What’s a strategic partnership between friends?

A few weeks ago, my colleague Marianna in London shared her thoughts on strategic partnerships and since this service offering is one of the areas I focus on, I wanted to add a few thoughts of my own.

What do you first think of when hearing of a strategic partnership? A picture of a bunch of CXOs shaking hands and smiling? Bosses sending emails to the staff guiding them through the principles of a new corporate programme or introducing the company’s latest leaders? Another weekly call with half a dozen consultants? Pretty often that’s exactly what we get.

What do you first think of when getting into a new close friendship? It might be something like: It’s amazing how much we have in common; I have never been listened to that attentively before; I trust her/him more than most. Undoubtedly, there are many more statements which you could easily bring up here. All of them, however, could be reduced to a simple term: quality time spent together. And what does quality time really mean?

In a fast-paced world with an ever-growing need for double-digit growth results, multitasking is a mantra. Quality time means attention. The fullest attention. Reciprocally. Simple as that.

As in Einstein’s saying: “Any man who can drive safely while kissing a pretty girl is simply not giving the kiss the attention it deserves.”

It does not matter whether it takes a phone call, an email or a face to face meeting. It also does not matter whether it is regular contact or not. When you are working together on a project, you communicate on all levels and the time you devote to it is unlimited.

What then is the added value of a strategic partnership? It is that the relationship becomes not only cost saving but also creates space, allowing the best in both parties to emerge.

As Henry Ford once said: “My best friend is the one who brings out the best in me.”

For more information on SRG and how we can strategically partner with your organisation, please call me on 0048 608 402 332 or email me at Julian.Stec@srg.co.uk.