It's Tuesday at 2:00pm! (PST Time: I live and work from Southern California)
It's Tuesday at 2:00pm! (PST Time: I live and work from Southern California)
All of our past posts have been placed HERE if you want to go back and read one.
I want to talk about PARTNERSHIP today.
This past week, someone asked my wife and I what the secret was to our 32+ years of marriage. We both had some things to share, but then we talked about it later, and identified a couple of other things that we wished we had shared. Some of the things that bubbled up were:
- We had a relationship built on trust
- We communicated with each other A LOT
- We enjoyed the adventure of life and sharing it together
This got me thinking....
Last week I talked about the power of Coaching and Mentoring, and how investing in the right people was a formula for success and impact.
Today I want to share a couple of thoughts about PARTNERSHIP that were triggered from both the Coaching conversation and the conversation with Gina.
The three things we shared about "secrets to our marriage" are some of the same things that apply to partnerships. A partnership is defined as "an association of two or more people as partners"
We underestimate the value of partnerships, and we often don't invest in partnerships to ensure success.
I think there are a couple of reasons for this:
1- We're too busy. We just can't keep up with all that we're doing
2- We view partnerships as a way to get things OFF of our plate, not add to it
3- We don't want to invest the relational time because we're not sure how long the partnership will last.
I'm sure there are other reasons. You might have some more you can add.
Here's the deal: Healthy partnerships are really important and valuable.
If you want to build healthier partnerships, try these things:
1- Build Trust
Take the time to get to know each other. Ask questions. Listen to the story. Spend time together.
*Many times we create partnerships as a way to build trust. Build trust before you create the partnership, then continue building while you're working together.
2- Communicate... A Lot!
Learn the others language and preferred method of communication. Don't make assumptions. When there's a mis-communication (and there will be) address it right away.
*Healthy partnerships require clear and constant communication. Don't avoid this but embrace it. This is also a way to build trust.
3- Have Fun
Figure out a way to have fun as you partner together. Learn to laugh with each other, not at each other. Don't take things too seriously. Spend time outside of just doing the task at hand.
*Your relationship will build faster if you enjoy doing things together.
4 - Be Honest
Being honest and vulnerable will make your partnership successful. You don't have to get it all right. Be willing to admit you made a mistake. Share your fears. Be real.
*Vulnerability builds trust and allows you to leverage the strengths of others.
5 - Evaluate Your Partnership
Ask questions about your partnership. Evaluate the impact and outcomes. Decide if you want to continue moving forward. Be willing to ask the hard question.
*Knowing when to continue and when you're achieved your goals is important
We need to take partnerships seriously, just as we do marriage. It takes time, effort, intentionality and discipline to create a healthy partnership.
What other things would you add as being essential to a healthy partnership?
Share your thoughts and let's learn from each other.
"Alone we can do so little. Together we can do so much." Helen Keller
"We all have different timetables in reaching and realizing that being in healthy partnership is better than being on our own." Hill Harper
