How can you build trust with potential partners during strategic planning?

Something I always do before even open a discussion with a potential Partner is to try to understand it’s business and where and what could be the areas where our businesses could be complementary. And I think the best way to do that is to put myself into the Partner’s shoes and have an “objectively” look at my business and try to discover as many key benefits that this new Partnership could bring. After doing this exercise, you can even find needs that the Partner didn’t think of and that is the best value added that you can bring to a new Partnership.

To be able to accommodate the potential partner in the best way possible we will analyse their platform, and get valuable input during initial conversations by asking the right questions to get a full understanding of what it is that they need. We'll formulate a profile on this potential partner afterwards which helps us to show how and where we can support their needs.

One mistake many partnerships managers make is not involving their partners during strategic planning and addressing certain concerns. In my experience, building trust during strategic planning starts with open communication, and transparency. It's absolutely necessary to be aligned on shared goals early on, while also having a good understanding of the tasks at hand. Following through on commitments and maintaining honest, consistent communication has always helped me build a strong foundation of trust, which is key to long-term success in any partnership.

Je sais qu’à cette étape du projet, une question qui souvent a créé un lien: et si tu pouvais faire ce que tu voulais pour ce projet, tu ferais quoi? Si on avait une baguette magique, un budget illimité… ? et après ont repart ensemble sur ce qui est demandé. Cette étape permet de partager nos besoins fondamentaux, à chacun avant d’aller ensemble vers un objectif commun. J’aime ce moment de bascule où le mot partenaire, partage, émotion, intelligence collective prend forme??

Integrity can start immediately by simply stating what you will do no matter how small and then do it! This will build confidence and trust; in my view these are the two foundational traits of partnership!

Un mail personnalisé, court et qui nécessite une réponse ou apporte une réponse. Sinon pas besoin de mail qui polluent la bo?te, l’esprit et la planète.

Whoever it is, be it a client, friend or anyone else, talk to him clearly whether he likes it or not And study well about your services and study your competitors properly When you study your competitors, the thought comes to your mind that I can do better than them And add on the same idea to your startup And then pitch to the client on a daily basis Consistency is very important in every work and it also shows how serious you are about your work.

Always be transparent! This in our motto when it comes to building a long term partnership, better be honest and open from the start. Build trust even if the partner doesn't quite join you in being this transparent form the start, you'll soon experience a change in their behaviour and from there on you'll really be working on a strategic partnership.

Understanding the needs of prospects is paramount. By adopting a proactive approach, one can become a problem solver through strategic questioning and attentive listening. Preparation is essential; researching the company, industry, and stakeholders beforehand ensures informed discussions. Armed with insightful questions, aligning solutions with partners' problems and offering solutions. Consistency in this approach establishes trust over time, evolving the relationship into that of a trusted advisor. This trust-building process is particularly effective during strategic planning sessions, solidifying one's position as a reliable partner and fostering collaborative success in the dynamic landscape of business partnerships.

The ability to be transparent means you are being accountable and vice versa. A couple of considerations: - Offer a Mutual NDA. A great way to position the need is that if both parties have the ability to talk freely, the conversations will be more robust and will keep hidden agendas from taking over. - Accountability is about setting expectations, for both parties. Then on a regular basis, share how each other are progressing against them. Adding in that there may be times to have a hard discussion if expectations are missed. All discussions based on relevant points and a spirit of support to help get the other party back on track. Both companies chose each other, like a marriage or commitment ceremony. And why the bullet #2 is critical!

Communicate openly and regularly. Share information freely, provide transparency into decision making, and keep all partners updated. Respond promptly to inquiries. Solicit input early. Engage partners in the planning process from the very beginning. Consider all perspectives and ideas. Partners should feel heard. Align on shared goals and values. Discover, define, & delineate each partner’s core interests and motivators. Establish goals reflecting the mutual benefit. Follow through reliably. Make realistic commitments within the strategic plan and be reliable meeting obligations. Admit shortcomings quickly. If missteps occur, own the issues early and sincerely, outline corrective actions and preventative processes.

Celebration and appreciation are important in any Partnership. Unless we celebrate small wins and appreciate the partners for their each contribution, we can never call any partnership as successful.

This is a great question. Too often, too little attention is paid to building trust. In our experience, 5 elements are key to building trust (and therefore more effective partnerships). 1. A clear, shared “why” that everyone in the partnership cares about deeply. 2. A clear understanding of “who” should be involved; which organisations and individuals and what they bring. 3. A clear “what” - deliverables that everyone can contribute towards achieving. 4. A clear and ambitious “when” - a timeline that keeps people focused and energised. 5. A genuine process of co-creation with transparent communication. When all 5 are in place, we call this “purposeful collaboration” and it is a powerful way to drive insights and deepen relationships.