The real secret to coalition success
Written by zoe ALEXIS WHITEHORN
We’ve all felt that magic moment in a coalition meeting. That instant when two dozen different perspectives click into place behind a brilliant idea. We build coalitions for this very reason – to make change happen that can’t happen when we work in isolation.
I’ve helped manage coalitions, led task forces and been just a quiet participant, so I've also seen the flip side of that magic: the drain of 50 reply-all email chains about scheduling, meetings that drag, alignment that never quite crystallizes.
It’s no wonder this friction saps coalition members’ energy and stalls progress. Coalitions are often powered by passionate people squeezing this work in on top of demanding jobs.
This brings me to the real secret of coalition building. A coalition is only as effective as its internal communications. How we communicate *internally* creates the trust and alignment needed to win *externally.*
build a foundation of trust first
Successful coalitions can create a strong foundation by setting expectations together. Our tried-and-true way to do that is holding a strategic kickoff meeting dedicated solely to co-designing the communications rules of the road, which ensures everyone feels a sense of ownership from the beginning.
Research even shows that laying out protocols from the onset is key to sustaining coalitions long-term. In your kickoff, you might work together to answer:
Communication cadence. How often can members expect a formal update? What's the protocol for an urgent communication? What is a reasonable timeframe for a response to an email?
Communicating decisions. How will input be gathered and acknowledged before a decision is made? How and when will final decisions be communicated to all members to ensure transparency?
A culture of affirmation. How will we use our internal communications (emails, meeting shout-outs) to celebrate our collective wins and acknowledge individual contributions?
Framing the conversation this way keeps the focus squarely on communication and not on governance. This trusting foundation then makes all the other work possible.
drop an anchor, every time
Provide an anchor of context in every interaction – whether kicking off a meeting or sending an email. This helps avoid confusion and build understanding.
It could be a quick three-part orientation at the top of the call or beginning of an important email:
Where we’ve been. "Quick reminder, we all agreed on the core messaging at our last meeting."
Where we are now. "Today, our goal is to decide on the three best communications channels to share that message."
Where we’re going. "By the end of this call, we’ll have clear next steps for the communications task force."
Of course, don’t forget to sign off by reminding people what they can expect next and defining clear action items.
respect the inbox, friends
Between meetings, your work happens in the inbox. It’s where you sustain momentum and drive action.
Here are a few non-negotiables to respect coalition members’ very full inboxes:
Use tiered subject lines. Signal what you need right up front. A simple tag like [ACTION REQUIRED] or [FYI] helps partners prioritize.
Add a TL;DR. For any email longer than a few paragraphs, a "Too Long; Didn't Read" summary at the top shows deep respect for your partners' time. This is also a fantastic place to let the robots give you a hand.
🤖 Popping a lengthy email into an AI tool and asking for a three-sentence summary is a quick, clever way to make collaboration easier for everyone. (Remember: protect privacy according to your org’s ethical AI guidelines.)
Centralize documents. Create a shared, easy-to-access place for all key documents. This makes it easy for everyone to find what they need and contribute effectively.
Coalitions are powerful, optimistic powerhouses, and they deserve our intentionality with smart comms. We can't change laws, shape narratives or build bigger tents unless we actually work together seamlessly.
P.S. If you and your coalition are working to build stronger systems, our Capacity Building & Technical Assistance might be a great fit. We help leaders facilitate these exact kinds of conversations and co-design the clear, trust-based processes that make mission-driven work possible.
