Strong Partnerships

With a cross cultural marriage of more than 25 years I realise it wasn’t just a union of two people—it was a collision of languages, traditions, culinary passions (read: sesame vs mustard oil), and accents.

We’ve had Pongal with shorshe ilish on the side. We’ve debated sambar vs shorshe bata with more passion than budget reviews.We’ve learned that real partnership begins not with agreement, but with curiosity, communication, and mutual respect.

And isn’t that what defines successful partnerships at work too?

Whether it’s co-founders building companies, cross-functional teams working toward a goal, or B2B alliances with IT or marketing partners—partnerships are the secret sauce of sustainability in today’s world order.

Especially in the world of digital and process transformation, where I spend much of my time—success is never just about the tech or the tools.It’s about the partnership we share with enterprises. The trust, the intent to understand each other, and the shared commitment to go that extra mile.

So, if it is so important, how are strong partnerships built, I have a few thoughts around the same:

• Open communication (yes, even the unspoken bits!). Starting point of any partnership is building the understanding, and an integral part to building that understanding is communication. And trust me, a lot of communication happens when you listen more than talk!!!  Like an explanation on why idli and fish curry might not go together (trust me—it’s a culinary Cold War with a peaceful outcome!), we must invest in understanding perspectives that are not our own—be it with our team or our customers. And to that end, strong communication is key

• Respecting different thought processes - I like to believe that while Machine Learning is built out of human intelligence, there are techniques in machine learning that when we apply to our ways of work improves outcomes. Confused! Am sure! I am talking about how Ensemble techniques in machine learning, which follows the “wisdom of the crowd” for better predictive outcomes and so does respecting different thought processes of diverse teams deliver outcomes more accurate, robust, and insightful than any single model—or mind—could achieve alone

• Looking for solutions instead of circling around problems - once you value each other’s worth - both the partner and the customer - then differences are not distractions but are design inputs and the focus changes from problems to finding a common solution. Sometimes, it's as simple as choosing between a cricket match and a history documentary (or pretending to).

• Growing together with shared accountability - Sometimes, it’s joining the gym because your spouse asked—only to discover a new personal passion. At work, that might look like staying open to a different team’s process, or co-creating a solution bringing in the best of both sides - the business sense with tech acumen, leading to success of all parties!

So as I celebrate a quarter-century partnership in life, I’m also celebrating the partnerships at work that have shaped our digital journeys, unlocked transformation, and shown me that when intent is strong, magic happens—be it in marriage or in the boardroom.

Let’s keep the conversations flowing. Let’s listen better. Let’s build partnerships that last.