One of the main changes we face when we marry is a change in our identity. That same identity changes even more when kids enter the picture. Notice I said change and not loss. It's an important distinction, because you still are who you are, just in a different context that includes a spouse and children. You are Joe Smith and she is Jane Jones and your rugrats Huey, Dewey and Louie are a collective family.

It shouldn't be much different with businesses, so long as the respective egos don't get in the way and there is ample communication about how the relationships fit together. That implies a number of things:

1. Each member brings a unique and complimentary attribute to the partnership
2. The reason for establishing the partnership is straightforward and easy to explain
3. Each partner, in some way, continues to exist alone and contribute to the whole
4. Everyone is working toward a common purpose
5. All parties involved communicate to the outside world in a manner consistent with that purpose

These are just a few pieces to the puzzle for any partnership to work effectively. Businesses run into trouble when the formation is overly complex, their participation subjugates the whole for their individual benefit or when their actions are inconsistent or contradictory to purpose and mission.

Look at your current partnerships. How well do they function? What is holding them back? If you don't have a partnership, what opportunities exist to establish one? Who would be a great partner and how do you bring them on board?

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