The Alliance staff recently asked me to write about extraordinary partnerships.  Various examples came to mind – creating a housing trust fund with the support of realtors and builders, or establishing a drop in child care center in the middle of a new mall.  As I mulled over my options, I was driving to the office and heard a story on NPR that epitomized these stories.   It’s not a typical local government example but one that demonstrates the power of divergent views coming together and finding a way forward.  

It’s a story of two Presidents, often described as bitter adversaries, putting aside their differences and lobbying Capitol Hill for the betterment of their industry.  One President represents the country’s biggest egg farmers, United Egg Producers, who are scrutinized for factory farming.  Second, the President of the Humane Society of the United States, represents the organization vocal about ending factory farming.  The Humane Society’s argument attacks the standard practice of crowding chickens into long lines of wire cages, calling it cruel and inhumane.  

After a decade of fighting one another and spending millions, these two Presidents put aside their differences and agreed to have a conversation. Their reality, continue fighting for another 10 or 15 years spending millions or find a pathway that’s good for the industry and the betterment of the animals. A compromise was reached and they jointly agreed to lobby congress for a law allowing farmers to keep chickens in cages but requiring twice as much space, plus perches and nest boxes. This could be phased in over 15 years avoiding chaos in the industry and ensure sufficient supply of eggs at a fair price.

For both Presidents and organizations this is a win-win joint venture. The egg producers were facing a growing patchwork of state regulations.  For the Humane Society, it’s an opportunity to change conditions in states less likely to regulate the egg industry.  Beyond the regulations, the two parties were able to bridge their differences, finding genuine respect for each other and their respective industries.   

Reflecting back, I encourage you to think about lessons learned from this story and how they can apply to partnerships in your community:  

What actions are you trying to implement that have strong opposition?
Is there an opportunity to have a “conversation” with your opponent to explore new solutions?
How do you find common ground with people or groups that oppose your organization?
How much does timing play into creating a new, collaborative agenda?

Karen Thoreson is the President of the Alliance for Innovation.  Her previous experience includes working on partnerships as the Economic Development Director of Glendale, Arizona.   To read the full story visit NPR.