Business Alliance

There are times your business or ministry requires expert attention outside of your skill set. You can attempt to save a buck and improvise yourself, or you can trust someone much more competent to carry out the task. A wise man is one who sticks to only what he does well. Otherwise, he becomes a “jack of all trades” and a “master of none.” Stick to what you do best, and outsource to others who are the experts.

It may cost you more in the beginning, but in the long run it will not only save you time—it will make you money. This is harder for a resourceful, frugal, “pull yourself up by your boot- straps” kind of entrepreneur. However, many times this is God’s best plan. He doesn’t expect you to have all the resources and gifts to carry out all that needs to be done. On the contrary, He knows you need help.

Nonetheless, look at your need for resources outside of your scope of capacity. Why create a department or division within your enterprise that does not reflect your core competency? Instead, seek out and interview other companies that can do this extremely important task more efficiently and more effectively, without causing your organization to convulse over change and a redirection of capital resources. Wise is the leader who understands his limitations.

Stay focused on what you do the very best, and others will come to you as experts in their field. Experts are experts because they focus on one area of expertise. Your business alliance may be with believers or unbelievers. This is part of your role of being “salt and light” to the community. When you have to engage with the business world, you make a statement. Hopefully, it is a statement of integrity and honesty. Simply by doing what you say you’ll do, others will take notice. Make it your number one goal to utilize people of character, who execute their work with excellence. The “gravy” will be if they are Christians. Sometimes the “Christian” label gets in the way of the deliverables.

So, be wary of individuals or organizations who wrap themselves in the flag of their faith. Let their work do their talking. If they can prove themselves to be effective in one short-term project, then they can be trusted with a more long-term and capital-intensive relationship. In working relationships, always date before you marry, or you may be begging for an annulment. Get to know someone for at least a year before you engage in any kind of significant project. Why jeopardize your resources and reputation by letting emotions get in the way? Stay disciplined to the process and accountable to the people. Gather around you an advisory board to help you navigate these business alliances. One nugget of wisdom may save you a year of sideways energy within your enterprise.

In a word, we all need experts whom we can trust to compliment our core competencies. Seek out these individuals or companies and engage them at the appropriate time with your trust and with your resources. A focused leader with an open hand is poised for growth and opportunity. Be the best at what you do and trust others to do the same!

Taken from Dose 67 in the 90-day devotional book, Infusion.

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