B.O.L.D member Andrea Lawful-Trainer outlines why ambitious entrepreneurs need to be aware of who attaches onto their business.
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What do you do when you find yourself attached to someone who has no ambition, but is willing to feed off yours? What do you do if that person is also a friend that you love deeply? Quite the conundrum, isn’t it.
Well, I’ve had several conversations lately with a handful of ambitious people about the dead weight attached to them. Of those many conversations, only one person was able to smoothly sever ties: it was a man. The women, however, are still floundering, totally unhappy, but limping along; quietly hoping that something will come to a head soon so they can use it as a scapegoat to end the partnership.
Which begs the question: why? Why is it so difficult for otherwise sane, smart and intelligent people to sever ties with the people that don’t advance their cause?
You seek advice, get the right answer and yet you still choose to stay in the wrong. The longer you sit in the wrong and say nothing, the more tensions build and resentment begins to fester. So instead of harboring these feelings, take a deep breath and have the conversation… take the plunge!
Your “dead weight” may not speak to you for a while, or maybe ever again, but the liberation that comes from walking that hard path is priceless. So set yourself free from other people and their stuff; we are not designed to carry the baggage of others; we have enough problems dealing with our own.
Partnerships begin with the best intentions, so revisit roles and responsibilities often, while discussing the concerns you have openly. Never be afraid to disagree and push back, because smiling through awkwardness without addressing it makes for an uncomfortable situation in the future. And remember: partnerships are not always meant to last forever.
So for those of you struggling with bad partnerships consider this: do you want your business to grow, or do you want to keep the friendship alive while stagnating?
Being successful in life requires you to separate business from friendship. Many people find themselves with a business partner who constantly touts the friendship as a way to hide that they add no value. Do you want to be successful? Then decide what’s more important: providing a valuable product/service that allows you take care of your family, or a friendship that makes the other person feel good.
Thanks for reading the thoughtful musings of a DIVA!™
A proud mother of black boys, Andrea Lawful-Trainer is the Principal/CEO of C.A.P.E.S, Chairperson of SE PA CARES, an Affiliate of the National CARES Mentoring Movement, and Chair of the Montgomery County Advisory Council to the PA Human Relations Commission.
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Photo: Aidan Jones/ Flickr