Successful Partnerships: Here Is The Secret

Everywhere we turn, we are creating partnerships -- from your spouse to the person who rings up your groceries, to the company you trust with your life insurance. But how can we make the most of our partnerships, from the ones in passing to our lifelong commitments?

Personality Matches

A natural compatibility or personality match makes some partnerships smooth and easy. It's just like when you meet someone for the first time and you both "click" -- rapport is created instantly and an effective partnership can ensue.

Similarly, at some point in your life, you've probably met someone who "rubbed you the wrong way" for no apparent reason. A natural personality clash such as this can create challenges in any partnership.

Speak Now...or Let Resentment Fester

In many cases, all that's required to elevate any partnership is for each party to speak up about their wants, needs and expectations. Communication breakdowns are common in challenging partnerships, and it can be tough to initiate communication with someone who doesn't seem to be open to discussing key issues. Emotions and underlying resentment can destroy the ability to create open communication, thereby exacerbating the difficulties.

It's key to remember that in any kind of partnership, you need to be able to speak your mind and express your needs firmly and objectively, without being defensive or attacking the other person or entities. In turn, you must be open to listening to the wants and needs of the partner, and being receptive to creating a win-win scenario.

The True Secret of Successful Partnerships

Arguably, the true secret of successful partnerships is the win-win-win scenario. How can you create a solution that is beneficial to both partners, as well as the organization, community, shareholders, or others who would be affected by the outcome?

Think about it - your best partnerships are those that involve give and take. You neither feel taken advantage of, nor feel as though you are taking advantage of your partner. The highest level of satisfaction comes when both parties feel they are getting a great deal and somehow serving the greater good. When one person feels as though they are frequently sacrificing their own wants or needs, resentment festers, and the partnership cannot continue to thrive long-term. Consider that you truly can get what you want while providing an ideal scenario for a potential partner.

For example, we were putting up holiday lights on the exterior of our home, and we decided that this year, we didn't want to pay professionals hundreds of dollars to hang our lights. All the nails and extension cords were in place, and it was just a matter of getting up on the roof (a rather high roof, in this two-story home) to place the lights. However, my wife was six months pregnant at the time, and she was unable to assist me in this.

Suddenly, I got an idea.

I found a construction worker in the neighborhood with one of those retractable cranes, and offered to pay him $20 to hang my highest lights. The job only took him about 15 minutes, so he was happy to do it and earn the extra cash, and I was delighted that I didn't have to get up on the roof and it cost me so little. My wife was also happy that I didn't get up on the roof!

It's easy (and highly rewarding) to create win-win-win scenarios when we focus on doing just that. Sure, I could have asked a neighbor to do me a favor, but that wouldn't have been an even exchange. He or I might have felt as though I then owed him a favor, and it's never really a good feeling to owe someone for something. By hiring a local construction worker (a stranger to me), I was able to create a fair exchange of money for time and experience.

When you begin to seek out ways that you can create win-win-win outcomes in all your partnerships, you will be amazed at what happens! This one simple focus can make your life run smoother, save you valuable resources (such as time, money, etc.) and cause you to have increased joy and satisfaction. Have fun!