Q&A with Debra

 

Q & A with Debra

This month’s Q&A applies to personal relationships as well as business.

“I’m a business owner and I was wondering; how do I know if I can trust a person that I want to enter a partnership with? It isn’t anything formal, like contracts, just partnering in doing some things together. I don’t know them very well.”       ~Anonymous

 

Thank you for your question! The simple answer is Do Your Homework and use your discernment. If you have a bad feeling in your gut, walk away, regardless of how enticing/pretty/profitable the situation may appear. You do not have to accept every offer/deal/circumstance that is presented to you. Not everything is a good deal.

Here are some things that you can do:

·         Check out their social media sites. This includes any personal pages.

o   You can learn a lot about a person’s morality, what they support, what they stand for, look at any heated discussions they get into with followers, or if their posts are naughty and rude. If nothing lines up with your standards, move on.

·         Depending upon if a formal contract is in store, do background checks.

o   Check out their credit report for financial worthiness.

o   Check for any criminal records – in all states, not just the one you are in.

§You can use a service to do this with. The last time I used a service the fee was around $25. I’m sure it has gone up a bit.

o   All contracts should be written and signed by all parties involved. Non-compete clauses should be in place if two separate entities are working together with access to each other’s clients.

·         Ask around.

o   Check out any personal and business references. Remember there are always two sides to the story, so use a lot of discernment with this one.

§ Who knows them, what has been their experience with the person?

§ What network/social/church groups do they belong to? Ask some members.

·         Any my favorite one is…test their spirit.

o “Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world: (1 John 4:1)

§ This is saying that sometimes people’s truths are very often close to the truth, but not the truth.

o   So how do you test the spirit of a person? What kind of fruit do you see the person producing?

§ "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control." (Galatians 5:22-23 NIV)

·         Do you see any of these qualities listed above in the person? Are they doing good in the world? Do they help people or take from people? Are they rude, unkind or filled with goodness? Do they have a negative spirit vibe? Is their speech filled with encouragement and hope for others? Or do they drag others down, gossip, and slander?

Remember, there are no guarantees even with doing your homework. At some point, you must trust your discernment and gut feelings after you have weighed up all of the information you have gathered and make your decision. Be choosy with who you associate with, their reputation can either help or harm yours.

Submit your questions to the newsletter through the online form! 

Debra Lee

Author/Keynote Speaker/Life Coach/Biz Coach/Blogger

Books: "Making Wise Choices" & "It Is What It Is"