The Case for a Business Partner Who Makes You Uncomfortable Should you even have a comfort zone?
By Kimanzi Constable Edited by Dan Bova
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As humans, we love living within our comfort zone. Science tells us that our comfort zones are a place where activities and experiences fit a pattern and a routine that we're used to. It's a place of minimum risk for us, which is why it feels so good to stay in that bubble. The idea of adding experiences and actions that could be stressful, lead to failure or worse is not appealing to our minds. So, we get into comfortable routines and rationalize why we are not doing all the things we've dreamt and talked about doing in our businesses. This is a familiar pattern that we've repeated most of our adult life.
As you grow a business, there comes a point where it makes sense to bring in others who could help the business grow. This could be a business partner, it could be a board of advisors, or it can be contractors that do tasks we're not qualified to do. There is a safe route where you can bring in only what makes you comfortable and only entrepreneurs that are YES people -- they agree with what you do and say even though they know it's not right. Or, you can take a different path. You can explore the zone right outside of your comfort zone.
Related: 5 Things to Consider Before Getting a Business Partner
Charlie Munger is the vice chairman of Berkshire Hathaway. Warren Buffet describes him as "his partner." They have been in business together for 56 years. Munger has been quoted saying, "we don't agree totally on everything, and yet we're quite respectful of one another." Over the years, the advice Munger has given Buffet has not been as a yes man to Buffet, and for that reason, both have flourished. They've built an amazing company that keeps growing every year.
In April of 1975, Bill Gates and Paul Allen formed a partnership that led to a little company called Microsoft. You are probably using some of their products as you read this article. Their company has become one of the largest in the world. These days, it seems their partnership is not what it once was but it was those early days of partnering with someone who made Bill Gates step outside of his comfort zone that helped the company grow. They complimented each other in different ways. They weren't yes partners. They pushed and challenged each other and that's what led to growth.
Related: 6 Reasons You Don't Need a Business Partner
Embrace discomfort.
A wise man once said that if you're not uncomfortable, you're not growing. We have run from discomfort when the reality is that there are situations in which the discomfort comes from growing. When you can learn to embrace the opportunity to get uncomfortably from growth, you can take your business to whatever the next level is for you.
There are things you excel in. There are things you're not so good at. The right business partner -- and business partnerships -- can help complete the areas you lack. We know that we're the average of the people we associate with. Traditional logic tells you to associate and partner with people that make you comfortable. While we want to associate with people whose personalities match, we want to seek out entrepreneurs that will push, inspire, motivate, and challenge us in the ways we can't do for ourselves.
You want a business partner that will call you out when you're clearly making excuses. They will challenge traditional ways of thinking about growth strategies. They will inspire you through the actions they're already taking in their life and business. They walk their talk and let their success doing all the talking for them publicly. They are sincerely invested in seeing you succeed without expecting anything in return. They have love for you. They will stay with you through the good times and especially the hard times.
Related: 5 Things to Do Before Saying 'I Do' to a Business Partner
Don't pick YES entrepreneurs or add them to your circle. Pick entrepreneurs that make you uncomfortable in a way that leads to growth in life and business. You only get one life to live. You have a goal and dream for your business. The right partners or partners can help you get there in a way that helps you scale.
