“Accountability can present a major barrier to achieving a cross-sector partnership’s intended impact. However, accountability is crucial to ensure work is moving forward and progressing in a way that contributes to a partnership’s shared result. Imagine a meeting or convening of partners where no one commits to doing anything afterward? How will the partnership ever ensure it’s achieving better results?

The Action Commitment Exercise is an excellent way to publicly document next steps and commitments among partners to move the work forward. By openly discussing and documenting next steps at the close of your cross-sector partnership meetings, your partnership can maintain transparency about roles, responsibilities, and contributions necessary to move a shared result. It also helps maintain momentum and solidifies buy-in before partners return to their individual areas of work.”