The playbook coalition leaders wish they had on day one.
If you've ever left a coalition meeting thinking 'we all agreed on what to do, but nobody else stepped up — so now I have twelve new tasks to do myself' — this book is for you.
A field guide, not a theory book.
You're not looking for another framework poster. You're looking for the next right move on Tuesday morning. The COS Model™ gives you a six-phase loop you can actually run — with your partners, on your timeline, without a consultant in the room.
- Seven chapters, one for each phase plus the why
- Worksheets, scripts, and one-page scoreboards
- Real coalition stories — including the ones that fell apart
Twelve chapters. One ops system to run your whole coalition.
What makes coalitions worth the hard work — and why systems beat good intentions.
Anchor the coalition in a purpose sharp enough that partners can repeat it from memory.
The unwritten rules that determine whether partners trust each other or just share a logo.
How to keep a coalition focused on the long game instead of the next deadline.
Map where your coalition actually is — launch, growth, maturity, or reset.
The readiness check that saves you from building a table no one wants to sit at.
Name the win in one sentence anyone at the table can repeat back without notes.
Turn a roster of logos into a group of humans pointed the same direction.
A one-page scoreboard that keeps drift honest without drowning anyone in reports.
The trust rituals that make partners answer each other's calls on a Friday.
Ship visible wins early so momentum, not meetings, carries the coalition.
The habits that keep a coalition alive after the launch buzz fades.
If you've ever sat at a table and thought "we all want the same thing, why is this so hard?"
You've been handed the table and asked to make magic happen. This is the playbook.
You're the connective tissue. The COS gives you the cadence to work from.
You want to fund coalitions that actually move. Here's what good looks like.