Partnerships: Can it really help bring in an external team? Often in the software space, we hear the phrase “Build” or “Buy,” meaning it is better to build a new piece of technology or buy it from someone else. This same evaluation can be used to determine how to pick the right path to turbocharge your organization’s growth. During our Q1 all-hands discussion, we asked the leaders of our respective PODs how they evaluated and considered this need. Since each of them spent more than 12 years leading teams and organizations before moving from corporate to consulting, we felt who better to guide us through this exhilarating journey.
We know that every year, teams start fresh with great strategic objectives that they know will set up future years for success. But then life happens: customers want new features, competitors launch a product that you didn’t see coming, or, best of all, your pipeline explodes, and you are now figuring out how to scale. Balancing the immediate with the long term is where the partnership can be like adding the Maverick to your Iceman at the final battle (“Never leave you wingman” – Top Gun). These are the top four ways to help evaluate partners once you have decided to find an external team that can complement your short- or long-term needs.
Tailored Strategies for Unique Challenges
In today’s business landscape, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the sheer volume of off-the-shelf solutions touted as the silver bullet for every organizational challenge. However, the truth is far from one-size-fits-all. Rather than applying generic templates, we believe you need to find a partner who will take the time to understand the intricacies of your organization’s DNA. This may mean a longer sales process or even a short Discovery project to make sure both teams are aligned, but we have found this slow-down to speed up is what can make the difference.
When partners can intake your goals and needs and then tailor solutions (project types, payment structures, etc.), you know you are working with someone who sees your need. We believe true partners are looking for relationships, not transactions, which will show in how they ask questions, sometimes not ones you are thinking. Because if growth were cookie-cutter, everyone would be doing it, but as our team knows from countless partnerships over the last 5+ years, growth takes focus and intentionality.
Know The Type of Expert You Need
Today’s gig economy has created countless lone wolves and single-specialty agencies. This portion of the consulting/services industry is excellent and has its place, but only in specific situations. When embarking on a partnership journey, ensure you know which type of expert will help you achieve your goals. If you or your leadership team can clearly define the full project next, start to finish, outline success metrics and deliverables, and ensure the scope will stay the same, then a targeted expert is perfect. However, if you can’t outline each of these in detail, you may want to consider a group with a team of experts.
Over the years at GANI, and before we were GANI, we saw countless projects get going and then have to pivot or pause to add other resources. This is because business keeps moving even when we lock in on a project. This is why our founders built GANI to have distinct but interconnected PODs of experts, with years of experience in the real world. We believe this model is best for all clients so that we can immediately access experts who complement the project as unforeseen challenges arise. So, as you meet with possible partners, please find out how they handle shifts in scope, where they have seen projects like yours come off track, and how they handled that issue. Make sure they have a path for speaking into the project’s needs from different perspectives, giving your investment in them the best possible outcome.
Data-Driven Decision-Making and Performance Metrics
Ah, the sweet symphony of data – music to the ears of any discerning business leader. As previously outlined in our KPIs blog, data-driven decision-making isn’t just a buzzword – it’s the cornerstone of success. When seeking a partner, ensure they’re fluent in the language of metrics and analytics. This should start as early as their sales discovery process and flow through the entire relationship. A partner who uses data will be able to outline the path to ROI for your project or, in some cases, outline why another opportunity is a better investment for your organization.
But here’s the twist – it’s not just about crunching numbers and churning out fancy graphs. It’s about extracting actionable insights from the data deluge, transforming raw numbers into tangible information to make better decisions. Data should be doing one of two things: confirming success or showing you areas for progress. Ensuring your partner already has the tools and can show examples of the type of data you can expect for your project (project status reports, execution data, testing results, etc.) is a great way to see just how much they believe in their projections and process.
Laser Focus to Create Scalable Results
Maintaining laser-like focus is the key to achieving scalable results in a world where distractions lurk around every corner. Fast-growing companies take heed – partnering with a team that understands the delicate balance between agility and steadfastness is paramount. As we mentioned before, being able to bring a partner in to focus on special projects or unforeseen needs is a great way to stay on plan. Every year, our team sees companies that either over-commit or don’t commit at all, leaving their teams feeling like they are flags in the wind. While we understand that changes must happen, sometimes those are the exact places to bring in a partner for a specific project.
Enabling the core team to adjust to client needs can allow your team to capitalize on new market opportunities while being able to have a separate group stay focused on a key item that will complement your core teamwork but without distraction. A good partner should be able to outline ways for your needs that keep your team informed of progress, engaged where insight is required but untethered from the day to day of moving the rock forward.
In the end, there are lots of factors that go into deciding to bring in a partner, and no way is perfect, but when you are on the journey to growth, our team believes if you start with these four things, you will have the best chance at a strong relationship.