By applying the definition of partnering to a variety of relationships the Better Schools Partnership™ Model can create millions of dollars worth of new value in a short time.

If we view ourselves as part of a value chain, wherever you are in the chain, you have customers and suppliers or peer level solution collaborators. In your supplier role your intention must be to grow your customer. That is to make your customer more successful by addressing their most compelling needs. In your customer role your intention towards suppliers is to grow their success by helping them grow yours. In the end, the shared intention is mutual success.

Is partnering an overused platitude or an underutilized success factor?

To some, the term "Partnering" is merely a management buzzword that has the same meaning as the word "Quality." While it may be true that the term partnering is overused and is often a new word for "business as usual," it is also being used by organizations to great effect. Partnering has become essential for success today, and any organization that goes forth without partnerships in place is putting itself at a great disadvantage.

The process of creating strategic partnerships requires an investment of time and effort. They can only be earned and nurtured, not bought. But remember that not every supplier has the awareness, the desire or the ability to partner. Above all, partnerships require trust and a significant change in the traditional relationship between customer and supplier. These are often the hardest habits to break.

You must change your attitude towards suppliers and the need to control and pressure them. You also need to let go of your attitude that suppliers are making money at your expense. If your suppliers help you earn superior returns, you should not begrudge theirs. That is called making the pie bigger. If, however, your rhetoric contradicts your intent to maintain the upper hand and dominate the relationship, it will quickly become apparent to your partners and the relationship will fail.

Another customer/supplier attitude that is hard to break is the fear that a supplier might take over your job or make you look bad. If the supplier is smart they will go out of their way to make you look good. If you are smart, you will structure the partnership solution in a way that gives you leverage to increase your output and allows you to focus on things that increase value, such as spending more time with your key customers rather than being trapped in low value, petty tasks.

You must also teach others to let go of the outdated idea of buying on price rather than on the value the product provides or adds to your revenue, productivity, or competitive advantage. While price discounts provide initial savings, when other "costs" are considered, (added costs for shipping or unloading, increased training costs, disruptions caused by incompatibility with work flows or shorter life span), the savings evaporate. Paying full price but receiving a commitment to improve employee productivity through training and added services can have a greater, more profitable effect than mere price discounts because their benefits can last for years.

Finally, and perhaps hardest of all, you must let go of the need to do everything yourself.