The New Era Of Relationships And Collaboration

Today, Sra. vB and I are observing forty-six years of marriage - to each other, and without benefit of pre-nup.  Four children, six grandchildren, seven dogs, seven homes, and enough autos to bail out all of the Big Three, we have stayed the course by following a few simple precepts

Possibly, these are useful in supply chain relationhips, as well.  First, stay the course.  The fan is always on, and occasionally something will hit it.  Second, adapt.  Things will change, often with litle warning.

Fourth, remember that both parties expect to, and are supposed to, win.  Creating a loser weakens the fabric of an alliance.  Third, recognize and respect the unique strenghs that each partner brings to the united front.

In our case, those are that: 1) I know everything in the world, and 2) she is always right.  Hint:  Carry a little card that reminds you that #2 trumps #1 in the event of dissonance.

Maybe these won't get you to a forty-six year business relationship, but they are almost sure to get you past the three-year mark.