Having a business partnership can help you smoothly run your business. Unfortunately, this partnership does not always work as planned. In some cases, a partner is more dominant. He makes decisions without consulting others. What should I do when my business partner is making decisions without me?
This situation is not healthy for your business. It can get worse if your business partner makes the wrong decisions. Moreover, it can cause discomfort and make you feel excluded in your business. Therefore, you must follow the tips on what to do when a business partner makes decisions without my input.
About Business Partnership
A business partnership is a legal arrangement between two or more entities or people to operate and own a business to gain profits. In this partnership, each party must make contributions, such as expertise, labor, and capital.
This partnership also involves a partnership agreement. It is a legally binding contract that regulates the partnership and covers various aspects, for example, profit-sharing agreement, responsibilities, partners’ capital contributions, and decision-making authority.
In operating the business with your partner, you will share profits, responsibilities, and risks. Moreover, you and your partner must consult each other before making business decisions. Business decisions come in various forms.
- Operational Decisions: Operational decisions are decisions made for the smooth operation of the business. Confusion and disrupted workflow will occur if one partner takes charge of the operational decisions without consulting others.
- Financial Decisions: Business partners work together in managing finance. Together, they make decisions about expenses, investment, and financing. However, business failure may happen if one partner makes unwise unilateral financial decisions.
- Strategic Decisions: Strategic decisions are essential in determining the success of a business. If one partner takes charge of making strategic decisions without consulting others, business goals and visions may not be attained as planned.
Possible Reasons Why Business Partner Making Decisions Without Me
Why my business partner is making decisions without me? A business partner makes decisions without involving others may be due to several reasons. Below are several possible reasons why he makes one-sided business decisions.
1. Lack of Communication
The most common cause for a partner to make decisions without involving others is a lack of communication. Communication plays an essential role in developing a successful business partnership.
However, due to various factors, business partners cannot communicate often. As a result, misunderstandings, assumptions, and misinterpretations will occur. These situations will lead a business partner to make decisions without consulting others
2. Power Imbalance
Power imbalance is another reason why a business partner makes business decisions without involving others. Not all business partnerships have equal powers between partners.
Due to differences in expertise, skills, and financial contributions, a business partner may feel superior to other partners. Moreover, he may feel like he has more power or control over the business. Consequently, he takes charge of the decision-making process.
3. Different Decision-Making Styles
Business partners may have different decision-making styles. Some partners may be more contemplative and take more time in making business decisions.
However, others may be more decisive and quicker in making business decisions. These differences may lead to a business partner making decisions without asking for agreement from other partners.
4. Different Business Goals and Priorities
A business partner may have different business goals and priorities from his business partners. Consequently, he will make one-sided business decisions to reach his personal goals.
5. Lack of Trust
Trust is an essential foundation for business partnerships. Unfortunately, disagreement, conflicts, and other factors can cause a partner to distrust other partners. This lack of trust can lead a partner to make business decisions without consulting others.
What to Do When My Business Partner is Making Decisions Without Me
The act of making decisions without consulting other business partners will affect the business and partnership. Therefore, you must address this issue before the impact gets worse.
So, what can I do when my business partner is making decisions without me? You can follow these tips to deal with this situation.
1. Communicate and Establish Clear Communication Channels
One of the essential steps to address this issue is that you must communicate openly and honestly with your business partner. You should calmly express your feelings and concerns about the decisions being made without consulting you.
Moreover, you must listen to your partner’s explanation and try to see everything from his perspective. In addition, it is crucial to establish clear communication channels for the decision-making process with your partner.
You can do that by setting regular meetings where you and your partner can talk about business issues and make decisions together. Therefore, there will be no business decision made without involving others.
2. Build Trust
Trust takes time to build. You can build trust by respecting your partners and being a reliable, honest, and transparent partner. You must do it consistently so your partner can trust you.
Most importantly, you must not make one-sided business decisions. Therefore, your partner will not do the same.
3. Align Business Goals and Priorities
A business partner makes unilateral decisions may be due to misaligned goals and priorities. You can prevent this issue if you and your business partner have similar priorities and goals.
There are several methods to align your and your partner’s goals and priorities. Regularly discussing and reexamining business goals and priorities with your business partners is one of them.
4. Revisit the Business Partnership Agreement
If your business partner makes one-sided decisions repeatedly, you must have a meeting with your partner to revisit and revise the partnership agreement. Revisiting this agreement can help you remind your partner about decision-making rules and his decision-making roles.
It also allows you and your partner to revise the roles if one of you is unhappy with the current roles. Therefore, you and your partner can redefine the decision-making roles and feel better about the partnership.
5. Seek Mediation
You may need to seek mediation if your partner refuses to talk about his unilateral decisions or if this issue happens frequently. A mediator is a third party who is not related to the business. He can be an attorney or a business consultant.
He will facilitate the discussion between you and your business partner. He will also find common ground between the two of you and help you find the best solution.
What to do when my business partner is making decisions without me? This issue may arise due to several reasons. Therefore, you must address this issue based on the causes. For example, you can have regular meetings with your partner to improve communication and realign business goals.
