Cross-sector work moves fast. Sometimes too fast. That’s where a cross-sector collaboration reset can help.

No matter where you are in your collaboration journey—whether you’re part of a brand-new collaboration or deep into a long-standing one—it’s easy to lose clarity about roles, priorities, or even why you started working together in the first place.

As a result of these dynamics, this 90-minute reflective group activity helps teams pause, reconnect, and realign—especially after tension, transitions, or shifting goals.

It’s less about fixing what’s broken and more about creating space to revisit your “why” together.

Objective:

The goal of this cross-sector collaboration reset is to help cross-sector collaborators reflect on how they’re working together, identify what’s supporting or blocking their success, and explore small shifts that can make a big difference.

This activity is ideal for:

• Partners in newly formed collaborations looking to get grounded in shared understanding
• Partners in ongoing collaborations who need a recalibration 
• Cross-sector working groups, coalitions, or co-leadership teams

What you’ll need:

• 90 minutes
• Maybe a facilitator
• Ideally, a quiet space (in-person or virtual breakout room)
• Digital or physical sticky notes
• Flip chart paper or shared virtual whiteboard
• Optional: Pre-shared list of partnership goals or agreements

The steps: