A No-Brainer Checklist To Avoid Failed Partnerships

Hey Friend,

Today, the goal is to help you avoid the guilt, shame and regret of saying to yourself "why did I even get involved with this person? I could've been so much further along in my life had I not."

Have you spent months or even years working with someone, in a partnership, or relationship only to realize that it was going nowhere?

It's okay...we all have!

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It's called a zero-sum partnership and it happens to the best of us. It can happen in any relationship including your business partnership or even marriage. I know because I've experienced these types of partnerships in almost every aspect of my life over the years.

Effective partnerships are essential for winning in life. Failed partnerships, although a great learning experience, are a direct path to losing.

The biggest setback with zero-sum partnerships is the opportunity cost. You can waste years of your life, energy, and other valuable resources trying to make it work. In the end, the result is the same, little progress or results.

This type of partnership is the most dangerous of any kind because it can be elusive. On the surface it seems okay and there is some progress, but not the progress you want. It's not so bad that you can really complain about it either. It just sits there, like a pond.

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How do you know if you're in a zero-sum partnership? There are three questions to ask yourself:

? Are the results of the partnership slow, minimal, or unsatisfactory to you?

? Is the progress or evolution of the partnership itself is slow, minimal or unsatisfactory to you?

? Are you the main partner who consistently puts in the priority, focus, time, energy and other resources to progress the partnership?

If you've answered 'yes' to all three, it's a good candidate for being a zero-sum partnership.

A zero-sum partnership can occur for a number of reasons but the most common is choosing the wrong person. Who you get into a partnership with is the most important factor in every partnership.

The good news is that over the course of my life, having both successful and failed partnerships, I've developed a simple, yet powerful checklist to help you avoid this costly mistake. It's based on five essential criteria.

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Here's The Checklist

It's time to pull out your note pad! This checklist will save you years of headaches, stress, money, time and most importantly life.

Answer the below questions truthfully with a simple 'yes' or 'no' answer. If you don't know, you must gather more facts before fully committing to the partnership.

Alignment

You need to know if you and your partner are aligned for the long run. When you're on the same page, you compound your skills, talents, and abilities; when you're not, you end up working against each other and wasting valuable resources.

? Are you and your partner fully aligned with the future vision of the partnership and end objective?

? Are you and your partner fully aligned with the specific goals & milestones towards achieving your vision?

? Are you and your partner fully aligned in the level of enthusiasm for the partnership?

? Do you and your partner have alignment in your values as individuals?

? Are you and your partner fully aligned with the values of the partnership?

? Do you and your partner have a similar level of priority for this partnership in your lives now and for the future?

High-Performance

You need to know if your partner is a high-performer. Being in a partnership with someone who is less is a waste of time. You may be tempted to look for the potential in a person if they are not a high-performer now. That's a big risk!

? Is your partner a high-performer?

? If they are not a high-performer now, what is the realistic chance that they will be soon?

Strategic Interdependence

You need to know if you need each other and if there's a benefit to remain in the partnership long-term. If you don't, there will always be a temptation to leave. Both parties must get benefit for the partnership to stay functional through time and overcome challenges.

? Does your partner need you long-term?

? Do you need your partner long-term?

Energy

You need to know if working or being directly with this person gives you energy. Sometimes working with certain types of people is just draining. Energy is your most important resource; you cannot afford to work with someone who doesn't give you net positive energy.

? Does working with your partner give you energy?

Likability

You need to know if you like this person in good times and bad. If you don't like this person, you will develop negative feelings like resentment or anger and that will lead to the demise of the partnership.

? Do you like your partner?

Conclusion

If you have answered these questions honestly based on the facts, you are far more likely to get into a healthy partnership and avoid a disastrous one. Remember that the information must be based on facts, not assumptions.

There is one caveat! People change, so it's important to come back to this checklist every year to see if your answers are still the same.

All the best!

Purdeep Sangha

Founder of The Executive Lab