Strategic alliances are among the most powerful levers an organisation can pull to drive growth, innovation, and access to new markets, yet how we manage those alliances often makes the difference between realising value and settling for low returns. At the core of this is a deceptively simple distinction: alliance management as a dedicated discipline versus alliance management as a side job. The consequences of this choice reverberate across the life of the collaboration.
When alliance management is treated as a side job, it is typically assigned to a business unit leader or project manager who is already carrying a full slate of responsibilities. They understand their own operational domain well, but alliance management is not their primary focus.
Strategic alliances, by nature, are inter-organisational relationships that require constant attention to alignment, governance, trust, and joint value creation. Aligning multiple internal stakeholders, managing cross-company expectations, and spotting early warning signs of misalignment are not tasks that can be handled reactively between other priorities.
Research shows that organisations with dedicated alliance management capabilities tend to see substantially higher success rates in their partnerships, compared with those relying on part-timers.
Dedicated alliance management means that experienced professionals, often organised within a central alliance function, carry the responsibility and accountability for alliance outcomes. They bring continuity, a level of proactivity, and the strategic perspective that many part-time alliance handlers simply cannot sustain. A dedicated alliance manager lives and breathes the partnership; they track progress, facilitate communication, anticipate risks, and embed governance processes that ensure both partners stay aligned. This is not a part-time activity but a full-time strategic practice that draws on tools, frameworks, and relational skills honed over time.
Crucially, capability development amplifies the benefits of dedicating people to alliance management. Capability is not just experience; it is the combination of routines, knowledge, and practices that organisations institutionalise to manage alliances well. Firms that invest in developing alliance management capability create repeatable and scalable processes that elevate performance across an entire portfolio of collaborations. Such capability mediates the effects of structural investments in alliances and is a significant driver of alliance performance.
Treating alliance management as an afterthought almost guarantees that lessons learned remain tacit and inconsistently applied. When alliances are managed as a side job, organisations often discover issues only once value has already eroded. By contrast, organisations that dedicate people to alliance management and invest deliberately in capability development create a discipline that improves performance across an entire portfolio of partnerships.
One practical way to turn this insight into action is through my Alliance Health Check, which provides a structured, fact-based view of how your alliances are really performing and where capability gaps are holding them back. If this resonates with you, I invite you to reach out to me for a conversation. Exploring the health of your alliances is often the first step towards strengthening focus, capability and results across your collaboration landscape.