In this post, I share the 6 critical success factors I look for in any type of collaboration:
1. The Likeability Factor – Having great chemistry. People do business with people they like and trust. You need to genuinely like and respect your partner.
2. The Compatibility Factor – Do you have similar values, culture, market footprint, marketing style…? Compatibility is extremely important as it brings a level of understanding, acceptance and velocity.
3. The Complementary Factor – A company/individual cannot be skilled at everything; each one has its special excellence. In a partnership you need to complement each other in terms of strengths, capabilities and competencies.
4. The Commonality Factor – Vision/Goals/Expectations
A shared vision/goal is the foundation for all partnerships – when a partnership fails the root cause is often because people were pursuing different agendas or had different expectations.
5. The Trust Factor – Trust is like the rope between mountaineers on a snowy ledge! Trust is the linchpin in any partnership, no trust means no partnership! Never ever partner with people you cannot trust.
6. The Communication Factor – In the early stages of a partnership, communicating helps to prevent misunderstandings and to assure each side of the other’s trustworthiness. Later in the relationship, a continuous flow of information makes the work more efficient by keeping the two partners synchronized.
In my conversation (Podcast) “Is Collaboration the New Business Model” with Alliance Master and Coach, Peter Simoons http://www.petersimoons.com/2014/03/cbp17-collaboration-with-francine-allaire/, I discuss partnerships and alliances and dive deeper into collaboration of all kinds. I highlight why I’m convinced that collaboration is the new workplace business model. I go so far as to say that in light of what I call the ‘new normal’ in business, effective collaboration is essential to how well an organization (big or small) will perform over time. That includes internal collaboration across functional teams, departments or business units, as well as external collaboration with potential partners, contractors, suppliers, customers, and even at times with competitors.
Enjoy this episode and learn about more useful tips for establishing successful collaborations that I shared with Peter!
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