Have you ever watched a music producer at work? They are experts in taking disparate elements and blending them into one unique sound. They make subtle adjustments and multiple decisions to get the balance right between voices, instruments, treble and bass.
The challenge for corporate partnership managers is very similar. They too, are the mix masters, bringing together corporate prospects, internal teams, program experts, leadership, PR and marketing, overlaid with an accompaniment of positivity and inspiration. It’s rewarding but exhausting.
Every day is a balancing act to sustain not only success but your own wellbeing. Like the mix master you’re working the sliders up and down depending on the demands and priorities of the day. The best results come from balance, not from muting any one part, especially your own wellbeing.
Let’s acknowledge the challenges of balancing wellbeing and building resilience in partnership managers.
You’re human and not bullet-proof. People talk about resilience as if it’s a shield of armour you can buy off the shelf. Authors like Angela Duckworth talk about the need for grit- a steely determination that trumps talent. Meanwhile you’re feeling burned out, fragile, lonely or under-valued.
There are four main factors you’re balancing: emotional, relational, practical and aspirational.
Emotional
You’ve made the decision to forego the corporate salary and perks to have a life with more purpose. You may even have personal experience with your chosen cause. There is deep emotional connection to the work, with your personal values more closely aligned. If you’re in a corporate job selling banking products or washing powder you can feel a professional satisfaction, but rarely that same emotional attachment. Which makes it so much harder when success seems elusive or far away. Delays, disappointments and diversions can make it feel like a personal failure, not just a business hurdle.
You can balance the emotional toll by not taking it personally. If the partnership doesn’t come to fruition it’s not a judgment on you as a person. It’s simply that the timing isn’t right, the fit isn’t strong or the corporate wants to go in another direction. Your role is to help them make a decision that makes sense for their business, and failure is not a reflection on your worth as a human being.
Relational
Non-profits often lack corporate style infrastructure, systems or decision processes and rely on interpersonal relationships. Getting something you need to win a partnership can boil down to whether you’re friends with Sally in marketing, not a considered decision on ROI. But you’re probably working with colleagues that don’t understand partnerships and often don’t want to be involved. Every human craves a sense of belonging, so it can be disheartening to feel like you don’t fit into a fundraising team that’s set up to do something different.
Reconnect with your WHY. In the midst of busyness you can lose sight of why you’re doing what you’re doing. What is it about your cause that inspires you? I recommend spending time with your program/ services team and scheduling a visit to one of your organisation’s great programs. Hearing from frontline staff or beneficiaries about the value of your work can be inspiring. You’ll get your head out of the day-to- day tasks, reconnect with your WHY and be able to tell a more compelling story for new partners. You’ll also build stronger relationships with your colleagues as you get to know what their day looks like.
Practical
You’re navigating unclear strategies, lack of systems, ambiguous expectations, and pressure for untied funding. You may be the first person in a partnership manager role and the strategic foundations are not in place. You’re expected to fly the plane whilst you’re still bolting on the wings.
Get support and ask for help. If you’ve identified a weak spot, get help from experts or peers that you respect. Sometimes you need a specialist or someone who can see the situation more objectively than your immediate team. Other times you need help from your boss to reorder the multiple priorities on your desk or fill the strategic gaps. It’s not your job to be the superhero that saves the organisation.
Learn to say no more often. All of you working with small teams, trying to do everything- I see you. Just because you’re totally passionate about your cause doesn’t mean you have to be a martyr to it. Saying no to the extra project, longer hours or umpteenth meeting means you have more time to think strategically and position yourself better for the next partnership prospect.
Aspirational
You have a deep desire to make a difference, be recognised, and justify the personal sacrifice of moving from corporate to non-profit. Your mum thinks you’re saving the world and you don’t want to disappoint her with the cold truth of the daily grind.
We know that partnerships can take 12- 18 months to come to fruition and there’s not much you can do to hurry along the corporate decision maker. Set small goals for each day. Don’t get overwhelmed by the whole To Do List, just focus on one or two key things you want to achieve that day. Quick tip from productivity expert Donna McGeorge- the first two hours of the day are usually the best time for conquering the meaty, thinking tasks. Focusing on mastering a few things every day and you’ll be on the path to the successful future you want.
Corporate partnerships need a mix of resilience, creativity and patience. If you think like a mix master, you can learn to adjust the mix, rather than feel at the mercy of circumstances. Notice which slider is being turned down and make sure it’s not the one with your personal wellbeing on it. Be intentional about tweaking the balance and you’ll be in a better place to sustain the tricky journey to partnership success.