As a business grows, it becomes more difficult for one person to manage the numerous moving parts. At this point, you may opt to enlist the help of a business partner.
You most likely invested a lot of time and effort into finding a suitable person, who shares the same vision for the company as you. However, as with any close relationship, there is always the potential for conflict to arise. What are the best ways to deal with disagreements among business partners? And how can you get your business back on track?
Remember, it isn’t personal
It is very easy to view all conflicts as personal attacks. However, in business disputes, this is often not the case. Your business partner may have raised valid concerns with the sincere motivation of doing the right thing by the company. While you may not agree with their opposing point of view, it is not necessarily a personal attack on you. Staying composed and tackling issues from a business standpoint, rather than a personal perspective, could help to resolve matters in the most practical way.
Don’t shut down concerns
It can be difficult to delegate and leave others with key responsibilities, but ultimately, this is why you have enlisted some help. Remember the reasons why you chose the person that you did, and what strengths they bring to the table. If a person has been approached because of their ideas and business acumen, it can be frustrating when they are not given the opportunity to air their views. Simply listening to the concerns of those who you value can prevent them from feeling marginalized.
Even the most successful business partnerships face disagreements from time to time. If you are caught up in a disagreement and struggling to reach a resolution, remember that there are a host of legal options at your disposal.
