The Coalition Builder¶

Uncomfortable Reading

Why Coalitions Matter¶

You've read the other documents. You know the questions to ask, the risks to watch for, the consequences to anticipate. You know what responsible AI looks like.

Now you face the real problem: How do you make it happen when the organization doesn't want to hear it?

The answer is coalition.

Not formal committees. Not stakeholder groups. Not governance boards.

Real coalitions: informal networks of people who share your concerns, complement your capabilities, and will stand with you when it matters.

This document teaches you how to find them, build relationships with them, and work together to make change happen.

The Uncomfortable Truth About Change¶

Why Individual Action Fails¶

• Lonely voices are dismissed as troublemakers, naysayers, or people who "don't get it"
• Single points of failure get removed, transferred, or marginalized
• No one backs you up when you need support in the moment
• Institutional memory walks out the door when individuals leave
• Burnout is guaranteed when you fight alone

Why Coalitions Work¶

• Multiple voices are harder to dismiss — it's no longer "just Jordan's view"
• Distributed risk — consequences spread across people
• Real-time support — someone backs you up in the meeting
• Institutional persistence — the coalition survives individual departures
• Shared burden — the weight is carried together

The Math of Coalition¶

You don't need everyone. You need enough.

The Documents¶

Tools¶

The Core Framework¶

The Coalition Ecosystem¶

flowchart TB
    DM["<strong>DECISION MAKERS</strong><br/>Who you need to influence"]

    subgraph COAL["<strong>YOUR COALITION</strong>"]
        C1[Champions]
        C2[Experts]
        C3[Connectors]
        C4[Protectors]
        C5[Truth-tellers]
    end

    subgraph OPP["<strong>OPPOSITION</strong>"]
        O1[Blockers]
        O2[Skeptics]
        O3[Threatened]
        O4[Competing Interests]
    end

    MM["<strong>MOVEABLE MIDDLE</strong><br/>Can be persuaded either way"]

    COAL --> DM
    OPP --> DM
    DM --> MM

    style DM fill:#e3f2fd,stroke:#1976d2,stroke-width:2px
    style COAL fill:#c8e6c9,stroke:#388e3c,stroke-width:2px
    style OPP fill:#ef9a9a,stroke:#c62828,stroke-width:2px
    style MM fill:#fff9c4,stroke:#f9a825,stroke-width:2px

The Coalition Formula¶

Minimum Viable Coalition: - 1 Champion (someone with authority who believes) - 1 Expert (someone with credibility who knows) - 1 Connector (someone who knows everyone) - 1 Protector (someone who can shield from consequences) - You (the catalyst)

Optimal Coalition: - Multiple champions at different levels - Experts in technical, legal, ethical, political domains - Connectors in different parts of the organization - Protectors in HR, legal, executive support - Truth-tellers who will speak when it matters

The Coalition Journey¶

Phase 1: Mapping (Weeks 1-4)¶

Before you recruit, you must understand the landscape: - Who shares your concerns? - Who has power you need? - Who will oppose you? - Who is moveable? - Where are the relationships?

Phase 2: Testing (Weeks 4-8)¶

Careful, low-risk exploration: - One-on-one conversations - Sharing concerns tentatively - Testing reactions - Building initial trust - Identifying who's safe

Phase 3: Building (Weeks 8-16)¶

Active coalition construction: - Deepening relationships - Aligning on objectives - Establishing communication channels - Creating shared understanding - Building commitment

Phase 4: Activating (Ongoing)¶

Using the coalition: - Coordinated action - Mutual support in meetings - Shared information - Joint escalation - Collective resilience

Phase 5: Sustaining (Ongoing)¶

Keeping the coalition alive: - Regular connection - Celebrating wins - Processing losses - Welcoming new members - Adapting to change

The Golden Rules¶

Rule 1: Trust Before Action¶

Never ask for coalition action before trust is established. The sequence is: 1. Relationship 2. Trust 3. Shared understanding 4. Aligned objectives 5. Coordinated action

Skipping steps creates fragile coalitions that collapse under pressure.

Rule 2: Mutual Benefit¶

Coalitions work when everyone gets something. Ask: - What does each person need? - What do they get from participation? - Is the exchange fair? - Are we using each other, or helping each other?

Rule 3: Protect Each Other¶

Coalition members must have each other's backs: - Never expose an ally - Share risk, don't transfer it - Warn each other of danger - Provide cover when needed - Be willing to sacrifice for allies

Rule 4: Adapt or Die¶

Coalitions must evolve: - Members change - Circumstances change - Objectives change - Opponents adapt - What worked stops working

Rule 5: Know When to Fold¶

Not every battle can be won: - Some causes are lost - Some organizations can't be changed - Some costs are too high - Sometimes the best move is exit - Coalitions can decide to stop

The Warning Signs¶

Your Coalition Is Healthy When:¶

• People show up voluntarily
• Information flows freely
• Members protect each other
• Disagreement is safe
• Wins are celebrated together
• Losses are processed together

Your Coalition Is Dying When:¶

• Meetings feel obligatory
• Information is hoarded
• Members compete internally
• Disagreement causes fractures
• Wins are claimed individually
• Losses trigger blame

You Don't Have a Coalition When:¶

• You're the only one who cares
• Others express support but never act
• There's no coordination, just parallel action
• When you're in trouble, no one shows up
• The "coalition" is really just you convincing yourself

A Note on Ethics¶

Coalition building is organizational politics. It involves: - Strategic relationship building - Calculated information sharing - Influence and persuasion - Working around formal structures

This can be used for good or ill.

Use these tools ethically: - For outcomes that genuinely help people - With honesty about your real objectives - Without manipulating or deceiving allies - Without destroying opponents unnecessarily - With willingness to be wrong

The goal is not to "win" organizational politics. The goal is to make AI work for citizens while protecting the people trying to do it right.

Politics in service of good outcomes is not corruption. It's how organizations actually change.

Getting Started¶

1. Read finding-allies.md — Learn to identify potential coalition members
2. Map your current landscape — Use the frameworks in the documents to analyze your coalition landscape
3. Start with one conversation — The coalition begins with a single trusted relationship
4. Be patient — Real coalitions take months to build, years to mature
5. Protect yourself — Read political-survival.md before taking risks

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." — Margaret Mead

In organizations, it's also the only thing that ever has.