Know Your Partner (Part 2)

"If you can phone him, don't write; if you can see him, don't phone." An old sage in business told me: "If there ...

"If you can phone him, don't write; if you can see him, don't phone."

An old sage in business told me:

"If there is a misunderstanding with your partner, or even the possibility of a misunderstanding on an issue, if you can phone, and discuss it, then do not write. And if there is an opportunity to see the person, then don't, phone or write to them; go and see them."

As I have said before, you cannot get big, and successful in business, without an ability to forge strong partnerships. The most important thing, in business is to "know your partner". You must understand their character, their strengths, and their weaknesses. You must understand their aspirations and hopes. And even with all this, misunderstandings will emerge, and there may be a possibility of a misunderstanding. The moment this happens, do not fire off an SMS, or an email. Look for an opportunity, as soon as possible, to "talk, face to face." Do it straight away. And when you do meet, listen to what the other person has to say, first.

Know Your Partner (Part 2)

And finally, remember what the bible teaches:

"You cannot be right and reconciled, at the same time."

I once went into a partnership, with two close friends, one of whom I had known for a very long time, and loved dearly. We each had a third of the shares. One day, we agreed that the business needed more money, but I was not able to put my own share, which meant I had to be diluted.
My brothers, diluted my shares to almost nothing, and I felt very strongly that they had cheated me, in the manner they did it. I also felt that they did not appreciate my contribution to the success of the business over and above, the cash that went into the business.
 
So there arose a dispute amongst us....
Given the amount of money involved, it was the type of dispute that spills into the courts. I knew I had a strong case.....
 
Instead I called one of my friends, and offered to sell him my shares. When he asked how much I wanted, I asked him just $1, even though I had invested millions into the venture. I did not even tell him that I felt deeply cheated, I rather focused on the need to preserve our long relationship, reminding him of the great things, he had done for me in the past, which were to me, much more valuable than some shares in a business. I asked him to see it rather, as a gift from me.
If I had focused my attention on demonstrating, I was "right", there would have never been a reconciliation of the matter. I chose instead to be "cheated".
 
".....Why, the very fact of your having lawsuits with one another at all is a defect (a defeat, an evidence of positive moral loss for you). Why not rather let yourselves suffer wrong and be deprived of what is your due? Why not rather be cheated (defrauded and robbed)?" (2Co6:7).
  
Part 3, to follow…

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