Why women make the best business partners

Darleen Barton delivers her five key reasons why women generally achieve better success than men when going into business together.

It’s well known that collaboration, teamwork and co-operation are key factors to success in business; particularly in business partnerships.

Through years of providing conflict resolution services to business owners, who have found themselves falling out with their partners, I have discovered that in the majority of cases, women make the best business partners.

In a time of new age feminism, with women in the workforce at an all-time high, it has become exponentially clear through my own experiences and through a variety of studies why women are preferable to work with and make outstanding leaders.

Throughout my career and the growth of my own business, DIPAC, I have provided conflict resolution services to a variety of business and business partners. I’ve found that many women who go through business together manage to work things out during the life of their partnership with open communication. They seem to deal with issues as they arise and solve them along the way.

On the other hand, men do not seem to do this as efficiently.

So, whilst men and women both have strengths and weaknesses in terms of business, here are five key reasons why I believe women achieve better success when going into business together:

1. Women are more willing to discuss issues

Business issues or personal issues, big or small – through my experiences assisting business professionals through times of conflict, women have had a tendency to discuss issues earlier. Stopping the small stuff becoming a big issue.

2. Women are generally more open emotionally

Through venting, opening up and being emotional about things you ensure that things are brought into the open, addressed and solved. It also shows employees that you’re open to discussing their feelings and are there for support.

3. Women are more open to compromise

Being flexible and open to differing opinions, perspectives and options means that negotiation is more successful and the business is able to keep moving forward.

4. It is about more than the business

By supporting successful relationships between partners, colleagues, employees and contacts – a business is more likely to be up with current markets and trends, and with a more positive environment, teams are more likely to be driven to not only go to work, but to work hard.

5. Egos aren’t as much of an issue

Whilst we don’t care to admit it, men are under pressure to be masculine, powerful and successful. Whilst women face the challenge of being thought of as not powerful at all. Women therefore don’t hold pride above their goals and would rather discuss issues and solve them, than let them simmer due to their pride.

So if you’re considering going into business with someone, consider these qualities. Open communication, willingness to discuss and confront issues and approaching these issues with honest emotion and compromise – the way the majority of women in the workforce do – this is the way to a happy, healthy and therefore, successful, partnership.

Darleen Barton is a highly experienced business coach, career mentor, relationship and partnership counsellor and leadership developer. Darleen works with leaders, managers and businesses across Australia and New Zealand to help businesses improve their operations, develop and galvanise their leaders and managers and address and resolve issues.
Her latest book ‘The Power of Peak Performance’ has just hit number on AMAZON.com worldwide for its category.