Top Ten Reasons to Partner with Someone

Partnerships come in many forms. There are legal ones such as in business or marriage and there are loose ones when two people come together to work or share ideas but then go on to work or share ideas with others too. I partnered with Dovid Grossman to come up with this list of reasons to collaborate. Dovid was excited about a new partnership he had formed with Chris Vogler author of THE WRITER’S JOU
EY. Dovid and Chris will be working on a series of teleclasses and a book on THE HERO’S JOU
EY FOR PARENTS. Parents – That is a partnership too. So what are the benefits of collaboration?

1. Share Responsibilities – Somehow with a partner to share the responsibilities the job doesn’t seem as daunting.
Example: For an alumnae function for my college I partnered with 2 other women to have the event in my home. We shared the tasks of phoning, shopping, setting up and cooking. None of us could have done it alone.

2. Outsource Your Weaknesses– You do what you are good at and your partner works from his/her strengths. You compliment each other.
Example: If you are good at numbers, you do the accounting for the business while your partner who likes to sell is the marketer.

3. Brainstorm With a Buddy – You get your creative juices flowing by coming up with ideas with someone else. Brainstorming alone is not nearly as productive.
Example: Try listing all the states in the US by yourself. Now discard that list and brainstorm a list with a friend. I’ve tried this with many people and invariably two people come up with more than twice as many states as the individuals did when working alone.

4. Instant Camaraderie – It is always more fun to work with someone else.
Example: The task of putting all the books on the bookshelves looked tedious for Sal and Cindy. Together they finished quickly and had time to reminisce about the many books they had enjoyed reading.

5. Share Resources – Everyone has different knowledge, books, equipment, and materials. Pool your resources and you have more to work with.
Example: My friend and I agreed to do a presentation together. She had several books on the topic and I had some tools I had used previously. Together we prepared a presentation with more resources available had we done it alone.

6. Gain Synergy – You can build on each others ideas.
Example: My partner suggests a trip to Cape Cod for the weekend. I suggest we go to Martha’s Vineyard and then my partner remembers a lovely bed and breakfast that we stayed in many years ago that we both loved on Martha’s Vineyard.

7. Have a backup – It isn’t all on your shoulders now. You have a partner who can pick up the slack and give you some breathing room.
Example: I need a break. The kids have been screaming all day. How nice when my partner takes charge while I lie down for 5 minutes.

8. Push the envelope – Working with a partner can inspire you to move beyond what you have done before and take a risk.
Example: You’ve never spoken to such a large audience before. You’ve prepared with a friend and with her encouragement you do it.

9. Gain a new perspective – A partner might get you to think about a new option or see something in a new way.
Example: I’m upset because the ballgame got rained out. My partner sees it as an opportunity to play “Singing in the Rain” and we get dressed up in our raingear and play in the puddles. I end up having a great time.

10. Get The Work Done – Partners hold each other accountable
Example: My room is a mess and I just haven’t got around to cleaning it up. My friend has a messy office. We agree that we will each cleanup our messes in the next hour. It gets done!