PARTICIPATING IN THE "POWER" OF PARTNERING

The "power" of partnering is far more then affiliating with or making a declaration or association among separate people or organizations.  Though important the "POWER" in partnering does not come from organizational structure, formal procedures or policies. True partnering forms through the shared relationship of confidence and trust in a marriage like union.  A little word math reveals that Part-ner-ship is the combination of (1) ship (+) combined with (2 or more) parts (=) Partnership.  The word partners is derived from a word meaning "joint heirs."

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Participants in powerful partnerships will embody characteristics of integrity, sharing and trust. This type of situational leadership and shared development embodies a cooperative combination of interdependent communication.  There is both a desire and a need to share the information, experience, education and rewards from any project or endeavor. The left hand is in sync and informed of everything that the right hand is doing. The right hand is anxious and happy to share everything it can with its left counterpart. Each hand though independent functions better interdependently. The idea is that individual completeness comes through intertwined inclusive interactions. This is an inverse representation of the admonishment that Jesus spoke of in Matthew 6 during the "Sermon on the Mount."  Inverted and rephrased I would say; make sure that you announce all your deeds and share everything with your private partners, so that both work and rewards are publicly recognized.

The "power" of partnering goes well beyond typical associations or affiliation. This level of partnering recognizes all elements, even the hidden or silent ones. Every member serves as an integral part of a whole growing entity that must be continually redefined as it evolves. Partnering shares the victories and defeats, the ups and the downs and the ins with the outs mutually. As social beings we have a natural inclination towards partnership and sharing.  Most importantly partnerships create, morph into or come with other residual income streams that each individual can collectively participate in. Multiple streams of income foster "everlasting habitations."

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The keyword is share.  In this partnering scenario sharing is the fun of it. The circumstances are secondary to the occasion. Whether or not we slayed the dragon that guarded the tower holding the damsel in distress doesn't matter. The fact is that we went on a quest and shared that experience. It is the comradery more than anything else that matters. Employer/employee relationships, although a form of partnering, fall short of this concept.  There must be an element of sharing in the relationship; blame and reward, that works in a free flowing two way equitable manner. Each participant in the "power" of partnering puts the best interest of all other parts above their own.  There is a flow of synergy, in an "everyone completes everyone else's sentence" type of atmosphere through the "power" of partnering.  There is an overriding sense of looking outward for the inspiration or answer coming from within another partner. It is the closest thing to an ideal "fairy tail" type of marriage. (THEY DO EXIST) These are the unconventional dynamics of a different perspective on what partnering means. The "power" of partnering denotes a "skin in the game" type of attitude.  However this attitude suggests our personal skin at risk for the good of our partners in the game.

A emotionally related partnership based on a non-contractual obligation contains the essence (stuff) of a "powered" partnership.  Some might say this ideal depiction is not practical or realistic. But It is the kind of relationship that determines the type and strength of the partnership. Human relationships are not static they can morph and grow. Paper or contractual relationships are defined strictly within the bounds of whatever is written and signed. This alone sets implied legal boundaries and limitations even before that type of partnership has an opportunity to socially form.

The whole idea of what networking is cannot be confined by the narrow scope many people discuss it in. Networking/partnering is the principle of our very existence. Nature's network of cooperative intertwined and INTERDEPENDENT processes are a testament to this fact. We experience natures burps and hiccups whenever it is out of sync or alignment. The seemingly violent and/or abrupt disturbances in nature are simply the re-balancing process. Today business and social structure are increasingly expanding the meaning of partnering. The LGBT community as it is now known used the term "partner" long ago.  Today many businesses want to "partner" with their customers. The evolution and expansion of Metcalfe's law illustrates the "power" of partnering in the simplest telecommunications network. When we properly factor in the human condition during the conception of our partnerships we can anticipate reaching some limit of exponential increase in the level of productivity.  This is  like a joint venture done in reverse where the relationship takes priority over the business arrangements. Although this is not the traditional way of doing business the risks are defined within the strength of the relationship.

A joint venture is a defined business arrangement, though important, this is not that. We are NOT defining "paper" partnering we are describing "power" partnering.  I consider my wife and I to be  growing "power" partners.  As a couple we are open to "progressive" partnering and can share almost anything. This is not a static state or condition but a work in progress. It is only by our awareness and persistent nurturing of this ideal that we can reach where it is capable of taking us to.  It is based on three C's constant, consistent, communication.  Many of the methods and practices for this model are undefined. Each relationship/partnership is unique. However the signs and manifestations that happen as a result of the union are generally the same. If we are unaware or uninformed regarding the potential of "powerful" partnerships we will generally fail to allow them into our lives or form them. The notion that we cannot trust one another is becoming so pervasive that many of us are practicing living that way. That only perpetrates and expands the diminishing effects of separatism and isolation. As always these writing are not an all inclusive explanation of this phenomena. What we are describing is a work in progress that requires effort and attention with consistent re-evaluations and fine tuning. Each part or partner has a stake in maintaining, nurturing, adjusting and growing the relationship. It is vital that the foundation is built with people following the solid principles embraced and practiced by the founders. It takes the right ingredients prepared, mixed and cooked together properly to call any cooking instructions a great recipe. Form follows function!