We invest a lot of effort in finding partners and maintaining partner relationships. We do this for a variety of reasons.
One of the advantages to working in a large firm is that there are normally resources and expertise you can call on when confronted with a challenge. There are typically other specialists who have your same job you can compare notes with; there are other managers who can offer perspective on management challenges.
As a solo entrepreneur or member of a small team the limits of your perspective and capabilities can keep you from excellence in ways that may not even realize. I tell people that when I was at Cisco I was held back by the people around me, now I am held back by my own limitations. If only–I used to think to myself–I could be in my own company I wouldn’t have all of these bureaucratic hold ups and delays.
We value our partners because they bring perspective, skills, and expertise that we lack. We can’t do everything, and in fact it’s taken a while to realize that there is an important difference between tasks that you can comprehend and those that you can execute with distinction. You have to pick a few domains that you can excel in and be careful to avoid wandering into other areas.
Defining and managing the line of demarcation is the key to long term viability in a relationship. We strive to for clarity on what their areas of focus are and where there is overlap we talk about how we will manage it. We don’t expect them to sell our services, but we are always delighted when we get a referral. And we are always happy to recommend them when it’s appropriate.