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This week’s focus: The ability to partner is becoming one of the most important, yet unrecognized, organisational capability. In fast moving, unpredictable markets with ever-shortening product life cycles it no longer always makes sense to try and do everything on your own. Instead, it is quicker and preferable to share the risk and reward of new opportunities with complementary businesses. That is what has happened historically in high technology industries and is increasingly important in virtually every market.

Earlier this week I ran a meeting between two organisations looking to find new ways to work together. Despite some understandable misgivings on both sides in the early stages of our session, new opportunities quickly emerged that were previously out of reach for both organisations. By the end of the two-day session, the participants had found half a dozen ideas that they had turned into action plans and left the meeting with a new sense of optimism about the relationship between the two businesses.

What new opportunities could you pursue if you were able to effectively partner with other selected businesses?

Off the record: Sometimes You Can’t Make It On Your Own by U2

Tough, you think you’ve got the stuff

You’re telling me and anyone you’re hard enough

You don’t have to put up a fight

You don’t have to always be right

Let me take some of the punches for you tonight

© Stuart Cross 2016. All rights reserved.