Most of our company leaders are skeptical; some are downright cynical. I can't blame them - they aren't getting the results they need. Everyone's promised that our alliances will bring in significant new revenue and it just never materializes.
My new team is disheartened. They think they've done a good job, with little support from management. Most of them are good at what they do, but what they do doesn't get the results we need.
And our partners seem to cover the spectrum of emotions. Some are angry and have given up on us; others are just frustrated with us, but want to do more; and I even have one that thinks the partnership is great ... but no one can show me a single dollar in real incremental new revenue!
Where do I start? Do I need a new team; is that the problem? Maybe we need new partners. Maybe my predecessors just signed up a bunch of losers. Can any of these partnerships start producing results? How can I know which ones to keep, and how do I get rid of the losers? My biggest problem: how do I show progress right now without doing something short-sighted? I know one thing, if all the results are in the "long term" someone else is going to be getting credit for them.
What if ... There really is phenomenal potential here. Alliances can be -- SHOULD be -- one of my companies biggest drivers of growth. If our partnerships were producing what they're capable of producing we'd be taking market share like no one's imagined. If I had a clear path to results; if I knew each step along the road like I've taken this journey before - this would be the most exciting job I've ever had.
It would be so rewarding to coach my new team and see their faces when they get the results that were always beyond their grasp. It would also feel good to repay the confidence my boss showed in me by giving me this job. And it would be rewarding, in several ways, to surprise the skeptics and cynics in senior management by blowing past all their expectations.
Solution: Achieving these results requires a straight-forward process to correct some mistakes that were made in the past and now have become institutionalized. The process simply puts in place the two keys to partnering success: having the right partners and getting the right actions. Taking over a faltering program requires a step-by-step approach that clears up vague or flawed strategies, applies a clear test to each partner (current and prospective) to gauge their fit with these strategies, puts in place a compelling value proposition for attracting the best partners, and designs joint business plans that ensure that all key players know their roles and are able and willing to perform them. With the firm footing provided by such a process, a new alliance team leader can guide his or her team and engage and align the rest of the company in support of winning partnerships.
Details
Step 1: Build a concrete and effective vision of what your company needs
The very first step is getting everyone working from the same plan; a reasonable, concrete, and complete plan. Key stakeholders, especially senior executives who are depending on alliance results, have to contribute to that plan and own it. Through a systematic process, broad goals have to be converted to specific objectives. Vague notions of what we want out of the partnership must evolve into what we specifically need the partner to do. The plan becomes a detailed set of actions; actions required of the partner and actions required internally.
This detailed set of action requirements can then be converted into a vision of the ideal partner and, from there, into a model for judging the value of existing and potential new partners. Finally, a plan must be in place to communicate and deliver enough value to current and potential new partners that they will agree to the partnership and, more importantly, take the required actions.
This plan, in a concrete way, clearly lays out the two criteria for success: what does the right partner look like and what actions are required.
Step 2: Review and relaunch current partnerships
The detailed plan developed in step 1 sets the stage to engage current partners. Current partners can be evaluated against the criteria set for the right partner. Partnerships that don’t fit can be terminated, or modified to reduce the resources required to support them. For those that do fit it’s time to review and relaunch the partnership.
Share the new plan with these partners; demonstrate the work that has gone into a quality plan; ask their input to adjust details. If they agree that this new strategy is better for them, bring both companies together to develop a joint business plan around it. Take the action requirements and drill down to determine specific organizations and individuals who will take those actions. Develop a plan to inform these players, prepare and support them, and ensure that taking these actions is consistent with their best interests. Build a joint plan that drives the right actions.
Step 3: Reposition your company as a partner of choice
Partnerships are successful when your company gets what they need from the partner, but you don’t get what you need from the partner unless the partner gets what they need from you. It is imperative that the initial planning spends time identifying how your company will deliver value to partners so that they are motivated to take the actions you need from them. It is critical that your company, not just your organization, understands the value you intend to deliver. Much of what provides value to your partners is beyond any partner program. It includes the cooperation and help they get from many people across your company. These people must be aware of their roles in delivering value to the partner; they must receive preparation and support; and they must be motivated to provide the value.
Step 4: Drive the needed actions and behaviors
The forth step is the money step. It is where the planning and meetings pay off. This is where you engage the key people in both companies. Make sure that they understand their roles and remove any demotivators and resolve any conflicts. Make sure you are driving the right behaviors within your company and make sure your partner is driving the right behaviors within their company. Measure leading indicators and results. Adjust plans, if needed.
On a regular basis, bring both companies together at senior levels and review progress. And don’t forget to celebrate your wins and your blowing past objectives on the way to outstanding success!