So what qualities that make a good partner make a good colleague or leader? And which aspects of a successful romance can you apply to the way you work on February 14th and beyond?

Communication

The key to all successful partnerships – both personal and professional – is clear communication. Whether it’s a discussion around a shopping list or a marketing strategy, providing and promoting clear, honest conversation is the smartest way to make decisions, build connections and be an inspiring leader. And if lockdowns have taught us anything, it’s that sitting in the same spot, working at the same desk, eating the same things and speaking to the same people is a fast-track to tedium and a lack of motivation. So take the time to start a conversation with someone outside of your immediate team, someone you’d have a laugh with in the office kitchen but don’t get to speak to much now, and keep each other inspired with fresh topics, work advice or even just new Netflix recommendations.

Teamwork

As they say, ‘teamwork makes the dream work’, and this is the case regardless of who is in your team and how long you’ve been together. Working in collaboration with those around you, sharing ideas, challenges and successes will align your goals and ensure you are supporting each other to grow, improve and reach personal or professional milestones. But don’t just seek out teammates you know are on the same path as you or have the same ambitions, and don’t leave collaboration for work projects only. Weekly team catch-ups or departmental meetings needn’t only revolve around work – take time to celebrate your co-workers, colleagues and friends, whether they’ve secured a huge new account or finally mastered social media – in these confusing times, no success is too small to praise.

Accountability

An important aspect of any relationship, regardless of type or length, is trust, honesty and accountability. Reliant on your foundation of clear communication, accountability in business – and life – covers everything from admitting a mistake or bad decision to having the confidence to ask for help or guidance and being honest about your limitations in knowledge, skills or experience. If you – or your colleagues – aren't keen on sharing in a meeting or a more public setting, establishing yourself as a confidante, or offering guidance in overcoming skills gaps or taking responsibility for something that’s perhaps not gone the way it should have, is a great way to create a safe, creative and honest environment for growth.

One way to do this, and one we started here at 116 Pall Mall last year, is a buddy system, where colleagues from different departments, functions and even personalities are paired together to catch up, share ideas – or even have a moan. It’s up to each buddy pair to decide how to build their (long distance!) relationship, but most schedule a fortnightly virtual coffee, turn on their cameras, step away from their to-do lists for anything from 15 minutes to an hour and have a chat. Being paired with someone you might not know very well can seem daunting to colleagues who aren’t too confident opening up, but that’s the beauty of the idea, and brilliant and unexpected friendships are often formed, ready to be truly brought to life once we can all meet up face-to-face again.

Forecasting

While none of us can predict the future, we can use past understanding to shape the way we research, plan and execute our next plan or project. Whether that’s remembering which dinner spot will put a smile on his or her face based on past reservations or using last year’s data to predict your next sales spike, looking backwards to move forwards is crucial for growth, to avoid common mistakes, and to stay one step ahead of your rivals – in business and in love! And don’t assume the data you’ve collected is the most crucial – you might be surprised what you can learn from other colleagues, departments or even clients you work with on the topic in question.

Succession planning

Now this definitely does look different in a romantic versus business setting, but it holds weight in both scenarios. While planning for the future in a relationship usually involves mortgages, weddings and buggies, succession planning in your organisation means recognising and encouraging the next generation of leaders, supporting their growth and creating pathways to the boardroom and beyond. Both, however, mean putting your faith in the future of the partnerships you’ve created, and investing time and energy in helping others to achieve their potential. Schedule some time to sit and chat to your colleagues and talk through each others’ goals for the coming year, and ways in which you can support each other to reach them.

Building a personal development plan (PDP) is a great way to ensure these dreams become a reality, by providing tangible, attainable and aspirational targets, and working towards them steadily over the year, rather than losing enthusiasm and momentum as life gets busy and goals can be sidelined.

So whether you’re spending Valentine’s Day, in-person or virtually, with your romantic partner or your business partner, take the opportunity to share what makes you both tick, how your relationship can improve, and the ways you can appreciate and support each other each day.

OTHER ARTICLES YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN…

A five-point plan for healthy staff meetings

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