If I asked you to break a pencil in half with your hands, you would probably have no problem doing so. However, if I asked you to break 1,000 pencils stuck together in half again with just your hands, you probably would have a difficult time.
The main point in the aforementioned example is that a team of many is usually stronger than a “team of 1.”
For entrepreneurs, a business partnership with even one other person can mean the difference between success and failure.
When an entrepreneur sets out to begin his or her new business venture, the entrepreneur usually has a positive outlook of how everything will turn out. Success seems so possible; even likely.
However, as the inevitable obstacles of every business venture start appearing, quitting seems like an attractive option.
But relating back to the “pencils example” above, the chances of a project persevering through the hardships is far greater if there exists a solid business partnership.
Aside from the evident fact that business partnerships alone can increase the chances of entrepreneurial success, there is a specific three-step business partnership concept that every entrepreneur should know.
It’s simple, but incredibly powerful. And it can be summarized in three steps:
1) Find out each business partner’s strengths.
2) Find out what specific tasks need to be done (in order to make progress with the business venture).
3) Assign these tasks to members of your entrepreneurial team that display strengths in those specific areas.
The most important part of this concept revolves around the word “assign.”
People are more apt to completing assignments that are externally imposed rather than self-imposed.
For example, if your boss told you (the employee) to organize the office files, chances are, you’ll do it – especially if you don’t want to lose your job. In contrast, if you told yourself that you are going to clean and organize everything in your room, you’ll most likely have a tendency to procrastinate that task.
The bottom line is this: In order to really get things done (from a business partnership/ entrepreneurial perspective) create accountability within the group by simply assigning each other specific tasks that each is not only good at,but will also likely enjoy doing.
Julian Cedric is currently a student at Rutgers University studying Communication and Psychology.