Partnerships for the Impact

“I not only use all the brains that I have, but all that I can borrow.” – Woodrow Wilson

A couple of years ago, my sister and I rented a 31-foot Class C motorhome and drove across the country with our collective three children, all under the age of 12. It was an epic trip that’s now baked into our family lore and comes up whenever we are together. That trip was successful for one single reason: my sister and I are compatible travel partners.

I like to drive; she likes to navigate and plan our destinations. She makes me laugh. I give her reasons to laugh. We know who the activator is (me) and who the detailed planner is (her). It’s a partnership that works time and again. It’s reliable, consistent, and emotionally and intellectually profitable for both of us. We have clear roles and responsibilities, and we know what to expect from one another.

Like in all relationships, no business operates without at least one important partner—it could be a lending institution, an accountant, a vendor, a service provider or a spouse or family member who is cheering on the success of that business. We have to have someone in our corner.

Dairy farms are certainly no exception. Dairies rely on many partners that range from hard-working employees to heavy equipment dealers to veterinarians to cow nutritionists. Partnerships, when functioning well, can be a determining factor in any dairy’s long-term sustainability.

At Dairy West, we use the same philosophy: partnerships help us make an impact on behalf of the farmers for whom we work. As an organization our mission is to inspire trust in dairy farming and dairy products while building demand for dairy around the world. We can only achieve our goals with others.

Here are some key things I’ve learned while building a partnership-based strategy over the last ten years.

·??????Align Goals: The most important factor for a successful partnership is alignment of goals. Each partner should have the best interest of the other as a priority. If that isn’t the case or if one partner grows away from that goal, it’s time to re-evaluate.

·??????Nurture the Relationship: Cultivating relationships is key to developing quality partners. The ongoing care required for partnerships to thrive never ends. You must put the energy and attention into the relationships that matter most to your business. And, while alignment of goals is critical, the people with whom you’ll work matter. Work with people you can count on. Work with people who are responsive to your needs, people who will help your business be more successful than it was before they arrived on the scene.

·??????Think Creatively: An impactful partner need not be merely a financial relationship. Sometimes the most fruitful relationships are those that require more intellectual support or other assistance. Relationships that are dynamic and able to evolve over time, with the changing needs of your business, can have the most long-lasting impacts.

·??????Evaluate Regularly: Partnerships change over time. Make it a habit to evaluate your partner relationships regularly and be prepared to go in a different direction should you need to. It is possible to end a partnership and still maintain the organization and its people in your network. If a terminated partnership does turn its back, then that also sends a clear message.

·??????Be Picky: For some organizations, it can be easy to say “yes” to every partnership. While not exclusionary, lean toward those partnerships that have the biggest impact for your business and vice versa. The better the reciprocity, the better the strength of the partnership long-term.

I often meet with organizations that want to partner with Dairy West. Repeatedly, they will come to me with a pitch about why we are good for them. I want to hear why they are good for us, too. A partnership pitch should include an orientation of both parties’ missions and goals to be most meaningful, productive and convincing. A good partnership “borrows each other’s brains” to get the best from one another.

The right partnerships should make life easier and business more successful. They should feel comfortable to manage and should flourish, even when circumstances change. By setting clear expectations and having defined roles and responsibilities, partnerships can feel effortless, like the memorable trips my sister and I take together. At the end of the day, two plus two can equal more than four!