Many of us have come to understand that we need to reach out to new allies and partners if we’re going to make progress on the challenges we face. But real collaboration is often much more difficult than we expect. Maybe these new partners think differently from us. There could be a history of distrust. We suspect there are hidden agendas. There is no visible common ground.

The Stretch Collaboration course dives into the challenges and practices of collaborating with people who think differently from ourselves. We examine common misunderstandings and look at real life examples of effective cross-sector partnerships and multi-stakeholder alliances. Participants learn how to create just enough structure for both agreement and disagreement while finding a way forward together.

The course on “Stretch Collaboration” is based on Reos Partners Director Adam Kahane’s 2017 book, “Collaborating with the Enemy: how to work with people you don’t agree with or like or trust” as well as on the work of Reos Partners in convening and facilitating multi-stakeholder partnerships for over a decade.

Course dates and time slots:

1. Monday, 27 September: 15:00 - 17:30 pm (CET)
2. Tuesday, 28 September: 15:00 - 17:30 pm (CET)
3. Wednesday, 29 September: 15:00 - 17:30 pm (CET)
4. Thursday, 30 September: 15:00 - 17:30 pm (CET)

During the 4 modules of 2.5 hours each, participants gain skills and perspectives that help them successfully:

• Recognize when and why it makes sense to enter into a “stretch collaboration”.
• Identify collaborators towards a specified purpose.
• Initiate collaboration with those who see themselves as allies, competitors, or even adversaries.
• Set up a collaboration to leverage the strengths of each member when working across sectors, disciplines and worldviews.
• Sustain a healthy collaboration through embracing both conflict and connection.

Join us in September for our first stretch collaboration course of 2021!