By Doug Williams, MBA
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely the author’s own and do not reflect the views, opinions, or positions of Incyte or any current or former employer. The events described occurred prior to the author joining Incyte.
In alliance management, few words feel more reassuring than “we’re aligned.” However, I learned that alignment at the Joint Steering Committee does not always mean alignment inside each partner organization.
That realization came during a Phase 1 co-development program in a competitive therapeutic area. In this collaboration,speed mattered. Credibility mattered. And trust mattered.
Our objective was straightforward: finalize the study design and move into execution. At the Joint Steering Committee, both sides debated the protocol, resolved open questions, and endorsed a design we believed was final.
My team left confident.
Our partner, it turns out, did not.
Shortly afterward, we learned that the design still required additional internal governance approval on their side. What we viewed as a decision, they viewed as a recommendation. The misunderstanding created tension, delayed the Phase 1 start, and introduced unnecessary strain into the relationship.
The Real Issue Was Governance
The protocol was not the problem. Governance was.
My company assumed JSC endorsement carried decision authority. Our partner viewed JSC endorsement as just one step in a longer approval chain. Neither side had clearly articulated how decisions truly flowed internally.
Assumptions replaced transparency. Frustration followed.
As the alliance manager, I was accountable for dispute resolution. But I knew that escalation would not solve a structural misunderstanding. Instead, I began by asking my alliance counterpart a simplequestion:
“Can you walk me through how decisions are actually approved inside your company?”
The Turning Point
That single conversation changed the trajectory of the alliance.
I learned that their JSC members were influential but not fully empowered. Certain functional leaders and internal committees still held approval authority. Their governance culture prioritized internal consensus. Ours prioritized delegated ownership.
Neither model was wrong. They were simply different.
The mistake was assuming they were the same.
Making Governance Visible
We solved the issue by making governance explicit. We took three concrete actions:
- Mapped both governance structures.
We documented approval layers, decision authority, and timing for each organization. - Educated both teams.
I walked my stakeholders through the partner’s governance process. My counterpart did the same with her team. - Aligned alliance outputs to internal reality.
We clarified which JSC outcomes were final approvals and which were inputs into further governance.
Most important, my counterpart and I aligned our messaging so both organizations heard the same expectations.
The Results
The impact was immediate and measurable - and positive:
- Decision cycles shortened.
- Internal surprises disappeared.
- Escalations decreased.
- Trust increased.
There were other, more tangible results as well. The protocol was approved. The study moved forward. But the greater win was actually structural. We eliminated a recurring source of friction in our alliance and replaced it with clarity.
Tension gave way to transparency.
The Lesson for Alliance Leaders
If I could give one piece of advice to alliance leaders, it would be this:
Never assume your partner’s governance works like yours.
Before conflict arises, ask:
- How are decisions approved internally at your company?
- Are your JSC members truly empowered?
- What happens after JSC endorsement?
- What timelines are realistic?
And just as important:
Never assume a JSC decision is final.
Why This Matters
Governance misalignment is one of the most underestimated alliance risks. It rarely appears in contracts. It is not solved through escalation. And it often hides behind comfortable words like alignment and endorsement.
Yet when governance is misunderstood:
- Timelines slip.
- Relationships erode.
- Trust is tested.
By making governance visible, we improved speed, strengthened trust, and built a more resilient alliance operating model.
Final Thought
Alliance success is not only about what decisions you make.
It is about understanding who can truly make them and when.
This experience reshaped how I approach every partnership. Governance is now one of my first conversations. When expectations are explicit, teams move faster, partners stay aligned, risks surface earlier, and alliances deliver outcomes that justify the effort invested.
Doug Williams, MBA, is Senior Directorof Global Alliance Management at Incyte.
About the alliance leadership spotlight series
The alliance leadership spotlight series is a joint initiative of The Association of Strategic Alliance Professionals (ASAP) and allianceboard to share practical knowledge in the alliance management community. It showcases Alliance Management professionals taking the lead in addressing challenges and driving alliance success.
Visit our websites to read more on partnering and alliance management or let us know if you have a story to contribute by contacting us.
ASAP and allianceboard are long-standing partners combining state-of-the-art resources, best practices, and software to support ever-evolving collaboration models.