Finding Allies, Building Alliances: 8 Elements that Bring—and Keep—People Together

SEVEN

A Formal Charter

Framing a purpose is only one part of the groundwork for an effective value alliance. If participants lack common expectations about how the alliance will go about its business, they are unlikely to accomplish anything. Hence the need for a written charter.

A formal charter confers official status on the group and also creates the structure necessary for productivity. A charter can vary in complexity, depending on the situation. A value alliance convened by the leader of an enterprise to organize a collaborative effort among divisions may not need the same level of detail as one initiating an effort to establish common ...