A coalition is a group of people and organizations that join together for a common purpose, like skateboarders who try to convince their town to build a skate park. A successful coalition is able to bring more resources and expertise to the table than any individual organization could muster on its own.
Coalitions are a common tool for community groups, government agencies, and businesses to use in addressing issues they have identified as being important to their communities. They are also often used in efforts to influence policy makers and in international affairs.
Effective leadership is essential to a coalition. The leadership team should include individuals from each of the member organizations. They should be open, task oriented, supportive of the coalition and its goals as a whole, and possess strong organizational skills.
Conflict is inevitable when coalition members come from such a diverse range of backgrounds and have different views on the issues they are addressing. It is the job of coalition leaders to recognize that disagreements are part of the process and to help resolve them by identifying areas where there is common ground and seeking compromises.
As the coalition grows, it may become necessary to decide how much of a role each member organization should play in the coalition and to plan for any future changes that might occur. It is also a good idea to determine if there are any other coalitions that are working on the same issue and to coordinate with them as often as possible.