Fortunately, because of the commitment of the partners, the coalition has been able to cope. Because a coalition is a partnership of a number of individual institutions, it will generally function through a committee structure. To have an effective committee structure it is critical that committee responsibilities be clearly defined and made known to all and that there be clear lines of communication between committees and across the organization. Also, there must be a recognized point of decision making. But the one key ingredient to having an effective committee structure is empowerment of the committees to do their work and make appropriate decisions.
Committees only work when all of the partner representatives participate and contribute.
When an organization is operating through a committee structure, the organization is dependent on the good will and interest of the committee members. These people are being asked to give of their time and talents. If they do not perceive that their efforts are being appreciated by others then they will soon drop out. Hence, it is critical that the committees be empowered to carry out their mission. It is a formula for failure when a committee is asked to work but consistently has its work and decisions overturned by others, be it an individual or another committee, outside of the committee.