The Reciprocity Advantage

CHAPTER 10How to Find the Best Partners for You

Businesses once grew by one of two ways: grass roots up, or by acquisition. Today they grow through alliances—all kinds of dangerous alliances. Joint ventures and customer partnerings, which, by the way, very few people understand.

PETER F. DRUCKER

Partnerships are hard. Don’t form one unless you have to do so in order to do what you want to do—but could not do alone. Potential partners will be much easier to find in the future, but partnering will continue to be difficult.

Many corporations use the term partnerships too casually. Many corporations refer to themselves as partners with their customers. But most of these kinds of partnerships are really transactions, not the partnerships we are seeking ...