So, we are thinking about leadership and management. Most often, our examples come from bureaucratic structures--business and organizations that have well-defined relationships between the structures that carry on the work at hand.
Few of us work with partners. As argued in a recent column in the Economist, although many start-ups are successful partnerships, few organizations endure as partnerships. After all, once Hewlett-Packard became more than Hewlett and Packard...
Nonetheless, the ideas that underlie those partnerships that endure and succeed seem ideas worth exploring for other working relationships. In a recent book discussed in the column, Michael Eisner notes that successful partnerships require two things: (1) trust, and (2) a balanced set of similarities and differences.
Sounds like marriage.
Best of all, however, the model partnership discussed in the article is the Rolling Stones--as noted, "for all their ups and downs, Keith Richards and Mick Jagger have been in business together for half a century."
Sex, drugs, rock and roll--and business advice. Maybe I should read Richard's book, Life, after all!
Russell West Jr.
http://www.economist.com/research/articlesBySubject/displaystory.cfm?subjectid=14391731&story_id=17461585
It is quite true that partnerships usually have a short life-expectancy, which is why it was an interesting article to read. There are many reasons why partnerships don't work, but Schumpeter's reasons for Richard's/Jagger's long-lasting partnership were insightful. He stated that the recognition of knowing they work and make more money together, keep their partnership strong and enduring. It takes a very emotionally intelligent performing artist to put aside their ego and recognize that their solo artistic efforts are not as successful as when paired up with another talented artist. Its a personality trait that is very rare in most people. Most people allow their egos to control their emotions and actions. But then again, when millions of dollars are involved, it is very understandable why someone would put their ego aside for their career's best interest.
ReplyDelete~Janet Echeverry