The Power of Partnership

by Mark S. Fulton

“No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main.” With those words 17th century English poet John Donne expressed the bond of fellowship all of us share as human beings. We are all individuals, yet we are inextricably linked to one another as players in the daily drama of life.

We connect with each other in many ways and on many levels. From deep, long-standing friendships to casual, ephemeral acquaintances, our associations are typically a product of where we live, work and play. Within those settings we tend to gravitate toward and form relationships with people who harmonize with our personality and who share our social, cultural or political orientation. Some relationships play important roles in our lives, providing inspiration, motivation, deliberation or consolation at critical crossroads on our journey.

One of the most effective and productive relationships we can establish in our lives is one aimed specifically at helping us reach a goal. Let’s call it a strategic partnership.

A partnership is a relationship between individuals or groups that is characterized by mutual cooperation and responsibility. Marriage is a partnership that fortifies love, cultivates companionship and forms the foundation of a family. Friendship is a partnership that provides stimulation, support and sympathy. A business partnership produces goods or services that benefit consumers.

A strategic partnership can be a resource for reaching a specific objective that is vital to your well-being. Perhaps you’d like to overcome a bad habit, develop a new skill, lose that spare tire around your waist or explore the meaning of life. What has kept you from attaining your goal? The lack of a clear plan? Poor time management? Procrastination? Missing motivation? If accomplishing your goal on your own has eluded you, a strategic partner could be your ticket to triumph.

“Iron sharpens iron. So one man sharpens another,” says Solomon in the book of Proverbs. A strategic partnership will sharpen your focus on your mission, whet your desire to achieve it and give you the edge you need to make it happen. Discipline, structure, motivation and insight are just a few of the benefits that result when two people work together to create success. However, the most important ingredient in a strategic partnership is the one most responsible for it’s success: accountability. It’s a fact of human nature that we watch ourselves best when others are watching too.

So how do you go about creating a strategic partnership? It begins, of course, with choosing a partner. He or she should be someone who also has a goal to reach, so that you will be challenged to give as well as receive support. Your partner’s goal may be the same as yours or completely different. Your partner should possess character traits such as honesty patience, compassion, firmness and others that will increase the likelihood of your partnership’s success. Most important, your partner should be someone whom you respect—someone whose opinion matters to you and whom you wouldn’t want to disappoint.

A strategic partnership is different from a friendship in that it is a designed relationship. It has a clearly stated purpose and it operates according to mutually agreed upon principles. I recommend that you approach the partnership in a fairly formal manner, even to the point of drafting a written agreement. Your strategic partnership agreement should:

Identify the Mission - Each partner should clearly state what he or she intends to get out of the relationship. Whenever possible, results should be quantifiable—lose 20 pounds; generate 50 new customers; produce a first draft of a book; and so on. Without a carefully formulated mission, the partnership may be enjoyable, but it won’t be effective.

Set Ground Rules - You and your partner should agree on how you will hold each other responsible. What questions will you ask each other? How often will you meet? How will you track results? What is the deadline for reaching the goal?

Develop a Structure - A structure is simply a devise that reminds you and your partner to take action. It may be a daily phone call or e-mail, a token that you carry throughout the day, a ritual (i.e. meditating or writing in a dairy) that enables you to focus on your goal. You and your partner should agree on a structure that you will both use.

Devise an Accountability System - How will you and your partner reward each other when you reach milestones in your missions? What will the consequences be if you blow it? Suppose you are helping your partner to quit smoking. The two of you might agree that if he lights up, he has to give you a check for $100 that you’ll mail to the American Cancer Society. The consequences should be significant enough to guarantee compliance with the mission.

Regardless of whether we are islands or all “part of the main,” a strategic partnership is a bridge that can unite two people in an enterprise for excellence.

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Have a joyful and relaxing Thanksgiving!

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Copyright 2000 © Mark S. Fulton