Whether you’re starting or developing a business, having a great partner can make challenges easier and more manageable. Adding another perspective can even help diversify tactics and strategies. However, working with people can also present its own set of challenges.
Here are the six steps to partnership perfection:
1. Choose someone great
When starting a company or embarking on a new project, it’s important to choose a partner that fits your style, says Harvard Business Review. Choosing someone you have a history working with can be a smart move—familiarity helps cultivate trust and open communication. It’s also best to find a yin to your yang. A partner with a complementary personality will ensure that your project stays balanced. So if you’re prone to mood swings, find someone who’s calm and collected. The most important rule of choosing a great partner, though, is to find someone whose goals and mindset are in line with yours. Just ask Arianna Huffington, who told Business Insider that she and Huffington Post co-founder Ken Lerer “can really finish each other’s sentences."
2. Make a plan
Whether you’re preparing for a big meeting or inventing the next Twitter, a detailed plan is an absolutely necessary step. USA Today recommends starting off with an in-depth conversation with your partner to figure out strategy specifics. For example, how will general business decisions be made? How will serious disputes be resolved? You can never really prepare for everything, but the more you anticipate, the less room there is for confusion.
An easy way to avoid miscommunication, says Crain’s New York, is to assess each other’s strengths and designate project roles from the start. Crain’s references a great team—Ken and Leslie, co-founders of a brand design firm. Ken handles client relations, while Leslie works behind the scenes. By delegating and dividing tasks, workflow stays organized and manageable. Frequent check-ins will help ensure you’re both on the right page. 4. Be respectful Setting boundaries with your partner can be a great way to avoid miscommunication and conflict. But you have to respect those boundaries, says CNN Money. Offer criticism and praise when needed, but avoid stepping on your counterpart’s toes. The last thing anyone wants is a partner who’s competing for the attention of a boss or an investor. 5. Navigate disagreements carefully When two people are working together, they are bound to disagree eventually. According to Entrepreneur, most issues can be resolved with good communication and negotiation skills. Talk about what’s really causing the problem. Is it finance-related? Do you have different ideologies on how to deal with clients? By focusing on the core of the conflict you’ll avoid turning a simple disagreement into a big blowout. 6. Know when it’s time to part ways They say a partnership is for better or worse, but sometimes it just doesn’t work out. Maybe you’re disagreeing too much, or maybe one person decides he wants to take his career in a different direction. If you’re starting a company, says CNN Money, draft an exit agreement that details exactly who gets what in the event that things go sour. It’s like a pre-nup for business. If you missed that step, calling in a professional facilitator might be money well spent. That can help both parties feel like their needs are being appropriately addressed.
3. Designate roles