When Collaboration Stalls Behind Closed Doors Multi-stakeholder ventures are built on a compelling promise: different institutions can combine capital, expertise, legitimacy, data, and access to achieve outcomes that none could deliver alone. The same diversity that creates that advantage, however, also creates friction. A government agency may prioritize public accountability, an enterprise may protect margin and speed, an academic institution may value independence and evidence, and a civil-society partner may measure success through inclusion or long-term social impact. Shared ambition does not erase these different operating systems. When a joint venture stops making decisions, the immediate temptation is to assign blame. Executives may describe the impasse as bad faith, counsel…