During his 25 years of working with successful individuals in business, universities, and relationship settings, Stephen Covey discovered that high achievers were often plagued with a sense of emptiness. To understand why, he read several self-improvement, self-help, and popular psychology books written over the past 200 years. He noticed a stark historical contrast between the two types of success here.
While this methodology is typically applied to individuals, it can also be relevant for business leaders regarding how they do business. Finding a trustworthy outsourcing partner can be challenging, but applying Covey’s 7 Habits to potential vendors can ensure that you choose the most highly effective partner.
1. Be proactive
More than just taking the initiative, being proactive means taking responsibility for your life. Where reactive people are driven by feelings, proactive people are driven by values.
An effective outsourcing partner will make data-driven, proactive decisions to ensure the solutions they provide not only solve issues today but every day going forward. A highly effective outsourcing partner is not just reacting to current pain points but is proactively analyzing market trends, understanding the root of your business processes, and building innovative, holistic solutions for long-term success.
2. Begin with the end in mind
When challenges arise, you can meet them proactively and with integrity, as your values are clear.
An effective outsourcing partner sees the entire picture; of your business currently and where it could be with a little extra support. They lay out a long-term project plan that’s dynamic and achievable to optimize the success of your business. They can look at your business from an outside perspective and approach things in a way you may never have thought of from inside the house, providing a tactical advantage over your competitors.
3. Put first things first.
Whereas habit one encourages you to realize you are in charge of your own life, and habit two is based on the ability to visualize and identify your fundamental values, habit three is the implementation of these two habits. It focuses on the practice of effective self-management through an independent will.
A highly effective outsourcing partner does more than plan; they execute. They’ll hit the ground running and implement continuous and impactful change that will ripple through all areas of your business. But most importantly, they’re doing it alongside you. It’s a partnership, after all. An outsourcing partner is not simply taking over the work; they empower you to elevate every aspect of your business.
4. Think win/win
Covey argues that win/win isn’t a technique; it’s a philosophy of human interaction. It’s a frame of mind that seeks mutual benefit for all concerned. This means that all agreements or solutions are mutually beneficial, and all parties feel satisfied with the outcome. To embody this mindset, life must be seen as a cooperative, not a competition.
A highly effective outsourcing partner doesn’t just care about their bottom line; they care about your success. The goal is to grow and develop together. When you win, they win.
5. Seek to understand first before making yourself understood
Covey argues that you must endeavor to understand a situation before attempting to make yourself understood. The ability to communicate clearly is essential for overall effectiveness.
An effective outsourcing partner will understand your business inside and out before attempting to make any changes or recommendations. How can they know what’s best for your business if they aren’t deeply knowledgeable about it? You and your ideal outsourcing partner want to speak the same language before plans are set in motion; that way, miscommunication is minimized, and success is optimized.
6. Learn to synergize
At its core, synergy is a creative process that requires vulnerability, openness, and communication. It means balancing the mental, emotional, and psychological differences between a group of people and, in doing so, creating new paradigms of thought between the group members. This is where creativity is maximized.
A highly effective outsourcing partner will be transparent, adaptable, and communicate openly. It’s your business, and you deserve to be a part of any changes made. An effective outsourcing partner will mesh easily with your existing processes and teams to ensure synergy from day 1 to 1,000 and beyond. Trust is everything, and without it, no partnership can survive.
7. Sharpen the saw
To “sharpen the saw” means to express and exercise all four of these motivations regularly and consistently.
An effective outsourcing partner is constantly learning and adapting as your business grows. They’ll use data-driven decision-making skills and have a flexible model that ensures a healthy, long-term partnership. Your needs today are different than your needs will be in five years, but your ideal outsourcing partner will be able to adapt and shift with you. Business needs change, but that doesn’t mean your outsourcing partner has to.
A highly effective outsourcing partner can be a game-changer in the way you do business. As you embark on your search for your ideal outsourcing partner, here’s an infographic that provides the 7 Habits at-a-glance to help make your journey better.
