Partnering: What Must Be Done to Avoid Failure

Partnering needs a boost to be more sustainable and interesting. Also, industry needs a jolt to its complacency before they dismiss the concept and process of partnering. Any process tends to devolve over time if left on its own; one needs to do a little reviewing and renewing to keep it productive and useful. This paper reminds readers what partnering is—an effort to draw out the best in people to achieve a successful project outcome for all parties involved—and also provides an unusual look at the barriers to successful partnering. Some of the insights herein may be helpful in rekindling some enthusiasm and perspective. The author discusses seven principles of partnering and 12 barriers to effective partnering that are based on his extensive experience in facilitating partnering workshops for a variety of clients.