The "Seven Cs":  Partnership Danger Signs
Dr. Dorene Lehavi, Ph.D.

An ongoing series of articles exploring the seven critical
areas that can indicate a partnership is in trouble.

The 7th C:  Crisis management impaired by personal issues:

-    Attack and blame.
-    Take to drink.
-    Disappear.
-    Pass the buck.
-    Become hysterical.
-    Project your anxiety or anger onto others.
-    Take it out on your spouse.

These are some of the ways people react in a crisis
situation.  Read on for alternative options for handling
crisis.

Crises in businesses appear in all forms and categories.
They can be slow building or appear overnight.  They can be
business oriented or personal and have an impact on the
business.  Some are predictable, others not.

For example, a partner may become seriously ill, a major
client may leave, the economy may change and your product is
no longer a high priority, an investment fails, a key
employee leaves, a supplier doesn't meet a deadline and you
are left with unfilled orders, the city is renovating the
street in front of your store and clients shop with your
competition because the approach is easier.  The list of
possibilities is endless.

How does a business and more specifically the partnership
handle the crisis?  It depends on many things.  The
personalities and the history of how they handled crises in
the past are good clues.  The manner in which the crisis is
handled can escalate or calm it down.  The list at the
beginning of this article shows examples of behavior that
can escalate the problem.  Here are some better ways to
handle crises:

-    Remain calm.
-    Analyze.
-    Evaluate the repercussions of the crisis.
-    Examine options.
-    Break down the required actions to small tasks.
-    Delegate.
-    Confer with others.
-    Brainstorm for creative ideas with key players.
-    Accept responsibility.
-    Ask for help.

Because history will play a very big role in how you and/or
your partner handle a crisis, it is important to prepare for
it before it happens.  Even though not every crisis can be
predicted or prepared for, there are things that can be in
place to minimize the trauma and the damage.

Here are some suggestions:

Have resources available:  finances, a coach, and other
consultants dealing with specifics such as technical needs,
key employees who can step in, alternate sources of income,
excellent communication skills, and regular meetings to
recognize, discuss and pre-empt problem areas before they
erupt.

An advertising agency, owned by Susan and Phillip, was faced
with the possible loss of their biggest client.  They
discovered this when it was almost a fait accompli.  Both of
them went into attack mode, blaming each other.  When the
breakdown between them began affecting their managerial
team, they panicked and called me in.

We had never worked together before.  My individual
interviews with every key player revealed a list of areas of
dissatisfactory communication between all the players,
particularly the two partners, who on the surface got along
well.  Just below the surface, however, there were
resentments about division of labor, job clarity, hurt
feelings, and feelings of not being heard and not feeling
equally rewarded for work done.  The client crisis presented
an opportunity for an explosion to anger that had been
festering below the surface.

Open and honest communication and regular meetings to
discuss problems when they are small can avert or minimize
meltdowns such as this one between Susan and Phillip.  If
the crisis is totally unexpected, the partners, rather than
attacking each other, can use their communication skills and
their commitment to the success of the partnership and to
each other to pull together and handle the crisis.

It is best for partners or potential partners to begin
coaching when everything is going well.  During the
honeymoon period is the best time to build on strengths and
discuss irritations before they become major festering
wounds.  Meeting once a month with a coach can achieve this
in most partnerships.  It is the best return on a modest
investment.

Dr. Dorene Lehavi, Ph.D. is principal of Next Level Business
and Professional Coaching. She coaches Professionals and
Business Partners. You can purchase her ebook or soft cover
editions of Stop Doing What You Hate.Start Doing What You
Love at http://www.StartDoingWhatYouLove.com .  Contact Dr.
Lehavi at Dorene@CoachingforYourNextLevel.com or on the web
at http://www.CoachingforYourNextLevel.com and sign up for
her free newsletter, Mastering Your Next Level.