Tuesday, February 12

Partnering Up: The Best/Worst Things to Do

Teams are usually created out of a sense of necessity. While most determined people would love to have their hands on every aspect of their project, enlisting help sometimes is best. Working as a team has been known to increase efficiency and accomplish more in a shorter period of time. However, partnering up with others is not without its challenges. There are a plethora of things that contribute to the order and chaos of collaborating with someone else.

Some of the Worst Things to Do When Partnering Up

Not take others thought process/style of work into consideration: In a lot of cases, working closely together will reveal differences that could get in the way of progress. Figuring out how to make them complement one another and implementing it, helps. One must never forget that if you could do it all by yourself, you would not need a partner.

Having no regard for the scope/schedule of work: Entering into a partnership suggests that you are willing to abide by whatever agreement has been arranged. Prolonging things and/or not giving your partner enough time to complete their portion also shows a lack of consideration. If changes come up, communication is best instead of assuming it is okay to make an adjustment where someone else’s input is required.

Practice bad communication: Communication is the most essential key in making any partnership work. Even if the original idea was yours and you created the team. The saying, “there’s no ‘I’ in TEAM” exists for a reason. Withholding information or assuming you know what is best for everyone will dissolve a team quicker than you put it together. By communicating effectively, everyone can be on the same page and continue to create what they were brought together for.

Some of the Best Things to Do When Partnering Up

Know who you’re working with: Working closely with someone requires that you get to know them as much as you’d like them to know you. Teaming up with someone who could be your clone could be a constant ego boost but it is never as beneficial as working with someone who can balance out the strengths and weaknesses.

Separate the workload accordingly: Just as everyone does not think the same, we do not all work the same either. Keeping this in mind will allow teammates to realistically approach tasks. Some might do more/less than others but in certain areas, it is necessary. Understanding each other’s roles allows for the workload to be allocated in a fair manner.

Be honest: This is something that is always easier said than done. It works closely with effective communication. Partnering up with someone says that you are ready to take someone else’s input, time, and life into account. So we have to be reasonable when changes come about that can affect the partnership. Having open and honest lines of interaction will allow all parties involved to stay focused on the goal versus taking anything personally.

There are many projects we can successfully tackle on our own. These are better left to a one (wo)man show. Larger, more detailed ventures can have a greater outcome with the right people operating together. This always aids in any partnership being lucrative. The end product is not about one person. Knowing and acknowledging that before beginning a collective effort will save everyone the chaos that ensues when we do not know the best and worst of partnering up.

[originally posted on www.femmelagloire.com © 2012 Syn Delano]



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