Over the years of leading Weaving Influence, I’ve worked closely with others. Though I am the only owner working in the company, I consider my team members to be partners in my work.
These days, I work most closely with Amy Driehorst, our Chief Operating Officer. She’s been an important member of the Weaving Influence team for nearly 12 years.
I’ve been thinking about how amazing it is to have a strong partner and how much more we can accomplish together.
Having a partner is great because:
A partner provides accountability. Amy and I keep a running list of company priorities and we check in with each other about progress. Because we are handing work back and forth, we each need to complete our parts in a timely way. I’ve love the accountability of running partners as well, because knowing someone is meeting me at a certain time to run gets me up and going.
A partner gives encouragement. When you win with a partner, you win together. Or when things are challenging, you can encourage each other. Partners can cheer each other on and celebrate together.
A partner can energize and extend my ideas. I love having a sounding board for my ideas. More than that, I love the way Amy’s strengths balance mine. She brings me down to earth and grounds me in assessing situations by looking at the data and patterns. I can bring energy Amy’s ideas and help her extend them. seeing even bigger possibilities.
A partner means that I have someone to share the work. Working with a partner means being able to share the load, both actually and emotionally. There are times when I am stronger and can support Amy and times when she’s stronger to lift me up. Our strengths complement each other.
Tell me something! Why are you glad to have a business partner? What have you accomplished with a partner that you couldn’t have completed alone?
I am the founder/CEO of the Weaving Influence team, the author of Reach: Creating the Biggest Possible Audience for Your Message, Book, or Cause, and the host of the Book Marketing Action Podcast. I’m a wife and mom of three kids, and I enjoy running, reading, writing, coffee, and dark chocolate.