A manifesto on manifestos
Richard Muscat Azzopardi explores the hidden costs of misaligned business relationships, arguing that tension should fuel growth, not drain energy, and advocates for creating a values-driven manifesto to guide partnerships. Aligning on core principles can minimise stress, boost productivity, and foster long-term business success.
'What a waste of time and energy.'
We've all either said or heard someone say that at work, and it usually stems from a fundamental misalignment or miscommunication between stakeholders about what should be considered a priority or about the way things should be done at a basic level. If you've had an experience like this with a business partner, it's usually an omen of things to come.
Tension is a natural part of growing a business. Without a little bit of the right kind of pain, businesses remain static. But that pain should be related to building skills, pushing boundaries, and improving internal processes. It's the muscle soreness you feel after a challenging run or session at the gym.
Unfortunately, the tension we often face at work stems from a less productive place. It's usually around incompatibility with those we're working with—internally or externally. Suppose it's an internal issue governed by the company culture you've built over time and how HR conflicts are resolved. The external side of things is where things get murky.
Do you sacrifice a profitable relationship with a client or supplier because they stress your team?
I'd argue that you should if you value growing your business through quality work rather than just volume.
If your business's financial situation relies on these existing high-stress partnerships, removing them immediately to avoid stress is an obvious no-go. But your next step should be to build a plan to eventually replace these high-stress partnerships with more productive and fulfilling ones.
That starts with a manifesto about what kind of external partners you want to work with, not based on their industry or specialisation but on what they stand for and value in a working relationship. One that you're confident enough in to make public.
How do you build an effective manifesto?
If you haven't already, articulate your core beliefs about how business should be done. This set of principles will serve as the foundation of your manifesto. They should cover your collective attitude towards how you feel companies should treat each other.
For example, at Switch, we believe that business can and should be a force for good - that focusing on purpose and people inevitably leads to profit. We believe in kindness and empathy as a strategy. We think true success is measured by our positive impact on our people, clients, planet, and bottom line. And we've taken concrete actions that align with these beliefs.
As a result, we can quickly outline the kinds of partnerships we're looking for. We want to work with people who embody genuine kindness in and outside of work, strive to revolutionise their industry efficiently and responsibly, truly prioritise their team's well-being, and have taken tangible steps towards embodying these virtues.
We want to work with people who share our beliefs. We want better business.
Every time these beliefs have been aligned, the relationship has been fruitful for both sides—financially and in terms of internal growth—because everyone involved is aligned regarding attitude and priorities. Operating from the get-go based on mutual respect and equal standing makes any relationship near-seamless, and even tricky situations are significantly more straightforward to deal with and overcome.
As a result, we've learned that expressing these beliefs in our external communications and during chemistry meetings with potential partners allows us to attract the right kind of business, detect whether a relationship will turn sour in the long run, and nip it in the bud.
Potential clients and partners are also desperate for a value match. The proper alignment always increases our value proposition. It ends up being the primary deciding factor for the partner in question when they have other options on the table that, from a technical point of view, tick more boxes.
The bottom line
Running a business this way isn't easy and doesn't happen overnight. Companies often need to take on work that isn't perfectly aligned with their values because payroll needs to be met.
Slowly replacing stress-inducing partnerships with ones that complement your values can be financially daunting, but it is worth it in the long run. A happier, less stressed team is more productive, easily retained, produces better results, and brings innovation. If you can back up your talk with the right action, getting good business will lead to more promising business.
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