The art of alliances

Today, it is hard to imagine doing business without alliances. Yet, alliances are commonly the source of great frustration, when they do not purely and simply fail altogether. “Trusted Partners” emphasizes the importance of trust in forging successful alliances. One of the main reasons that alliances often fail is that the partners treat them as simple business transactions. They therefore devote insufficient effort to building trust. The partners focus on merely meeting their obligations. Unfortunately, the partners cannot tap the full potential of the alliance with this attitude.
For an alliance to be successful, the foundations of trust must be laid from the very start:

– Establish common objectives.
Clearly demonstrating that the alliance is in the mutual interest of both partners helps build trust.

– Focus on interpersonal relationships.
The best way to learn to trust someone is to get to know him personally

– Select an appropriate structure.
Trust is greatly influenced by the way alliance structures and interfaces are organized and managed.

– Plan in advance how the alliance will operate.
The objective is to avoid unpleasant surprises that make people nervous and wary of one another.