Over-Communication?

Let me get one thing out there right off the bat: there is no such thing as overcommunication, but you can talk too much.  Like Lucy Ricardo or Barney Fife, you can definitely run your mouth too much.  Or like Mallory from Family Ties.  And every character in Friends.

And I know I said 'one thing' but allow me expand to two things: you can talk too much and you can say too much.  Those are different.  However, you cannot over-communicate, so I'd like to reconcile the differences between communicating, talking, and just saying stuff.

For the purpose of a simple, self-scrawled definition, 'communication' is a

Experiential Experiment

Everyone wants to be certified.  If you're certified, you're bonafide.  If you are bonafide, your value is amplified.

In order to get certified you could spend all kinds of time and effort studying, or you could find a boot camp and cram.  Well, in 2005 I was in the latter group.  I packed my bags and headed to Schaumburg, Illinois for a week-long Cisco boot camp in the hopes of being CCDA certified.

The classroom lessons packed tons of information into a tight period, and we all went back to our hotel rooms each night with homework to complete before the next day. Maybe you remember those ads where General Mills asked, "How do they cram all that graham?"  I was asking how we crammed all that test prep.

Friday came and we took the CCDA exam, which had to be in an official test facility with a live proctor.  And you can stop holding your breath, I'm pleased to say

Confluence

A stream flows where gravity takes it as the water seeks the lowest point.  

Unfortunately it can also feel like our business relationships are seeking the lowest point too, but it doesn't have to be that way.

Occasionally something magical happens and two streams merge to create something more powerful than they ever were separately.  Those two streams become a river powerful enough to cut through solid rock and other obstacles in the way.  We call it a confluence.  It will often flow straighter than just a single stream and it will always be with much more power.

It is interesting to note that scientifically a confluence is the merging of any two bodies of water, even man-made ones.  So, for example there could be a confluence of two canals.  Man can take the water and make it flow in the way that is required. 

So it is with business alliances, which is precisely what we talk about here all the time... Fusing focus.  Joining priorities.  Hopefully we form a confluence that flows straighter and more powerfully than either group ever could by itself.

While the benefits are obvious there is resistance from all directions much of the time.  Why?  Let's examine a few of the big ones so we can delve into how we might overcome them.

1. Reluctance to Cede Control - This is the biggest issue you'll face when trying to blend the objectives of two partner organizations.  The issue is made worse by the fact that

Intrepreneurship

If you do the same things you've always done you'll get the same things you've always gotten.  You may be okay with that if you have had strong results, but even if you have it will cause you to stagnate.  Staying in the same place will give you a false sense of security, almost like taking refuge under the wing of a humingbird.

The trick is to innovate and creatively devise new paths for your business partnerships without upsetting the apple cart.  There are ways of developing new businesses within the framework of existing ones.  New strategies tucked inside of proven alliances.

Call it "Intrepreneurship."  An entrepreneurial spirit that works within the confines of what is already working.

Let's say you've got a great business and you and your partner have built a profitable relationship over the years.  Everything is moving along just as it should without

Let's Get Ready to Rumble!

If your partnership doesn't have conflict, you're doing it wrong.

As much as it is incorrect to think that conflict creates growth it is also incorrect to think that perpetual peace produces growth.  So often we act as if peace is the ultimate goal, but do you know what perpetual peace will get you?  Stagnation.

Of course on the opposite end of the spectrum ongoing conflict and never-ending debate are certainly a huge negative too.  Endless squabbles will create division and decimate the strength of your alliance.  You cannot persist in a contentious environment because steps forward are never made.  Bickering, quarrelling, and backstabbing get you nowhere.  But, that said, if you want to grow you must have some meaningful exchange of opinions even if it ruffles some feathers.  Perhaps even because it ruffles some feathers.

It is the exchange of new ideas that

You Are Here

Vision... Direction... Trajectory... Mission... Long range planning...

We are consumed with the future and the promise that it surely holds ultimate success.  Victory.  Accomplishment.  And, yes, we all know intellectually that we have to put the work in now to have success later, but I'm not sure we always act that way.

There are a lot of carts in front of horses in today's alliances.  If everyone is the leader and everyone is casting the vision, then no one is.  Every initiative needs vision and every vision needs to be created and articulated, but the bigger point here is that where there is leadership there must be much more followership.  (So to speak.)

I call it the "Vision Vortex."  It is the phenomena whereby an organization or an alliance (especially an alliance) is continually creating a new outline for the path forward and everyone involved is constantly sucked into this spiral where the work never gets done because grand plans are always being drawn up.

The Vision Vortex is a big problem in alliances because, as we have mentioned in this space previously, alliances have an inherent issue with too many leaders and not enough sleeves being rolled up.  There are no feet being held to the fire in many cases and there is always another design for how to have future success. 

Confirmation Bias

Confirmation Bias (also known as "MySide Bias") is a phenomenon where people select the information that supports their presuppositions.  In other words, if you think something will happen you will be on the lookout for evidence that proves you were right.  Your "confirmation" of your hypothesis is completely biased.

This affects professional relationships, alliances, and channel partnerships in many ways.  We all want to be right whether we are looking for some positive outcome or, maybe more powerfully, even if we predict a less than stellar outcome.

Before we really dive into how to deal with confirmation bias, think about that last sentence again.  We all want to be right, even if we predict something that we don't want.  Is it possible that you could have a negative opinion about how a business relationship will work out and then proceed to look for reasons why it is failing to reach its goals?

Self-Fulfilling Prophecy - This is what happens when we predict an outcome that we can control and we (usually sub-consciously) work toward that outcome.  The more controllable prophecy is usually the one that predicts failure since it is much easier to produce failure than success.  It's possible that you have fears that something won't work and then go ahead and make decisions and/or take actions that lead straight to failure.  What's worse, you're probably not doing it on purpose.  It's a self-fulfilling prophecy.

This can manifest itself in a lot of different forms.  Small tasks and short-term projects can be sabotaged for all sorts of reasons and long-term goals can be derailed in the slightest ways that take you far from your desired outcome over long periods of time.  If you think something will happen you are likely to work toward that end result, whether you are doing it on purpose or not.

How can this be stopped, you ask?  I have a few ideas:

You: Conduit!

Your role in alliances should be that of an enabler, and not simply as one who hands off items from one place to another.  You ought to the conduit through which things happen, not merely a link from one person to another.

Allow me to explain.

So often in alliances, and especially in more traditional channel roles, we believe that if we are getting one person connected to where they want to go that we have been successful.  It is not unlike taking an order as a salesperson in a high-volume business.  There's a customer that reaches out to you looking for something specific and you provide that thing as quickly and efficiently as possible.  Why gum up the works with anything additional, right?  If you provide rapid service than you are assured of high marks from your customer and will get the repeat business, right?

Unfortunately, no.  It doesn't work that way.  There has to be a way that you can provide a lasting, meaningful relationship with your constituents without gumming up the works.  If you are just passing a person off to the resource or contact to which they want to go, then you are missing out on a few critical things that should be central to your role:

1. You aren't providing any real value
2. You aren't strengthening the relationship
3. You aren't ensuring future business

Let's tackle these one at a time and break down the impact.

Learning When to Say No

We are driven to deliver value for our partners as well as our internal teams - sales, professional services, alliances, and more.  But even more than that, we are driven to deliver value that is consistent and reliable.

This is a critical distinction.  We aren't just providing answers, making introductions, and shaking hands and kissing babies.  We must push ourselves to provide a consistent experience and consistent value for our constituents across the board.  We will be vital to their business if they know the value they can expect from us.  The goal is to help them to be confident in that because they always get the same positive return when they engage us.

And that is the name of the game, my friends.  If we are not a vital component of the business of our partners and our sales teams and other key aligned parties then our inherent value wanes.  We begin to whither on the vine, which is obviously never a good thing.

So, if it is to be a consistent, reliable value that we provide, then we must get our act together.  There are several important components in this effort:

• Identify your organization's guiding principles
• Internally understand the value you can provide
• Develop a standard engagement methodology
• Execute the same way, every time
• Learn when to say "no"

If that last one didn't jump out at you, it's probably only due to the title of this entry.  That one is a bit unexpected, isn't it?  I don't have time to delve into every item on that list (perhaps in the future), but I can briefly tackle that last one.

Are you seeing what I'm seeing?

You'll never be successful in fusing the focus of two or more organizations without a shared vision. You have got to make sure everyone has their eyes fixed on the same desired future state or you are going to have a multitude of problems.

But, how do we cast that vision? How do we agree upon the vision? How can we make sure we are all seeing the same thing?

Great questions to be sure, and important ones to explore. Here are a few tips that can help:

Getting Updation

The other day my daughter asked if I would pleeeeease log her iPod onto our wireless network so she could have updation.  Updation?  What on earth is that supposed to mean? 

So I asked her, "Sure, I think so Sweetie... but tell me, what is updation?"

"Oh Daddy, that's for the apps on there... so they can get updation... the new stuff."

"You mean you want me to download updates for your apps?"

"Yes!  Updation."

I smiled...  "Gotcha.  And I think you created a new word there.  Updation it is."

And, what on earth does this have to do with professional partnerships and the idea of fusing focus?  I'm glad you asked, because it goes straight to the core of what I talk about in this space.  The idea of fusing focus is to determine your own interests and also to figure out what is important to your partner (or partners) and then blend those goals and ideals into a unified game plan going forward.

Trustomer

We've all got customers, don't we?  External customers to which we are selling our goods and services... Internal customers with whom we are trying to gain mindshare... Customers in our personal lives...  We all have all kinds of customers.  To me, our partners are a special kind of customer that is a little different.  I'd like to refer to our partners as "Trustomers" and I'll explain why.

The name actually derives from a moment when our Director was speaking to us in a group setting and he slipped up on the word "customer" and it came out "trustomer."  It was a simple thing, we all do it, but I thought to myself, "What a fantastic slip... That's exactly what our partners are!"

In alliances the currency we deal in is trust. 

In sales you are exchanging goods and services for cash, or you are trading them for other goods and services.  Ultimately, you are working toward a stronger bottom line and healthy free cash flow.  If you ask any business owner they will tell you that cash is king.

With our internal customers we are exchanging things such as: time, ideas, and influence.  We are on the same team and we do everything we can to row in the same direction and help the company to thrive.

But, when it comes to our partners, trust is king.  We aren't inherently on the same team.  There is always a threat that partnership can break down or someone could walk out.  If one side ceases to derive a benefit from the relationship, it can change.  Most partnerships exist in a tenuous state, unfortunately, and without trust they will dissolve.

So, remember this and always strive to build trust with your partners.  Here are a few basic things to keep top-of-mind when strengthening your alliances:

Think Win-Win-Win

I've been thinking a lot recently about the Seven Habits of Highly Successful People as I work with the new summer interns here.  The Seven Habits are well worn and time-tested at this point, with the book having been published by Stephen Covey back in 1989.  23 years really isn't all that long, but the rate of adoption in American business has been so huge that it feels like a much longer time frame.  If you have not read it, it is highly recommended if for no other reason than the fact that most of your colleagues have.  Reading and understanding this book can create a common language between you, your co-workers, and your partners.  You'll also find out about the quality of the content and hopefully learn a thing or two about the seven habits.

The "4th Habit" in the book is "Think Win-Win."  The point of the habit is to always be considering what is in it for the other party.  Don't constantly be "looking out for number one" and only thinking about how you can be personally victorious. 

Only thinking about one win (your own) is one of the habits of highly selfish and short-sighted people.

I'd like to re-frame this habit just a bit today.  I'd like to think of it in the partnering concept so that we start to think about win-win-win.  What I mean is, what is in it for you, your partner, and your customer. 

Parallel Lines Converge on the Horizon

Do you remember back in high school art class where they (probably) taught you about perspective and how to use it in your drawings?  Images in the foreground are larger than in the background, right?

It is that way with life too.  Sometimes the here and now is so daunting and huge but the future is somehow doable.  Objects in the mirror are closer than they appear.

When you draw a road or traintracks that stretch out from the foreground of the picture to the background, what happens?  The lines get closer together, don't they?  In your drawing those lines will meet on the horizon.

Alliance relationships are like this, especially the difficult ones.  Especially the ones requiring daunting tasks.

As you fuse the focus of your organization with those of another, remember to keep your perspective.  It may seem impossible to get together on current initiatives.  It may seem like you are just beating your head against the wall to get everyone to agree on today's messaging.  Or maybe the messaging for the week, or even the month.

But rest assured, the further out into the future you look... the closer those lines will appear.  If you maintain focus and plan far enough in advance, those lines with meet.

Co-Opetition

The RTP chapter of ASAP had a great event here in North Carolina yesterday in conjunction with LES.  The SAS and IBM teams had a panel discussion talking about co-opetition.

IBM has probably been the most important partner for SAS these past 3.5 decades.  They have also been buying bunches of SAS' competitors in recent years.  They now heavily compete in one sliver of IBM's business and still partner in many other areas. 

This creates understandable issues among sales teams wary of walking their competitor into an account.  How do you overcome the inherent distrust to partner effectively for the long haul?  Below are some takeaways from the event:

1)  Build Trust:  Clearly, building trust among the teams is key.  But how?  Having dedicated partner teams with limited turnover builds a strong foundation.  Shared goals and open communication foster this growth.

2)  Combined Focus:  Ah, the namesake of this blog... Fusing the focus of the two teams is critical.  What are you working toward together?  Quarterly business reviews and weekly sync meetings keep you on track.  It is important to nderstand existing action items, who owns them, and upcoming milestones.

3)  Improve Communication:  No secrets, no sacred cows, no half-truths.  Both sides need to know what is going on if business will grow.

4)  Firewalls:  Look, it's competition.  It's cooperation, too... but it is competition.  Make sure there are sufficient boundaries and firewalls in place so that what needs to be protected is protected.  This probably means assistance from the legal team.

5)  Get Personal:  Don't be afraid to be friends with these people.  Ultimately, this is the best and most enjoyable way to accomplish #1 and #3.  Have social events, go to each others' homes, talk about families. 

Professional Association: ASAP

I wanted to give a shout-out to my friends over at ASAP - the Association of Strategic Alliance Professionals.

Here is their website addresss: http://www.strategic-alliances.org/

Lots of great resources over there.  They also have a certification program that includes the CA-AM, of which I am one. 

Go ahead and peruse the site, including the Resource Library in the Research section. 

Fusing Focus

Are you tired of beating your head against a wall in your business?  Are there situations and issues that you just don't have the expertise or personnel to deal with?  Rarely is an acquisition the best answer and growing your capabilities organically is time-consuming and extends the risk inherent in your enterprise.

The solution: Partnering. 

There are other organizations out there that are complementary to yours.  There are other businesses that have goals that can be paired with yours, and herein lies the answer:  You have to find good partners and somehow fuse the focus of the two groups.

Easier said than done, I assure you.  That is exactly what this space is all about.  Stay tuned.