9 Essential Principles for Creating Successful Partnerships - Today’s stranger may be tomorrow's partner. “It doesn't matter how smart or savvy we are when it comes to technology, product development or any single skill. Nobody succeeds in a silo. Whatever we venture—personal, professional, philanthropic, political, or private—we must remember the people involved in and essential to our success.

1. by Faisal Hoque
founder of:
NO ONE SUCCEEDS
IN A SILO
9 Essen/al Principles
for Crea/ng Successful
Partnerships

2. Today's stranger may be
tomorrow's partner.
“It doesn't ma@er how smart or savvy we are when
it comes to technology, product development or
any single skill. Nobody succeeds in a silo. Whatever
we venture—personal, professional, philanthropic,
poli/cal, or private—we must remember the people
involved in and essen/al to our success.”

3. PURPOSE
“Every organiza/on needs to pin down
‘why we do what we do’.
That’s the organiza/on’s North Star, guiding every
aspect from product development, sales, and
recruitment of customers and partners.
A strong purpose drives growth and
profitability.”

4. PLATFORM
“If vision is an expression of
the soul of a organiza/on,
plaQorm is its body.
The assets, whether internal or
external, lend the organiza/on its
capabili/es and character. These
competencies are plaQorms, or
assets with business
applica/ons.”

5. INSPIRE AND
INFLUENCE
“The best and brightest will be
toppled if they can’t inspire others.
It takes a dynamic person with a posi/ve,
honest, forward-­‐looking aStude to
inspire and influence the people involved in
building and growing partnerships.”

7. COMMUNITY
“A business ecosystem is "an economic
community” supported by a founda/on of
interac/ng organiza/ons and individuals.
They are the structure that surrounds and
supports our businesses. These ecosystems,
encourage organiza/ons to coevolve their
capabili/es.”

8. COMMUNICATION
“Direct communica/on leads to
direc/on.
If you can’t say something clearly and
directly, wait un/l you can ar/culate it
to yourself.”

9. THINK AHEAD
“We need to surround ourselves
with forward thinkers.
Since we know that what we’re doing
today will change tomorrow, we need to
forge trus/ng, resilient teams, a
constella/on of partnerships.”

11. THINK LONG TERM
“To thrive within a vola/le world, leaders must
be aware of the present moment while
simultaneously seSng their sights on long-­‐
term goals.
Since value crea/on is qualita/ve as well as
quan/ta/ve, no metric can completely
capture success.”

12. “Partnreships are oXen unpredec/ble—comfort with
uncertain/es provide confidence for success.”
SeSng smaller goals offers us posi/ve
reinforcement when we achieve them.”
COMFORT IN
UNCERTAINTY

13. FLEXIBLE, ADAPTIVE
LEADERSHIP
“Partnership needs changes, leaders need
to keep evolving at the right pace.
That requires introspec/on, self-­‐
awareness, and a keen sense of strategy
—both in the short-­‐ and long-­‐terms.”

16. Shadoka’s porQolio of offerings enables
entrepreneurship, growth, and social
impact. Our customers and partners
aspire to create sustainable value. They
are focused on repeatable and
measurable impact. We enable their
aspira;ons.
We bring together the management
frameworks, digital plaQorms, and
thought leadership for:
• Evalua/on, execu/on, and
monitoring of programs
• Scaling sales, revenue, and
profitability
• Crea/on and management of digital
communi/es and marketplaces
About SHADOKA
Follow us @shadokaventures
shadoka.com

17. About Me
Founder of Shadoka and other
companies. Shadoka enables
entrepreneurship, growth, and social
impact.
Formerly of GE and other global
brands. Author of several books,
including Everything Connects – How to
Transform and Lead in the Age of
Crea:vity, Innova:on and
Sustainability (McGraw Hill, 2014) and
Survive to Thrive – 27 Prac:ces of
Resilient Entrepreneurs, Innovators,
And Leaders (Mo/va/onal Press, 2015).
Follow me @faisal_hoque
faisalhoque.com