There’s one thing our coaches have observed about sibling and cousin partnerships – they are not always created by choice, but rather by chance. Like in a game of chess, non-family partnerships are strategic, carefully thought out moves, while family partnerships are often created by parents who want to ensure their children are treated equally.

On rare occasions, family partnerships are intentionally formed by siblings and cousins who actually want to be in business together, but that’s more the exception than the norm. For family partners who are thrown together by chance, our coaches suggest they take the time to focus on fundamental principles that build the foundation for all successful partnerships, family and non-family alike.

Struggles of Family Partnerships

Non-family partnerships can be hard. Sibling and cousin partnerships can be harder. Sibling partners for example, may love and respect each other out of the office, but given the choice, sometimes they would not have chosen to partner with each other.

We’ll hear clients say, “I love my brother, but I’d rather he not be my partner.” When our coaches ask why, it often comes down to clashing personalities, different attitudes and patterns of behavior. For example, one partner may complain, “My brother is too lenient with our staff and he throws money around.” Meanwhile, the other brother says, “My brother is too controlling and the employees are afraid of him.”

The above example represents a lot of sibling or cousin partnerships that our coaches have helped. The partners have polar opposite personalities, but they’ve been joined as partners by chance. Since there are so many sibling and cousin partnerships in the United States, it’s important to create unity and foster trust-based relationships among partners, despite their differences.

Making Room for Improvement 

In all partnerships, family and non-family, the goal is for the partners to work together and identify each other’s complementary skillsets and use them to the company’s advantage, whatever they may be. If you’re in a family partnership, ask yourself, “How can I improve?” Do this from a personal responsibility perspective and have your partner do the same.

Ask yourself the following questions:

  • Do I have the qualities I would seek out in a trusted partner?
  • Am I dependable and trustworthy?
  • Am I continuously learning and improving?
  • Do people want to collaborate with me, or do they avoid me?
  • Does my staff respect me?
  • Does my partner respect me? If not, why?

When hiring, Warren Buffett looks for intelligence, initiative and integrity. “And if you don’t have the latter, the first two will kill you,” says Buffett. He adds, “You can’t change the way you were wired much, but you can change a lot of what you do with that wiring.” This sentiment applies to new hires, but it applies to partnerships as well. Your partner should be someone who people actually want to collaborate with and you should be too.

To measure your partner’s character, think about how he or she makes decisions on ethical issues. How do they compensate people? How do they treat people who can do nothing for them? It’s in the details…pay attention to how they treat the receptionist, the Starbucks barista, or the server at restaurants. These can help you identify their strength of character.

Start by Being a Capable Partner

As a partner, you want to be capable, reliable, and trustworthy. Do you do what you say you will do, or are you constantly apologizing for missing a deadline? You can promise to do things all day long, but if you fail to follow-through, you’ll lose your credibility. The best partners keep their commitments. They avoid overcommitting. Instead, they think carefully before agreeing to do something.

Ask yourself, “What unique qualities do I bring to the partnership? In what areas do I bring the most value?” Ideally, your skills and strengths will complement your partner’s skills and strengths. In fact, your complementary skillsets could be the driving force behind why the partnership was forged in the first place. Heart vs. wallet skills are an example. Perhaps one partner is great with people while the other’s strength is financial acumen. These are the types of skills to identify and utilize to the company’s advantage.

At AdviCoach, our coaches have observed how sibling and cousin partnerships can be built on differing skills and experiences. The question is, how do your skills and experiences complement your partner’s? What can both of you do to enhance your skills and add value to the partnership?

With the help of a business coach, you can not only assess your complementary skills and strengths, but you can learn how to expand upon your existing value, so the partnership can grow, develop, and reach new heights never before imagined. To learn how business coaching can strengthen your partnership, we invite you to contact us today.