The Six Building Blocks Of A Trusted And Influential Partnership By Gary C. Laney
To be most effective in business, it is essential to learn how people are interconnected in your company, in your community, in your industry and who wields influence. While you constantly make new connections (this process will never stop) and continue to develop lasting relationships based on successful transactions or mutual interests, you’ll learn there’s a difference between people who are connections and those with whom you have a special and trusting relationship.
From the steady stream of new connections, over time, a handful of them will become special and strategic to your business. They will fall into the category of trusted partner. These are the relationships with whom you have regular contact, and with whom you can work with not just formally, as in a business partnership, but in an informal and committed partner-type, co-marketing relationship. To become trusted partners, you must utilize the following six and essential building blocks which a trusted partnership must contain.
- Common Values. This first building block is getting grounded with potential business partnerships with whom you have a common set of values, interests, and goals. This can apply to two individuals, two groups wanting to work together synergistically, or two organizations that want to partner for any number of reasons. The key is to identify some common ground.
- Common Strategy. While having common ideas, goals, and perspective is important, it is equally important to have a similar foundation for how to achieve the results desired. If the strategy and approach are very different, then the operational plan will be at conflict and will not produce a good partner outcome.
- Regular Contact and Interaction. Planning and operational activity of partners require face time, or minimally video conferencing time. There should be regular contact to measure and monitor progress.
- Develop Experiential Relationships. Engaging with another person in some form of activity, including events and discussions, can allow potential partnerships to get a sense for the way each party thinks about certain concepts and topics.
- Honesty and Authenticity. One of the key elements of trust in a partner-type relationship is being able to assess the level of honesty and authenticity each party brings to the table.
- Influential. One main purpose for connecting with others is to share and expand influence. If you are able to connect and develop a trust-centered relationship with another person who is reputable and influential in new spheres of influence, you will find your own sphere of influence multiplying. The same reciprocal effect will happen for the other person.
The six aforementioned building blocks of a trusted and influential partnership will provide a roadmap for ensuring success before diving into a committed business exchange or cooperative marketing effort.
If at some point you decide to have an even deeper level of partnership commitment, I recommend your reviewing “The 10 Foundations of Entering into a Partnership.” These are foundational insights I teach in my book to assist in guiding you through the partnership evaluation and to allow you checks and balances to avoid the wrong fit. A mismatch of partners in a long-term arrangement can be disastrous. On the other hand, a well-fitted partnership, with a well-matched vision, talents, and resources, can provide synergistic type results.
