Sharing the Load -Teamwork Between and Within Community-Business Partners

• Share responsibilities. Don't have just one or two partnership drivers in your group or business.

• Appoint "deputies." By appointing "deputies", partnership duties are more evenly shared. It also means there is someone ready to take over responsibilities if people are sick, unavailable or leave the organisation.

• Share information. Linked to appointing deputies is the need to share information. Again, it helps make sure the partnership runs well if people are absent, and carries on if people leave.

• Communication. Talk about the partnership and communicate its aims and activities. The more people in your organisation who know about your partnership and what it does, the better.

• Jointly organise activities. Don't just have one partner doing all the organising and the other following behind. Organise together or take it in turns.

• Be cooperative in your approach to all parts of the partnership. Work together and co-operate across elements like planning, event coordination, conflict resolution, reviews and decision-making and communication.

There will be times when one partner is under more stress than usual, such as busy sales times for businesses at Christmas, or the lead-up to big events or launches for a community group. There are periods where your own priorities will be far more important than your role in a partnership.

When this occurs, or when your partner is under some stress, there are a few things you can do to help:

• Take the lead in partnership activities.
  


• Contact your partner with an offer to help, either with the partnership or the issue in question.


• Offer to:
  • bring in your own materials or tools;
  • host events or hold meetings at your premises rather than theirs;
  • re-schedule.
• Be understanding.
  • If your partner is under stress, they may need some more time and space to look after their own backyard. Understand this, and give them the time they need.