Partner Tensions

One fear of adding a partner to your business may be the tensions that you will feel with getting two people on the same page. The direction of your company will no longer depend just on you - now, two people have to agree to the path forward. Though this brings fear, it can also be your greatest advantage if both partners are on the same page.

To put this in perspective, think of growing your business as your attempt to get to a particular destination. You have to know where you are going. Many business owners struggle with this. They hope good things will happen, but fail to write down what they want to achieve in 5 years. It's important to write down your goals and vision for where you want to be.

Once you bring a partner into your company, it's important that you both agree to work towards arriving at the same destination. 

The tensions come when two different people see different paths to arrive at the same destination. If you are on the same page regarding where you are going, the tensions can confuse partners that they are not walking in step with each other. But the presence of tensions doesn't mean you are not going in the same direction, you are both just voicing your opinion on the right path to get there. If both partners care deeply about the company, then both paths may be valid. In fact, the tensions are the new thing that will make the company better. When you were the only owner, you had no tensions to help you define the path forward. But with another person, you become smarter, wiser, and the path becomes clearer.

To make this work,

1. write down your 5 year goals in a way that all partners can agree on them,

2. then recognize the specific role each partner fills, and what path they see as the right way to get there.

You may not always know how to write down #2 above, as the tensions often present themselves when you least expect them. The times when partners disagree is the time when you can define the path to the same destination. Tensions come at times of challenging deadlines, dealing with difficult team members or clients, or even personal struggles the partners are going through. Either way, the tensions are healthy signs of different partners that care deeply about the company so much that they are willing to have the hard conversations to voice their opinions. Don't be afraid of the differences and tensions. Embrace them and move forward together.