What does it take to solve large-scale problems across complex systems? Coalition building enables people to go beyond mere compromise. It catalyzes strategic and creative thinking—and inspires new levels of coordinated execution.
When organizations take on large-scale problems, efforts typically stall because of the complexity of the issues, the shifting sands of organizational and political allegiance, and positional rigidity among the parties. More fundamentally, things break down because of competing mental models and theories about change and about what it takes to create change. Rarely, if ever, do stakeholder dialogues reach into these levels and transform them; and yet this is precisely what is required to produce fundamental change.
Real results happen only when there is a coalition of leaders and stakeholders who can act and think together in a coherent manner.
Dialogue is a critical skill required in these high stakes situations, yet it is also all too often in very short supply. Over the past two decades Dialogos has been quietly developing an approach to coalition building and partnering that has begun to bear real fruit.
Our Coalition Building Services include:
Preparation and selection of participants to produce the optimal mix of inclusion and effectiveness.
Identification of core substantive domains and central questions.
Design of transformative processes that produce systemic understanding and genuine dialogue.
Application of transformative methodologies for engaging participants to enable them to shift mental models and generate unprecedented insights.
Development of capacity in convenors and participants.
Capture and documentation of the process.
Recent projects include:
South Asia Economic Transformation
Recently, the senior leadership of a global international development organization convened a series of high-level dialogues on economic development South Asia. Participants in these informal, off the record gatherings have included senior country officials, advisors to prime ministers spanning five countries, experts and policy analysts, private sector leaders, and representatives of civil society. These dialogues have produced an unprecedented level of engagement and strategic insight. It has resulted in the formation of a “champions group” of senior leaders who are actively committed to working together to deliver change in several key domains, in particular around Energy and Trade Facilitation, and delivered a shared and transformative strategic plan for the region.
Energy Transition Forum
Dialogos recently designed and facilitated dialogues for an “Energy Transition Forum.” This session included senior private and public sector leaders, Environmental leaders, Foundation leaders, and policy analysts.