Why Not Partnership?

The Standard Excuses

1. Concern over theological differences — real or imagined.
2. Fear of loss of organizational identity.
3. The “we can do it alone” mentality.
4. Pride/ego.
5. Fear of other agencies intrusion on our turf.
6. Fear of change — never done it this way before.
7. The “not invented here” syndrome.
8. Fear our funding may be threatened — have to protect our income.
9. Partnership is a waste of time — we see no potential added value.
10. Don’t have the staff or time to spend on trying to work with others.
11. Institutional inertia, lack of flexibility, living in the past.
12. Fear of success — how would we share credit with others?
13. How to explain our involvement to our Board or constituency.
14. Fear of exposure of our organization’s weaknesses or idiosyncrasies.
15. Our work is so unique cooperation would have little/no value.