You want to create a successful partnership. What are the best tools to get you there?

Almost two decades ago, I was privileged to have attended a training workshop facilitated by a team of business development experts based in Europe. The highly interactive and practical 3-day session culminated with the following quote: "Business is about relationships; and 'real' relationships are always personal". This golden nugget has been a point of reference in my business interactions over the years. It has seen me build meaningful relationships with my teams, clients, vendors and partners.

Partnership meetings are great, and good intention are cool - but you won't get any deal done if you don't get specific. You have to put a calendar on the wall. Put clear goals for each week/month/quarter on. - How many people enabled on technology X by time Y. - How many client meetings in industry X by time Y. - How much deal pipeline + deals closed by quarter X. If you get these goals aligned, and executives to commit to them (helps if they align to their personal incentives) then you have a good start to a fruitful partnerships.

Communication. Clear, honest and open communication. Outline what each party wants to achieve, what each party is capable of, and who is doing what. If problems crop up, communicate. If things go well, communicate. It can't be stressed enough how important this is.

I'd say that there are preliminary 3 P's that you need to get familiar with: the People you're working with, the Party (company / unit) you're collaborating with and the Performance (product, specs, timelines, budget) you expect to deliver. These three factors, if adequately configured, will determine to a great extent the effectivity of the tools - for analyze, decide, implement, track and revise - that will enable you to manage the partnership aptly.

Clear is kind. The SMART framework is effective, especially in complex, diverse teams environments. I've found applying "Evaluate & Revise" principles together with SMART goal setting invaluable for my teams to respond nimbly when priorities shift. A collaborative, transparent approach ultimately helps us reach objectives effectively.

A secret power of partnerships is to create these relationships with companies who compliment your company. Ideally, your partner can help you to close the gaps in your SWOT analysis (covering your weaknesses) and benefits from your strengths, to mutually lift the opportunities while at the same time automatically mitigate the risks because both partners work together in a collaborative and complimentary relationship, achieving 1 + 1 = 3

In my opinion SWOT analysis is crucial in many ways; 1. Understanding Strengths- It helps identify the strengths of each partner, such as technological expertise, market presence, or customer base, which can be leveraged to create a stronger joint offering. 2. Assessing Weaknesses- It allows partners to recognize areas where they may be lacking, whether it's in resources, technology, or market access, enabling them to address these weaknesses collaboratively. 3. Identifying Opportunities- By analyzing external factors, like market trends, competitor activities, or emerging technologies, partners can identify opportunities for growth, innovation, or expansion in their joint venture.

Joyning forces to achieve a common goal by being better than competition. Therefore understanding each others strengths and applying them to the identified opportunity is key. Plus clear roles and responsibilities of each partner are necessary to make it work. Combined with regular review of what works and adapting the plans accordingly.

Swot nos auxilia a enxergar de maneira rápida, simples e gráfica sobre alocar as melhores pessoas para os processos e criar uma visualização de diferenciais da empresa, mercado e equipes.

As a modern Product Manager, leveraging SWOT analysis is crucial for strategic decision-making. Identify Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats to inform product development. Capitalize on Strengths and Opportunities, addressing Weaknesses with targeted solutions. Mitigate Threats by proactively adapting strategies. Regularly revisit the SWOT analysis, ensuring its dynamic alignment with evolving market trends. This disciplined approach empowers Product Managers to navigate complexities, optimize resources, and drive innovation in today's competitive landscape.

A simple partnership agreement does the job. More important is to agree on a mutual action plan (MAP) before signing any agreement. I recommend signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), including the objectives and expectations of each partner, the next actions of each partner, and a list of involved team member and executive sponsors.

Un accord de partenariat est indispensable pour définir un cadre au sein duquel les rôles et les engagements de chacun, le partage de la valeur sont bien définis. Il n’intervient qu’à partir du moment où la volonté des 2 partenaires a été affirmée. Très structurant, il permet d’aborder tous les sujets structurants du partenariat et de passer à l’opérationnel dans les meilleures conditions. Conseil : ne laisser pas les conseillers juridiques définir les termes de l’accord à votre place.

I would add, keep your partnership agreements clean and simple. The best partnerships are based on aligned core values, trust and a shared vision of what success looks like as a result of the partnership. Be sure to set a renewal period (6 months or year) so either party can gracefully exit if the partnership falls short of goals (concept vs reality). The bulk of the agreement should include a schedule of collaborative marketing, selling and service activities by quarter with a key person responsible for the deliverables/project management. Set standing partnership call to tweak focus and measure success.

An agreement is a documented version of the roles and responsibilities each party will play, and also encompasses clauses in case of any adversity or diversion occurs. An agreement should not be taken as a legal bounding, but considered as a way to keep both parties in check of their capacities, clarity and obligations if any, what happens during a conflict, and establish more transparency in the process. MoU, SoW, MSA etc. are some forms of agreements which 2 partners eg. vendor and client get into.

Crafting Successful Digital Product Partnerships as a Product Manager Building robust partnerships for digital products requires a strategic approach. Begin by aligning shared goals and values with potential collaborators. Clearly define roles, expectations, and communication channels. Foster transparency and flexibility to adapt to evolving needs. Prioritize mutual growth and regularly assess the partnership's impact. A strong foundation of trust and collaboration ensures a symbiotic relationship that enhances the success of your digital product.

A communication plan might be needed for large, complex partnerships with multiple stakeholders and various levels of collaboration. In my experience, aligning on the preferred ways of communicating and documenting this in the MAP (Mutual Action Plan, or MoU, Memorandum of Understanding) should be sufficient. However, having a mutual communication (or marketing) plan outlining communication towards the market, for promoting and communicating the partnership to third parties, is highly recommended.

Building a robust communication plan through trust and transparency is crucial in sports partnerships. It starts with proactive engagement: asking insightful questions and actively listening to understand each party's needs and goals. This open dialogue paves the way for finding mutually beneficial solutions. Setting clear expectations, both internally and externally, is vital to align goals and foster a sense of shared purpose. Effective communication is the best tool in this process; it ensures clarity and minimizes misunderstandings. Authenticity in interactions builds trust, a cornerstone of any successful partnership. Miscommunication often leads to delays in the partnership sales process or, worse, the partnership falling through.

Communication is vital in any partnership, in any stage of partnership, while communicating, be transparent, be articulative, be empethetic, don't be judgemental, listen, and hug things out.

Effective communication shall contain crisp and precise plan of actions, roles and responsibilities being played by each partner, what happens in case of any adversity or diversion, channels of communication applicable eg. email, calls etc. , escalation matrix that shall be followed, points of contacts, regular relationship building activities, emphasis on CSAT scores etc.

Communication needs to be embedded in the partnership plan of milestones. You need to start-up, build joint success and then propel the fly-wheel with communications. While communication around intentions is a good start, the most relevant will be to jointly talk about customer success stories. Getting there, including a client to talk about it publicly, is far from easy.

Collaboration could almost be synonymous with partnership. Sharing of leads, work, responsibility for a common benefit or goal. So my choice are collaboration tools. Using a Google sheet is still a fast and easy way to share a pipeline or lead list. Monday.com is a simple tool for task sharing. Or use a tool like Magentrix designed for partner collaboration and sharing.

Most tools in the market are still built to support transactional relationships (seller <> buyer). They do not serve well for partnerships. Just recently, more tools that focus on collaborative relationships (partner <> partner) have been developed and released. These tools focus on supporting the partners' touchpoints along the six partner life cycle steps. 1. Recruiting, 2. Onboarding, 3. Growth, 4. Evaluation, 5. Expansion and 6. Exit. Communication, Trust building, Enablement and Engagement and Partner Experience are the most important task these tools have to cover. Just to name some Crossbeam, Superglue.io, Magentix, Reveal, PartnerStack.

Callaboration tools is considered an essential tool to work nowadays. I experince to work with GitHub to develop features of applications and merge with the whole project code where another developers contributed for. To organize tasks, I experienced to work with Notion, which I consider a complete tool to stage everything in particular needs and in a team work. Now, I am lerning to use Microsoft Cloud based tools. In summary, these tools are truly indispensable for quality and organized work.

I’ve come to realize those closest to the issues are also closest to the solutions. Collaborate with those who challenge you, add to essential plan’s together, and just have common respect. If you’re working towards a common goal this shouldn’t be a problem.

Trabalhar com ferramentas de colaboração, a exemplo de Office365 ou mesmo Suíte Google, facilitam o trabalho de forma aut9noma e complementar, garantindo o trabalho presencial ou a distância e o uso sempre da versão mais atualizada do arquivo, auxiliando o processo assertivo de comunicação com qualidade, garantindo o atingimento de resultados através de papéis e responsabilidades bem definidos.

In my experience there are three dimension which would help evaluate the partnership: 1) The internal view: does my company achieve the goals we set when we entered the partnership? Do we consider the partnership a success? 2) The collaborative view: does my partner consider the partnership a success? How is the Mutual view on the collaboration? 3) The customer view: in most cases a partnership is aiming to add value to the (mutual) customers of the partners. Here a survey or data insights (e.g. usage data, adoption rates etc) can help to understand if the partnership really created 1 + 1 = 3. Ultimately, all three dimensions need to be positive to achieve a long-term successful partnership

Hard metrics are in the end the most relevant way of measuring success. Here are 4 high impact KPIs: # of new client logos % of market share capture # of attendees, leads, deals from events $ of joint pipeline, deals, influenced opportunities

To ensure a thriving partnership, incorporating evaluation tools is paramount. These tools, such as surveys, interviews, and key performance indicators (KPIs), measure and enhance collaboration impact. Assess goal attainment, delivery of results, and overall value creation. Evaluation tools pinpoint strengths and weaknesses, enabling continuous learning and informed adjustments. Embrace these tools to solidify your partnership's success, fostering a dynamic and adaptive collaborative environment.

Come to the table with something to offer. Build relationships by willing to give first without asking for anything in return. You will quickly become part of a circle that has a baseline higher than you and this will result in growth for you.

The most important tool (if you want to call it a tool...and I will here) is a 3-level Story. First level - the partnership is good for your org. Second level - the partnership is good for the partner. Most important level - the partnership is good for the customer. If you have a story that goes 3 levels, you are off to a good start.

I would add the power of curiosity. Asking open questions about how organisations can add value for one another usually ends with valuable insights.

All comes down to trust. Partners are effectively an extension of one another's customer experience and brand perception. Understanding a partner's value proposition, target buyer, level of service and price relative to their market allows for clear expectations to be set and long-term mutual benefit. The most effective partnerships leverage one another's strong suits, communicate regularly and coordinate their efforts.

For me, the tools to successful partnerships are trust and respect. They: 1. Allow vulnerability. In order to be open, take risks, & handle conflict well, partners need to be able to let their guard down. Trust creates a safe space for that. 2. Enable honesty. Partners should feel comfortable sharing information, saying no & providing constructive feedback - even difficult messages. Respect builds understanding. 3. Motivate commitment. When partners trust & respect one another, they'll go the extra mile because the connection runs deeper. 4. Help with bonding & loyalty by deepening interpersonal relations (it can form great friendships, too!) Without trust & respect, partnerships rarely thrive. Cultivate these right from the start!