You're facing power imbalances with external partners. How can you navigate these challenges effectively?

Assess Power Dynamics: Identify where your team lacks leverage, such as reliance on a partner for resources, to understand strengths and weaknesses. Communicate Openly: Foster transparent discussions about power dynamics. For e.g, if one partner feels overshadowed, addressing this can lead to a more balanced relationship. Set Boundaries: Clearly define roles and decision-making processes to prevent one partner from dominating. Recognize Your Value: Acknowledge and leverage unique strengths within the partnership. Build Confidence: Strengthen self-assurance through skills development and support networks. For e.g, attending workshops can empower individuals to assert their ideas confidently in meetings.

"You do not get what you want, you get what you negotiate". This adage fits well in this situation. In the workplace, having negotiation skills is very crucial when we're dealing with external partners, especially when there's power imbalances. Negotiate fairly with external partners, enhance communication and reasoning. Leaders can also discuss this with the team and empower their team to stay strong in this situation.

Dealing with external stakeholders gets tricky specially when the outside influential forces are very strong. As a leader, one has to safeguard the interest of the team and at the same time, goals have to be achieved. One has to determine whether any specific team member can deal with any specific outside force and accordingly allocate the duties and the responsibilities, not unlike the man-to-man marking in a game of hockey or football. Throughout the process though, the leader has to stay on top and make sure that the vulnerable team members are duly protected and no harm comes to them. The efforts and the contribution of the deserving members needs to be recognised and rewarded.

Dealing with external stakeholders gets tricky specially when the outside influential forces are very strong. As a leader, one has to safeguard the interest of the team and at the same time, goals have to be achieved. One has to determine whether any specific team member can deal with any specific outside force and accordingly allocate the duties and the responsibilities, not unlike the man-to-man marking in a game of hockey or football. Throughout the process though, the leader has to stay on top and make sure that the vulnerable team members are duly protected and no harm comes to them. The efforts and the contribution of the deserving members needs to be recognised and rewarded.