Succeeding in business often requires working with others who have different strengths. After all, while you may have a brilliant invention or business model, you may be short on capital or managerial skills. Finding the right business partner is an effective way to make a noticeable difference.
Like all people, business partners can have their quirks. If your business partner is a narcissist, though, you may have to take additional steps to ensure your partnership is a beneficial one. Fortunately, if you know how to manage your professional relationship, narcissists often make good business partners.
Why can narcissists be good at business?
According to Psychology Today, narcissists tend to have an over-inflated sense of self-importance. They also often prioritize success over virtually everything else. If you are looking for a business partner who is capable of keeping his or her focus on beating the competition, you could do worse than collaborating with a narcissist.
How can you keep a narcissistic business partner in check?
With some luck, you can probably identify narcissistic tendencies in your business partner before you begin your professional venture. Your partnership’s formation stage presents arguably the best opportunity to manage a narcissistic business partner.
During formation, it is critical to negotiate a comprehensive partnership agreement. This agreement should describe each partner’s rights and responsibilities. It may even include a procedure for handling disputes and a process for forcing the narcissistic partner out of the partnership.
Ultimately, by building a strong foundation for your partnership, you take advantage of your narcissistic partner’s abilities without allowing his or her narcissism to destroy your venture.
