Business partners are commonplace in finance, HR and IT roles – and increasingly in marketing and operations, too. But what does it take to become a true business partner?
As a consultant, I often help organisations to assess their people as they shift from transactional tasks to adding business value. Perhaps the key skill for successful business partners is influencing stakeholders without having direct authority over them. This starts with the willingness and skill to understand stakeholders’ needs.
Most people are more persuaded by concrete examples than abstract data
In practice, this means moving from telling stakeholders ‘I need you to do this’ or ‘I can’t let you do that’ to asking questions proactively such as ‘What are your priorities right now?’ and ‘What can I do to help you and your team?’
Show, don’t tell
In my experience, a major obstacle to successful influencing is trying to convince stakeholders mainly through rational arguments, numerical data and financial business cases. Research repeatedly confirms that most people – even senior, highly experienced professionals – are more persuaded by concrete examples than abstract data.
For instance, a business case can be brought to life more by describing a real customer’s frustrations with the organisation’s service than simply reporting on the percentage of customers that are dissatisfied. The best business partners collect stories and anecdotes about relevant issues – and communicate them with clarity, impact and even appropriate humour.
In addition, most stakeholders care less about how a proposal benefits the overall business and more about how it affects their workload, relationships and status. Many feel scared, angry or overwhelmed by initiatives that they feel have been imposed upon them.
Good business partners use their emotional intelligence
Good business partners use their emotional intelligence, taking into account stakeholders’ emotions and empathising with them. This could mean commiserating with stakeholders when changes affect them negatively and expressing compassion for them as human beings rather than dispensable workers.
Problem solver
Problem-solving skills are also crucial. Support functions are often criticised for acting as gatekeepers – unhelpfully saying ‘no’ when something is not possible, either legally or technically. As artificial intelligence (AI) advances, it will perform tasks such as data processing, routine analysis and rule-based decision-making quickly and accurately. But skills, such as the ability to use different influencing techniques, go beyond what AI can provide
So, business partners can continue to add value by saying ‘No, but let me come back to you with options.’ Even when they cannot fully accommodate a stakeholder’s request, they must offer alternatives and explain the pros and cons of each.
Savvy business partners patiently give stakeholders time to voice concerns
Effective problem-solving should be consultative, too. Savvy business partners avoid presenting finalised solutions to stakeholders. Instead, they seek input along the way, asking questions such as ‘How workable does this sound?’ and ‘How can we tailor this to your needs?’ They patiently give stakeholders time to voice concerns, gaining insights that increase buy-in and lead to more successful implementation.
Influence also requires a range of methods for dealing with inevitable conflicts. The best business partners adapt their style to different situations. Often, they need to listen carefully and make trade-offs or even concessions to get results. Occasionally, they must be more assertive – particularly when communicating important, non-negotiable issues. The point is that no single style is effective in every situation. Skilled business partners move from being appeasing to assertive – and back again – when necessary.
These influencing and problem-solving skills are best demonstrated in person rather than through distant forms of communication such as reports and email. Stakeholders are more likely to be won over when a business partner takes time to meet face to face – or at least through an in-depth video call – rather than relying on impersonal emails, reports and voice-only calls.
Broaden your perspective
Commercial and strategic awareness are also paramount. Business partners should not merely deal with individual problems as they arise. By understanding how different departments interact, they can propose solutions that benefit multiple stakeholders at once. By networking outside of the organisation and staying informed about industry trends, they can avoid short-term fixes and instead anticipate challenges that may impact the business over longer time frames.
Technical expertise and qualifications provide an important foundation but do not guarantee high performance as a business partner. Business partnering requires being able to influence, solve problems and anticipate future challenges.
The best business partners do not just say what can or cannot be done – they collaborate with stakeholders to devise solutions together while gaining emotional buy-in that change is worthwhile. As AI increasingly takes over routine administrative and transactional work, these human skills will be more crucial than ever.
