Collaborative Leadership, 2nd Edition

8Why Some Collaborative Leaders Fail

Don’t depend on old skills to meet a new challenge

Although most commentators now agree that many forms of business collaboration, whether partnerships or strategic alliances, are now essential, there is also consensus that making these arrangements work effectively is difficult. In fact around half of all of alliances break down prematurely, resulting in financial damage for both partners. Research on alliances between American firms found that 48 per cent ended in failure in less than two years.¹ An Audit Commission report comments that the failure rate of strategic alliances may be even higher at up to 70 per cent.² The same report points the finger at the contribution of the leader, suggesting that these ...