How can you manage operational complexity when working with partners?

1 Align on objectives and outcomes

Before you enter a partnership, make sure you have a clear and shared vision of what you want to achieve and how you will measure success. Define the scope, timeline, deliverables, roles, and responsibilities of each partner. Establish a partnership agreement that outlines the terms and conditions, as well as the risks and contingencies. Review and update the agreement regularly to reflect any changes or issues.

2 Communicate effectively and frequently

Communication is key to managing operational complexity and building trust with your partners. Use the appropriate channels and tools to communicate your progress, challenges, feedback, and expectations. Set up regular meetings and check-ins to review the status, goals, and action items of the partnership. Be transparent, respectful, and responsive to your partners' needs and concerns. Avoid jargon, ambiguity, and assumptions.

3 Streamline and standardize processes

To reduce operational complexity, you need to streamline and standardize the processes and systems that you use with your partners. Identify and eliminate any redundancies, inefficiencies, or conflicts in your workflows, policies, and procedures. Use common platforms and formats to share data, documents, and reports. Implement best practices and quality standards to ensure consistency and accuracy. Document and automate your processes as much as possible.

4 Leverage each partner's strengths

One of the advantages of working with partners is that you can leverage each other's strengths and complement each other's weaknesses. Identify and acknowledge the unique value and expertise that each partner brings to the table. Align your tasks and responsibilities with your core competencies and capabilities. Seek opportunities to learn from and support your partners. Appreciate and celebrate your partners' contributions and achievements.

5 Monitor and evaluate performance

To manage operational complexity, you need to monitor and evaluate the performance of your partnership on a regular basis. Use the metrics and indicators that you agreed on at the beginning of the partnership to track your progress, outcomes, and impact. Collect and analyze data and feedback from your partners, customers, and stakeholders. Identify and address any gaps, issues, or risks that may affect your partnership. Report and communicate your results and insights to your partners.

6 Adapt and improve

Working with partners requires flexibility and agility, as you may face unexpected changes, challenges, or opportunities along the way. Be open and willing to adapt and improve your partnership as you learn from your experience and feedback. Seek and implement feedback from your partners, customers, and stakeholders. Experiment with new ideas and approaches to optimize your partnership. Embrace continuous learning and improvement as a key part of managing operational complexity.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?