U.S. Sen. Jack Reed | D-R.I.
Getting things done in the U.S. Senate requires consensus. It means working across the aisle and building an honorable, principled compromise to move the country forward.
Coalitions make that possible because they are force multipliers: When people band together, they can leverage resources and become greater than the sum of their parts.
The ability to build and lead coalitions helped propel 13 former British colonies into the world’s greatest superpower.
Recognizing this fact, former Israeli President Shimon Peres once noted: “One of the things the United States does well is building coalitions. What the U.S. knows is that if you don’t have a coalition with you, you will have a coalition against you.”
Indeed, nation states, businesses and community leaders all need to forge strong coalitions and effectively manage coalition dynamics in order to thrive.
Coalitions come in all shapes and sizes, but the most effective ones are diverse, coordinated and strengthen their members’ capacity to succeed.
A diverse coalition may be more unwieldy to lead at times. But it can be far more powerful when you have partners and allies outside your own sphere of influence focused on a shared goal and motivated to achieve it.
Coordination, communication and outreach are also key to growing and mobilizing coalitions and keeping everyone focused and marching in the same direction.
Recognizing the contributions of others, expressing gratitude and properly sharing credit is a surefire way to keep people connected to the cause. A simple thank you can go a long way.