How can you maintain a positive relationship with external partners?

I am a firm believer of being clear, open and constructive. In business partnerships, exactly as in interpersonal relationships, there needs to be a win-win case for both, not for one side only. Even in difficult or awkward cases, share the problem openly, accept the responsibility and be constructive in findings ways around it - exactly as you should do in case your partner falls in some difficult case. Last but not least, be clear in defining each party's role, responsibilities and targets. Review them frequently and adapt.

It is necessary to define the responsibilities very clearly. Once that is done , start working with an open mind and with all honesty. When the rules are set and there is honesty and clarity in place you should not go wrong

Antes de mais nada: um bom e claro contrato. Expectativas alinhadas não frustram. Depois: 1. Alinhamento de dinâmica operacional para poder funcionar. 2. Metrificação de entrega de benefícios: parcerias desbalanceadas acabam. 3. Visão de longo prazo: o que vamos fazer juntos amanhã? 4. Parcerias positivas visam crescimento mútuo. Mas, e se amanhã surgir uma grande oportunidade para mim que não vai de encontro com os interesses do meu parceiro, ou pior, competir com ele? Pense nisso antes do contrato!

Define and agree what joint “success” looks like. So it’s not just tactical but will have shared goals and vision. Then establish a process for governance so that both parties can stay on track and if any deviation happens or if something needs to be revisited, you can agree to pivot etc.

A criação de um relacionamento interpessoal dentro do ambiente empresarial é multifacetado, porém podemos destacar como principais aspectos, clareza, confiança e retroalimentação. Com a clareza estabelecemos as limitações, com a confiança definimos as responsabilidades e com a retroalimentação analisamos o progresso.

The worst thing one can do to the development of a partnership is to not acknowledge or give credit for the partner’s contributions.

In my experience positive relationships have been created by creating a set of clear expectations on the role of each partner in the initiative portfolio, what unique capabilities are we counting on from them to bring to the table to growth the business and how they are relevant to our success vision, after this is done ensure that we go together in the journey as they execute and when the end goal is achieved, it is key to celebrate successes and recognise their role in the team’s success, ensuring that they know they are valued.

“Clarity” is a keyword here, I believe that the foundation of any relationship is understanding, we need to understand the expectations, motives etc.. of all potential partners

First, you must communicate very clearly with the Partner. It is always important to clearly understand the partners goals. Secondly, establish a win/win strategy where you are both working towards mutual goals.

As much as we define SMART goals for our internal team, do the same with your partners. Keep track their performance on these goals and don't forget to appreciate and if possible reward these partners if they exceed expectations.

All relationships begin and end with open and honest communication - from your external partners to family members. A few top-level ways to ensure external partnerships remain positive and productive include: - establish expectations for them and you - ensure clarity and transparency - listen, not just hear - establish consistency in communicating - be thoughtful, fair, and provide/receive feedback

The most difficult aspect of clear communication arises with cultural differences- what one party feels is clear communication may not be clear to the other party. What one party feels is enough detail may not be considered detailed enough by the other party. When is ‘informing’ not good enough because ‘sharing’ was the expected protocol. Communicating to make joint decisions is different than providing progress updates. Effective communication builds trust - without it suspicions turn to mistrust and quickly lead to team breakdowns.

Treat partners with respect and professionalism. Trust is foundational in any business relationship and is built over time through consistent and ethical behavior. Encourage and provide feedback. Actively listen to your partners’ concerns and suggestions. Addressing their feedback promptly can strengthen the relationship.

- Meeting in person can have a significant impact, so it should not be underestimated. - It is always a good practice to end a meeting by deciding on a date and time for the next meeting.

Was mir im alltäglichen Business am meisten hilft oder geholfen hat war stets die direkte, offene sowie ehrliche Kommunikation. Kein Theaterspiel, reine Fakten. Einfach dazu stehen wie es ist. Das kann das Gegenüber natürlich skeptisch machen, weil das (so scheint es) sehr unüblich ist. Probiert es aus. Es funktioniert bei mir seit Jahren!🍀

Since our communications these days are less "in person" then they used to be, I've found a minimum baseline requirement for communication is to schedule for it a regular intervals. We used to just drop by a colleagues office for what amounted to many informal but effective communication events, but with remote workers, more scheduled focus events are needed to communicate effectively.

Pick up the phone! So few people actually call each other today. Don't announce your call by texting first to ask permission. Just call and start with "Hello! I'm just checking in to see if all is well." So few do this. Maybe because they're not confident of what the answer to the question might be! But if that's the case -- there's a bigger problem brewing ... that a call might actually help prevent from blowing up!

Gegenseitige Wertschätzung besteht auch in einem gemeinsamen Auftreten und der Kommunikation über das gemeinsame Projekt bzw. die Kooperation nach außen. Dabei ist es wichtig, nicht nur Erfolge zu feiern, sondern auch Misserfolge bzw. unvorhergesehene Änderungen und die Umgangsweise diesbezüglich offen und transparent zu kommunizieren. Das baut das gegenseitige Vertrauen aus und hilft, Akzeptanz und Verständnis in den jeweiligen Unternehmen zu schaffen.

Minha experiência em cadeias de fornecimento longas me ensinou que a busca pelo melhor preço nunca deve ser as custas da depreciação do fornecedor. Deixar claras suas limitações orçamentárias e seus interesses a medio e a longo prazo foi sempre meu caminho de escolha. A relação fica aberta, honesta, espontânea e construtiva.

Tie recognition to a company core value and accomplish two purposes, providing praise as a motivator and reinforcing the core values.

Get your respective marketing teams involved to issue joint press releases. This will create stronger bonds and help both organizations celebrate each other publicly.

Exprimer de la reconnaissance est essentielle au partenariat. Ne rien tenir pour acquis. Quand tout fonctionne, sur la durée, l'un des pièges est de ne plus réaliser les efforts et les contributions des partenaires externes.

When issues arise, approach them with a collaborative mindset. Working together to find mutually beneficial solutions can enhance the partnership and lead to innovative approaches. Acknowledge and leverage the strengths and expertise of your partners. This not only enhances the outcomes but also shows respect for their capabilities.

Managing external relationships and partners doesn't have to be a zero-sum game. Yet, many corporate leaders approach it that way. Recognition and appreciation start when the relationship begins. Ensuring both parties are aware of the other's motivations and expected outcomes establishes a shared understanding of KPIs and general goals. When exceeded, celebrating them internally and with the partner reinforces the direction of the relationship. In the past, I've invited vendors and partners to company offsites or present at a company all-hands meeting. Simple things will ensure your external partner is appreciated, and in return, they will look out for you and your interests.

Toda organización, segun mi experiencia, necesita de sólidos socios externos para su desarrollo y proyección, sin ellos los cimientos son débiles y poco sustentables. Los socios externos pueden ser muy variados y transversales, por lo que su identificación y relacionamiento cercano y fluido es relevante para el cumplimiento de los objetivos. No debemos nunca olvidar que en las organizaciones, las relaciones son bilaterales y no unilaterales, por lo que estas deben generar valor a todas las partes involucradas

Sin duda debe existir siempre una relación positiva y apreciar el trabajo bien hecho, una vez que este esté acabado y de nuevo por jerarquias, el jefe de proyecto probablemente tenga una comunicacion más fluida copn el jefe de proyecto de la otra empresa y serán complices de mas pequeños avances o felicitaciones por pequeños hitos conseguidos, una vez acabado el proyecto el jefe del departamento o incluso dependiendo de la externalizacio el CFO o el CEO podrian asimismo participar con sus homologos una vez concluido en proyecto.

Be fair, and treat others the way you like to be treated. It may sound simple but it is a human relationship at the end of the day. Fairness brings trust, and trust is the foundation on which relationships are built.

A true partnership is built on mutual interests, shared goals and trust. It is about growing together, helping each other to achieve this growth and to stick to each others commitment. If that all comes together, a partnership will also sustain difficult challenges and times and grow even stronger by overcoming those. It is also very much about the personal relations between the people in charge on both sides.

Ein Konflikt ist im Business ganz normal - da die Interessen von Partnern natürlich nicht immer deckungsgleich sind. Hier habe ich sehr gute Erfahrungen damit gemacht, das persönliche Gespräch zu suchen, anstatt asynchron über Emails zu kommunizieren. In so einem Gespräch sollte es darum gehen, Interesssen auszutauschen und stets die Partnerschaft zu betonen um anschließend einen Kompromiss zu erzielen. Unbedingt verhindert werden sollte „Rechthaberei“ indem man seine Argumente stets wiederholt. Ich fokussiere mich stattdessen auf das Fenster der gemeinsamen Interessen um eine Lösung zu erzielen.

Gérer le conflit de façon constructive quand il survient, c'est très bien. En discuter en amont avec le partenaire, prévoir un mode de gestion convenable pour les deux parties, c'est encore mieux. Il permet de minimiser les risques de dérapages.

Pour cela l’utilisation d’outils de gestion de projet permet une plus grande transparence et une clarté organisationnelle au niveau tiles et responsabilités.

Understanding the root cause of the conflict is not always straightforward, it requires listening carefully and going beyond superficial reactions. Every conflict has the potential to create a stronger relationship.

Managing conflicts constructively involves active listening, understanding diverse perspectives, and fostering open communication. Encourage a collaborative problem-solving approach, focusing on solutions rather than blame. Establishing common ground and promoting empathy helps build bridges, transforming conflicts into opportunities for growth and stronger relationships.

Managing conflicts constructively is an art that transforms challenges into opportunities for growth and understanding. Conflict is a natural part of any team, and how we navigate it can define the strength of our collaboration.

Always open for feedback and make it part of the regular communication. This will build the trust overtime and in case of any conflict you are already ahead of the curve.

Luego de resolver cada conflicto, podemos preguntarnos que nuevo acuerdo podemos hacer para que no vuelva a repetirse el conflicto. Así, de cada uno de ellos saldría fortaleza

Every executive has his/ her own blind spot, he/ she needs to encourage all his/ her stakeholders to give him/ her feedback regularly in order not only to identify their blind spots but also to be aware of its impact on them

I do believe that people in any long business relationships are looking for the person who really cares about me, my requests, expectations, inquiries and my benefit as well. Special talented professionals show genuine interest in enhancing such business relationships through small but effective attention to detail like a simple thank you note for our recent business meeting and results. It could be a match ticket of my favourite team or even a birthday note to my daughter child. People can feel who just needs something from me to win and who really cares for mutual fruitful benefits on professional and personal level.

Feedback allow us to see ourselves on areas that we might be blinded. Everybody will tend to see things from their own perspective, and decide on action based on that view. Feedback from others allow us to see our own blind spots. Likewise, we should also provide honest trustful and objective feedback to our parters to also help them improve.

Totaly agree keep feed back constructive and honest feedback, and suggest ways to enhance your partnership on reglure base to evaluate its outcomes, impact , and value

Feedback ist keine Einbahnstraße. Als Vorgesetzter ist es nicht nur wichtig, Anweisungen zu geben, sondern auch aktiv auf das Feedback seiner Mitarbeiter zu hören. Ihre verschiedenen Perspektiven bieten nicht nur frische Ideen, sondern fördern auch ein motivierendes Arbeitsumfeld. Durch regelmäßiges Feedback können Sie nicht nur die Führungsqualitäten verbessern, sondern auch Konflikte frühzeitig erkennen und eine offene Unternehmenskultur fördern. Letztendlich trägt dieser Dialog dazu bei, dass sich das Team kontinuierlich weiterentwickelt und erfolgreich zusammenarbeitet.

Hay que distinguir entre la percepciópn durante el dia a dia, en que los jefes de proyecto veran las fortalecas y debilidades durante la ehjecución del proyecto o supervisión, y debe exisitr la confianza suficiente entre los interlocutores para plantaer comentarios constructivos que evidentemente se analizaran internamente para consensuar una respuesta al medida de las políticas empresariales de la compañia.

Feedback ist ein Grundbestandteil kontinuierlicher Verbesserung. Eine offene Feedback-Kultur sollte von Anfang an etabliert und gelebt werden, sodass sie nicht als Fremdkörper wahrgenommen wird. Nur dann ist man in der Lage, ein ehrliches Vertrauensverhältnis aufzubauen und die Kooperation auf ein wirklich nachhaltiges Fundament zu stellen. Zudem ist es wichtig, sich zu der Kooperation bzw. zum Projekt auch Feedback von Außen einzuholen, z.B. was die Wahrnehmung, Umsetzung oder Implementierung des Projektes angeht. Schließlich geht es am Ende auch um den Projekterfolg aus Unternehmenssicht.

When an external partner doesn't provide you with feedback, you are navigating in the dark. It becomes a complete guesswork, that is, you can think everything is fine, or everything is terrible, and in the end it's all speculation. Therefore, listen, provoke, encourage your external partner to give you feedback, whether with surveys, awards, face-to-face meetings, etc. It will certainly help you improve some actions, or correct any possible misunderstanding.

This is interesting as my current roles have me serving both sides of this issue. I will say the clients I have enjoyed working for have provided constructive feedback and understood that finding a balance of expectations and values is an exercise that takes several iterations to get right. When I have worked on the executive side, I try to be somewhat educational so that the third party gains some necessary knowledge on why certain services are needed and what constraints I am working with.

Depending on the value of the partner, you want to have scheduled check points with them to evaluate how the health of the relationship. Look at both sides of the relationship. -Are we keeping commitments? -Is the quality what we expect? -What do we need to do differently? Focus on the work, the data and use an emotionally supportive attitude. By doing this regularly, the relationship will grow and flourish.

External relationships should be reciprocal and benefit both parties. Be the internal voice in your org that ensures reciprocity is built into contracts, documentation, and meetings. My typical framework for structuring successful vendor or partner engagements has 3 simple objectives: What will my company get or achieve if the engagement is successful? What will the vendor/partner get if the engagement is successful? What will the internal engagement "champion" if this is successful? If you are the champion, your primary concern is how it impacts your team or customers, what resources it will consume (What other critical thing are you saying "No" to), and finally, what benefit of risk to your career could it potentially have?

We should feel the partners as our family and we should take care of a partner as we take care of our child while growing because building a relationship long term is a very sensitive matter

"Seek to understand before being understood" Always put yourself in thier shoes and understand where they are coming from. Listen to them before you speak...God gave us 2 ears and one mouth, so use them in the same proportion!

Successful partnering starts with choosing the right partners. To get to the best outcome you need to mutually invest time and build trust. Look for competency, displayed values, track records, consistency, key contacts - and btw expect they will also study you on all of the same criteria.

Das Schlagwort und der Schlüssel zum Erfolg sind hier einseitig eine gesunde Beziehungskompetenz und ein gelingendes Beziehungsmanagement! Wer darüber verfügt, kann interne und insbesondere externe Partner für sich und das Unternehmen begeistern. Vertrauen schaffen, effektive Kommunikation, gute Konfliktfähigkeit, wenig Projektion der eigenen Bedürfnisse und gute Redlexion der eigenen Verhaltensweisen sind hier ausschlaggebend!

Life is short, and we spend much of it in business. Thus it is that much more important to find good people wherever we can in our lives. When it is in business, and if you are fortunate enough to find working partners that you also really enjoy their company on a personal level, is to embrace those situations and do your best to make it work. Be the best partner you can be, utilize all the skills you know and learn new ones as well. Be appreciative, mindful, and honest with your working partners. The better everyone is, the more likely their is success, and with more success it all lasts that much longer.

To add to these points it's key to discuss what each party wants from the relationship, and work towards that by setting metrics and outcomes (that can be managed by some of the other points). Setting clear roles and responsibilities within the teams in the relationship using RACI and an agreed communication process, will ensure that issues and conflicts can be handled at the appropriate level, and escalated if not resolved.

Be transparent: Honesty and transparency are essential for building trust with external partners. Be open and honest about your intentions, goals, and expectations. Listen actively: Listening actively to external partners can help you understand their needs and concerns. This can help you build stronger relationships and find solutions that work for everyone. Collaborate effectively: Effective collaboration is essential for building strong relationships with external partners. Make sure to set clear goals, establish roles and responsibilities, and communicate regularly.

Are they the right partner ? Consider the incentives , and their stage of life cycle. For eg, are they are a large mature firm with profitability expectation vs young business with winning mindset? It should align with the risk levels and expected outcomes you seek from each other. Due diligence should explicitly uncover these attributes vs just assessing for knowhow. Do they have the right governance structure to manage the engagement? Both businesses should have a clear governance structure and know what good and bad outcomes look like.