We've all seen them: two people who seem to work together flawlessly. When they are on a project it seems they almost know what each other is thinking. Their coordination is seamless, the end result perfect. This might be the CEO of a Fortune 500 company with his long-time administrative assistant. It might be the appointment secretary and his or her physician boss. It might be a certain husband and wife team you are acquainted with. The thing is, you KNOW it when you see it -- these great business partnerships.



What makes for these? Just what IS it about these great business partnerships that makes them so stunningly noticeable and incredibly effective? Is it the administrative assistant's fantastic computer and clerical skills? Is it the appointment secretary's uncanny ability to juggle schedules? The husband and wife's well-coordinated roles through which they run their house, kids, and marriage?

None of the above. Not that skills, coordination, collaboration, and cooperation aren't important in great business partnerships. But without the secret ingredient even the the highest degree of those can't guarantee success.

So what is it? Simple. MORAL SUPPORT. Yes, just that. The most important contribution each person can bring to the table in these great business partnerships is to lend moral support to the other, whenever and however needed, and without thinking twice about it. Look at these definitions, and if they aren't perfectly well suited to guaranteeing success in a partnership, we don't know what is.

• To bear the weight of, especially from below.

• To hold in position so as to keep from falling, sinking, or slipping.

• To be capable of bearing; withstand.

• To keep from weakening or failing; strengthen.

What more could one ask for from a partner? No matter how smart or skilled that person is, if he or she can't take up the slack for you when you're down – and vice versa, of course – then the partnership won't get very far. At some point one person will "fall, slip, or sink," and if the other goes blithely about his own business without stepping in to lend a hand, an irreparable tear in the fabric of the business can easily occur. It only takes a few of these to erode its success altogether, and most likely by then each partner will be blaming the other rather than looking back to see where they might have stepped in to help the other avoid a slip. Great business partnerships rely on this give and take every day and in every way. Whether it's stepping into an important client meeting for your partner when he or she has a last-minute emergency, or simply giving them a pat on the back when they're down, every time support is given it strengthens the bonds and camaraderie of the partnership.

If you're considering a business partner, do yourself a favor and look beyond skills and experience. Make sure the person you buddy up with has a history of good relationships, business and otherwise, before locking in an arrangement with them. Believe us, it will make all the difference!

If you'd like to take a look at one of the tools that helps make our business partnership run well, plus how we lend moral support to one another, please check out the links provided below.