Partnerships and collaboration are difficult. Relationships which have been in existence for some time are carrying historical baggage which affects current activities. New relationships begin based on assumptions, which may not even be negative, but impact our expectations. As soon as I have disappointed a partner I have built a barrier to effective partnerships, and we deal with disappointments daily. Low trust across South Africa means people don’t really believe they can rely on one another. And yet, if we don’t rely on other people we will never be able to achieve systemic, sustainable change.

The rules of engagement is a frank facilitated conversation, about what makes partnerships difficult and what can make them work better. Adhering to the rules of engagement is more difficult than agreeing to them, and so they are a personal commitment, and may require ongoing intervention to be sustained.

Fixed™ facilitates the rules of engagement for new relationships, to set the principled approach at the outset, or where communication has broken down in existing relationships: internally in organisations or between external partners of all shapes and sizes. The facilitated workshop or workshops include all concerned parties and deliver an agreed set of rules, as well as an agreed approach to implementing them.