BUSINESS BYTE: PARTNERSHIP OR RELATIONSHIP?

Seems in today’s work environment, business is conducted more on the here and now, rather than the future. At the same time, businesses talk about being “partners”. What does this mean? According to Merriam-Webster, a definition of partnership is: a legal relation existing between two or more persons contractually associated as joint principals in a business. More often than not, partnerships fall apart at the first sign of a problem. By its very nature, partnerships are meant to be broken – “They didn’t hold up their end of the deal so we parted”. Then all is forgotten and everyone moves on. You might also call this transactional. What about your personal life? When thinking about your significant other, a family member or friend, do you have partnerships? Of course not. You have relationships. According Merriam, a relationship is: the way in which two or more people, groups, countries, etc., talk to, behave toward, and deal with each other. So what’s the point? Relationships are built upon and are enduring through the highs and lows, good and bad and are everlasting – you naturally help one another. What about you and your organization? Do you have partnerships or relationships with your internal and external customers, employees and vendors? Which do you prefer? Aren’t sure or thought about it? Ask your customers.