How to partner with the right people

Working with Integrity – How to partner with the right people

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In any industry, it’s so vital to find the right person or group of people to partner with. These are the ones that are aligned with your values and goals – or maybe even to an extent will challenge your thinking and nurture your growth. Over time, they may even become some of your closest friends and people that you keep in your circle for life.

I believe there are always good people in the world no matter the background or the industry but in any situation, everyone must come together starting with collective integrity. All those ick feelings can grow if you’re not on the same page and preventing that starts with open communication. You can feel when it’s not totally open in either way. It’s understandable that when you’re getting to know someone you may not throw everything on the table but go in with good intentions and openness.

Start with honesty and the rest will fall into place one way or another. I think if you live by that rule, everything will work out just fine - even when you have to cut ties in the long run. If there’s one thing I’ve noticed across every industry, it’s that the people who don’t operate with integrity will be found out. It may be quickly or it could be painfully long lived, but it will happen.

What I keep noticing in every interview I have, every discussion with artists, all of the industry people, is BE KIND. This goes through to any kind of entertainment industry, and I think it stretches truly to any industry. It’s about being easy to work with while of course not being a doormat.

I’m sure that we all have stories about people that didn’t quite align with us and how we like to do business, make deals or start new projects and man… sometimes it happens just a little bit too late!! Put your intentions upfront, see if you align with people and if you don’t, it’s cool. You’ll find the ones that you will align with. Be patient and stick to your morals. Stick to your personal code of ethics. It will all come together and honestly it doesn’t mean that you’ll never get burned, but it does mean you’ll always take the high road and act for the best interests of everyone involved.

If you’re looking to work with new people, it’s important to always be upfront and honest about your intentions in working together. What are your expectations of each other? What are your collective goals and what do you want to achieve? If you’re hiring someone, what are their fees? What deadlines do you expect to be reached? How and how often do you want communication? There’s lots of little pieces that make up a good working relationship and that help to ensure nobody is disappointed in the end.

When I start working with people, I’m very clear about what I do, don’t do, what may be unfamiliar to me but would love the challenge of or what I can’t do. I state my fees and exactly what my role will be and what I expect in exchange for work. There’s love, kindness, collaboration and communication all the time. That means even having the difficult discussions if things aren’t going to plan or if you run into snags along the road. If the people you work with aren’t keeping you up to date, you’d feel nervous about the situation too. Or like in relationships, the actions don't match the words, it may be time to get more information and ask the questions. So go with the openness and honesty that you expect in return.

We all want to win, I think most of us enter in a working relationship with looking that everyone comes out better for it. Keep celebrating the wins for your friends, the people you work with and the people you admire. It makes the difference when you’re going for good vibes and growth – and it looks good on you. So keep it up!

Open, honest communication are the keys for your growth and partnering with the right people from the start. You don’t need to jump into everything right off the bat, but proceeding with open eyes, and good communication, you’ll be more likely to come out with good results and trusted partners. What's a lesson you've learned along your journey? What would you take into all new partnerships?