At KBIS earlier this year, I had the privilege of speaking as one of their Voices From The Industry. This year, it was one of my goals to speak on a national level. Though I knew I had valuable lessons in business to share, I was still blown away by the reception!

My talk, Perfect Partners: Building the Best Team to Deliver Remarkable Results was built with a simple goal in mind, to strengthen and grow companies by building better relationships in business.

Too often, I see companies get greedy and manipulative in their operations by asking, “how much money can I get from my client?” and “how cheap can I force my vendors to work?”, all in effort to maximize their margins. Instead, I approach the conversation to say if you partner with the right people in the right way, you can actually increase your quality of work, productivity, and enjoyment of the job. I believe this principle will ultimately give you more riches than greed ever could.

Partnership begins with Self-Reflection

To start with partnership building, I believe that you must first set a baseline for yourself. What are your standards? What do you value? How do you operate? Do you have your own personal mission statement? I highly recommend writing the answers to these questions down to give yourself a strong sense of identity in business. When you understand who you are and what you stand for, it will be easier to identify who you work best with. For example, if you find that you are quality driven with a priority of constant communication, you will be able to better identify “like” individuals. If you are trying to work with someone who is all about rushing and independence, you will likely have a disconnect. Alignment starts with clarity.

Once you’ve identified yourself, the next step is to evaluate the company you work within

Companies can be simplified into 3 different departments: Administration, Sales, and Production. Now, a common problem I see in several organizations is a lack of appreciation and understanding between each department. Common misconceptions can include: “Sales are always over-promising”, “Administration is stuck behind the desk and does not understand the field”, and “Production does their own thing and ignores processes”. This is a dangerous sentiment to have because it creates division and frustration and, in extreme cases, animosity in the workplace.

Instead, companies should come together and identify the common ground if they want to be strong. Having a mission statement, company values, standards, and processes that everyone understands will help the departments have a clear understanding of a unified direction. This clarity will also give you a chance to hold your personal values against the company’s values to see if you are aligned and move forward with confidence. If they do not, it gives you the decision to either realign or find a different organization that would be a better fit.

Next, is looking at external partnerships

I simplify companies into 3 different categories. Service Providers are your “thinkers”, such as designers and architects. Material Providers are the vendors and suppliers. Labor Providers are your typical sub-contractors and trades. More often than not, every company has a need to work with every type of partner. Because we have already defined your personal standards and your company’s values, you can start to identify the “who” or “what” you are looking for with confidence.  

For example, if you are “bottom line is the most important line” company, you should look for others who have a similar pricing structure and business philosophy. Alignment is crucial to ensure you are partnering with the right people. Networking and asking for referrals can be the easiest way to find good companies. Do not be afraid to get specific about what you are looking for and ask direct questions. Once you find who you connect with, follow up.

I believe something that is often missed in business is to make time for personal connections. Some of my favorite partners are the ones that leave time in their meetings to talk about family, fun, and life outside of work. Even if it takes longer, this meeting model can allow trust to be built.

People recognize when they are just a name on the “list” and it is a quick turn-off to potential partners. When you can communicate what you offer, and treat others like you want to be treated, respect can be built and maintained. Remember, when working with someone, you represent them and they represent you.

Communication is Key

The key to strong external partnerships is communicating your standards and writing them down. It can give everyone a road map for expectations in working together. I define these standards in 3 parts. Behavior is the “what” of standards. This might look like the statement “we expect responsiveness, reliability, and follow-through”. Principles are the “why”. “We expect you to commit to quality, integrity, and doing what is right for the client”, is an example of standard principles. Lastly, is the Ways of Working Together, such as “we expect you to follow the agreed upon process, to ask questions, and to collaborate openly”. Sharing these standards clearly, and specifically writing them down, will help everyone understand what is expected, setting everyone up for the best possible working relationship.

Unfortunately, people are not perfect and partnerships can fall short. It is wise to reevaluate the agreements periodically, such as once a year, to see how everyone is doing, yourself included. This gives you a chance to identify pitfalls and renew commitment. If you find yourself giving constant reminders of your standards over multiple meetings, and your expectations are still not being met, it may be time to reconsider the partnership. This is rarely an easy decision, but can be the smartest thing to do for the health of your business.

In having good partners and the best team around you, you can keep the focus on your client

In fact, knowing yourself, your company, and your partners can help you identify the right clients because you are already alignment minded. Finding clients that have the same focus as you do helps everyone start with the same goal in mind and filters out those who don’t. Some clients are money-focused, others value speed, and some care most about quality. None of these are inherently wrong, but recognizing the difference can give you a sense of the right client and avoid mismatched priorities. When your qualification process is refined, you can maximize the projects that come through the door. Additionally, while working with the right client, it is important to continue reinforcing alignment by checking in and adjusting course throughout the process. With better identified clients, you can then deliver the synergy you have created through partnerships with a smoother, more peaceful project.

Ultimately, having the right people around you makes your work better

With the right partners, you can improve your quality of work through alignment, refine processes and create efficiencies. This all allows the working experience to be more enjoyable. Your clients will feel this! They will sense the alignment, trust, and professionalism. They will have a better experience, greater enthusiasm, and an increased willingness to recommend your company to others. Partnerships don’t just improve projects and your quality of life, they also grow your business and your revenue.