Chapter 10

Put Your Ideas in Place

Think about a plant. At its early stages, its root system cannot support the aboveground growth, making the plant easy to uproot. As its roots take hold, they provide the foundation for the plant’s stems to grow strong and full. Such is the dynamic of leading a coalition. At the early stages, a coalition is like the young plant—easy to uproot. But, as an effective leader, your challenge is to nourish a stronger root system, while you grow new leaves and branches, or rather, new coalition members.

Keep in mind that the main purpose for developing a coalition is to establish a base that will legitimize your ideas and provide a platform to push their ideas through the organization. While some view a coalition as the end, it is advisable to view the coalition as a means to ensure that your ideas are put in place in the organization.