Five Words for Female Professionals--Fourth Word

     Over the past year, I had to accept the hard fact that I can't do everything in my business on my own.  I had to build connections with other people who could help me provide a greater range of services.  I can and have coached my clients, but I had to find a certified coach to relieve me and take over my coaching requests.  I needed additional help from an instructional designer in constructing a new leadership training program I'm rolling out this year.  I needed a business mentor and coach to help me consider my business model and to think strategically.  I needed to build alliances.  And that's word number four:  alliance.
     I knew dynamic women who could fulfill these needs so I contracted with them for help.  We barter services sometimes.  We negotiate discounted fees sometimes.  We support each other.  We all need to find people who we can build strategic alliances with so that we can be effective in what we do.  Women need to practice this type of collaboration more regularly.  Men in business do it all the time.  Women sabotage their success because they can be competitive in a catty kind of way.  Rather than helping another woman by offering our expertise to meet her needs, we see her as an opponent.  When we perceive other women as someone who might take what we have, we withhold information.  We don't offer to help so we both lose.  
     I've found that building alliances with other companies--not just female-owned companies--has helped my business to run more efficiently.  The quality of my output is better, and my offerings are more expansive.  One of my best clients practices this same method, and his business earned nearly $288 million in revenues last year with a pipeline of over a half billion dollars.  On an individual level, you can see similar value in how you do business with others.  Recognize their strengths so that you can complement them with yours.  Always seek ways to help someone else so that the relationship is balanced.  Be an ally.  Build an alliance.
     You can network with other women who seek to empower themselves with the knowledge my company brings.  Join them and me at the new "Women's Forum on Leadership" at the Capital City Club in Columbia, SC on January 14, 2014.  Register by calling (803) 256-2000 or by visiting www.thesharpersolution.com.  Stick around for word number five tomorrow to compete for free tuition.