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By: DGS on March 26th, 2014

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Partnerships - You are the Company You Keep

Curriculum Strategy & Adoption

In this increasingly connected and interdependent world it is virtually impossible to accomplish anything without relying on partners. We are all becoming interconnected in the most unusual ways. Twitter relies on Amazon Web Services, Apple relies on the (recently renamed) Microsoft Azure platform, and Ford relies on Toyota for hybrid drivetrains.

We all know to carefully evaluate a partner before making a commitment, but what is less obvious is that we also become dependent on all the partners they have selected as well. This dynamic makes the decisions we make more consequential and puts a premium on the trust and good judgement of the partners we select because it's simply not possible to evaluate all the downstream decisions they make.

In this environment where we become instantly reliant on our partners' partners, there are several criteria that are critical to the partner selection process Ultimately, we must trust our partner to support us and to make good decisions about who to trust. Here are a few important questions we've learned to ask ourselves as we make decisions related to partnerships:

  • Are our goals aligned?
  • Do our capabilities complement each other well?
  • Who else do they work with?
  • Are we able to communicate effectively?
  • Can we plan and execute jointly?
  • Is there grassroots support for the collaboration?

For school districts, these questions are essential to an effective decision-making process - especially when it comes to strategic projects. The momentum associated with large scale projects is a vital asset and nothing dissipates it faster than choosing the wrong partner. Further, once that momentum is gone, the cost to generate a second wave is significantly higher, so the risk in not getting it right the first time can be surprisingly high.

For content providers, trust is no less critical, but the focus is often on capability and compatibility to ensure that partners offer value that complements their own. Partners must take the time to understand the products and actively support their effective implementation. Compatibility in the form of fluid communication and collaboration at all levels are the hallmark of fruitful long-term relationships. There should be a natural two-way exchange of value that perpetuates the relationship rather than a term or transaction-driven dynamic as the primary characteristic.

Lastly, at Ed Elements we try to keep in mind that the age-old adage, "you get what you pay for" is also true for partnerships. So regardless of the decision-making that gets us to the point of commitment, the success of that decision rides on the ongoing investments we make in the relationship. That often means appointing a liaison to coordinate communications and joint activity, making time to communicate at all levels under all circumstances, and even introducing them to other members of the family.

Over the next few weeks you will hear more from us about the partners we have chosen in the past, and the ones who will soon join our ecosystem. Each decision was a careful one, and we are proud of the company we keep.

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