Creating a good business partnership isn’t something that happens overnight. It takes a lot of understanding, as well as a real desire to make things work out. Creating longer-lasting relationships is something that not many people know how to do, so here are some tips that can help.
Identify your personal strengths and weaknesses
You should first take a look at what you bring to the table in a partnership: what are you good at, or what could you better? You’re going to want someone that will complement your unique talents. Getting a business partner with a different perspective as well as a different set of skills lets you both learn and become stronger. You should also be able to be dependent on your partner. You’re a team, after all. You both bring incredible things to the table!
Define your roles
Overlap in your job is going to happen, and it’s frustrating when it does. Stating the roles and deciding who’s responsible for what task is incredibly important, as it avoids conflict and overlap. This is not to say, however, that these jobs are going to stay the same for the duration of the working relationship. You have to be open and honest with your partner when things do change. Keep them in the loop, and they’ll do the same.
Communication
However obvious this may seem, healthy communication is vital for every relationship. Evaluate how you and your partner are conversing and whether that works for both of you. If it’s not often enough, be upfront about it so you can work on a change. Something that also helps is scheduling times and dates to talk about any of the problems that may surface, which isn’t a bad thing! Problems happen sometimes, but communication is how you work through them.
Respect
Like the Aretha Franklin song, respect is one of the most important parts of a professional partnership. We all have our strengths and weaknesses, and something you never want to do is take advantage of your partner and manipulate their weaknesses, so they’ll do something you want. You’re both on equal playing ground, and you want to make sure your partner has your back. It’s not worth it to manipulate your business partner for a short-term goal. All that will do is bring around long-term consequences and a lack of trust.