The Paris Olympics is just around the corner. Seemingly superhuman athletes are chasing gold medals and perfect scores. It’s tempting to see them as unnaturally perfect as they make everything look so easy. But each one of them will tell you of the injury, heartbreak, hard slog and hours of training at dawn that lie behind their success.
Resilience is borne from imperfections. As humans we become stronger and more resilient through overcoming challenges.
In Japan there is an ancient tradition of repairing broken pottery by mending and filling the cracks with gold or silver. The art of ‘kintsugi’ emphasises the fractures and turns them into a beautiful art form, which creates new value through highlighting the flaws and imperfections.
A bumpy economic and political environment for partnerships has challenged and shifted relationships like never before. Rather than focus on the emerging stresses and fractures, it is better to embrace the opportunities to reset and reposition corporate partner relationships and nurture into something more resilient for the future.
Expose vulnerabilities
The gymnast Simone Biles has been at the peak of the sport for some time. So it was a shock when she struggled in the Tokyo Olympics. She bravely acknowledged her troubles and was praised by other gymnasts for giving voice to struggles they also shared.
The Asylum Seeker Resource Centre found itself desperately short of funds as the cost of living crisis reduced donations and goods. By reaching out and telling of the barely 6 weeks of funding left, it allowed partners and donors to rally with urgent help.
Corporates have been able to share with charity partners their concerns about their staff, customers and networks in this tough economic environment. This has presented opportunities for charities to address those vulnerabilities with some tangible support, such as Beyond Blue offering mental health advice and Cancer Council advising Commonwealth Bank call centres on how to deal with people in financial hardship.
The ability to explore and address vulnerabilities on both sides enables relationships to be nurtured in a transparent and honest way, which provides strength and support to both community and corporate partners.
Acknowledge limitations and mistakes
Naomi Osaka stepped away from tennis for a while to address her mental health issues. She courageously spoke about her struggles and earned the respect of her fans for her openness.
The act of acknowledging limitations and mistakes is a powerful tool in strengthening relationships with corporate partners. It allows both sides to explore solutions together and celebrate the successes that come from adaptation and innovation. Weaknesses become strengths and mistakes become opportunities if the relationship between partners is frank and open. When Camp Quality couldn’t run their kids’ camps during COVID they reached out for help to their partner Fujitsu. Fujitsu applied their innovation process and developed a new digital platform to ensure kids and families affected by cancer got the information they needed.
Ask for help
Just as the kintsugi tradition shows that repair is better than throwing something away to replace it with new, it is more valuable to nurture existing relationships with corporate partners than start again with new ones. Shared experiences in a time of crisis build greater trust and mutual understanding. You can start by asking for help. It gives the partner the chance to feel more fulfilled and valued and builds mutual trust and understanding in the partnership. When domestic violence levels in the UK soared during COVID the charity Hestia turned for help to their partner Boots. As a chemist they were one of the few retailers able to stay open. Boots turned their consulting rooms into safe spaces for women seeking help for domestic violence.
When you’ve both been trying to resolve a wicked problem there’s a level of honesty in the relationship that provides the foundation for a more resilient and valuable partnership.
As we all settle down to be armchair Olympic experts in everything from fencing to skateboarding, let’s acknowledge the hard work behind the success. Embracing your own imperfections will build a greater resilience until, like the legendary Stephen Bradbury, maybe you’re the one left standing when others have faltered.