Welcome Baywalk readers to the August edition of Creating Success Viewpoint on Baywalk.com. I was inspired this month by two different sources. First, an article regarding business relationships by the Chairman of Alaska Airlines (see the June addition of their air magazine), and secondly the wonderful advertising minds that came up with the "Got Milk" commercials. I hope you enjoy: "Got Partnership?"

Unfortunately, too many companies must answer no to the above question. Oh, they will hum and haw, and rationalize their actions; but in truth partnership is missing from their business vocabulary. What is partnership? Webster's Dictionary gives the following for our consideration:

1. the state or condition of being a partner
2. participation (a sharing as in benefits)
3. association (having a common purpose)
4. joint interest

My definition of partnership is: where two or more parties, working together, share in the benefits of the business opportunity, commensurate with their investment. Sharing. We first heard that word as children, as in, share your toys. Although it may have taken us a while to catch on, we learned that it wasn't much fun to have all the toys but no one to play with. But sharing our toys with friends opened a whole new spectrum of fun.

The same holds true for business relationships. Where partnerships exist, parties work together sharing a common goal to attain a business success and share in like manner in the benefits of the business relationship. Sounds fairly simple. So why do most partnerships fail, many from their inception? Greed! No, really -- "greed."

We get too focused on "I" and starting thinking of all the reason why we should get a better share of the profits than our partners. It is when someone or some party decides that an advantage exists, where by they can get more than expected from the partnership. Today the phrase "leveraging the deal" is another way of saying getting more than my fair share.

This is not a new phenomenon of the 90's culture where the overpowering drive to produce profits at all costs is the philosophy du jour of business. From the time of Cain and Able, it has all been about fair share. In fact, throughout history, partnership has all too often been utilized to describe a "business relationship" that turned out to the benefit of one and the detriment of the other.

So what is my point? Greed is the killer of partnerships, big or small. People who use the term "business deals" are not talking about partnerships (great at car lots) but rather a short term business relationship they would enter into with any Tom, Dick, or Sally. Partnerships provide long term returns that reward parties who work together. Whether you are the maker of a bumper for automotive manufacturers, supplier of sand for kitty litter, or a consultant providing specific expertise to an organization, seeking to create and maintain a business relationship that is fair (not greedy) is what partnerships are all about. Taking the "I" out of your thinking and inserting the word "we" helps us focus on the common purpose and the benefit of our association.

A closing thought: Each month I pen an article that some find interesting, or at least those with cats who read in their litter boxes. My articles do not document new, better ways of "doing" business, but rather focus on the business basics that have existed for many a year. I make no claims of discovering the "new answer" for business success. The concepts are not difficult to understand, in fact most are no more complicated than the rules for getting along with your friends when you were hanging out at the playground. In truth, I am writing about business protocols that have been applied throughout history, but appear to be lost in today's business environment.

I am not sure that they are lost, just overlooked. Like it or not, this is not Camelot and the almighty dollar drives us rather than the Christian ethic of the past. Next time business is proving too challenging, go back to the basics. You may just find the solution to your problem.

See you next month!