharing the responsibility, risk, or work, that partnership will eventually feel hollow.
Communities notice.
The good news is that authentic partnership does not require everyone to agree. In fact, some of the most productive partnerships include people who disagree quite a bit. The goal is not uniformity. It is clarity about what we are trying to accomplish, honesty about where our interests differ, and respect for what each person brings to the work.
I have seen this across Columbia. Our community is at its best when local government, Boone County, the University of Missouri, Columbia Public Schools, nonprofits, neighborhood leaders, businesses, and residents recognize that none of us has all the answers — or all the tools.
That kind of partnership can move more slowly. It requires meetings that are not particularly exciting. It means answering emails, sharing information, following through on commitments, and sometimes letting someone else get the credit. It also means having difficult conversations when expectations are not being met.
That is what makes the relationship real.
As Columbia continues to grow, we will need more partnerships, not fewer. We will also need to be thoughtful about what we mean when we use that word.
My advice is simple: Start with the problem, not the partnership announcement. Invite people to the table early. Be clear about what each partner can contribute. Listen to the people most affected. Share both responsibility and credit. Most importantly, keep showing up after the press release has gone out and the photo has been taken.
Because partnership is not a title we give ourselves. It is something we demonstrate through our actions, over time. And when we get it right, our entire community is stronger for it.
