I’ve always thought that there are clear parallels between official Diplomats and Partnership Managers. Not only are the roles similar by definition and action, but these roles are also equally undervalued in their importance. What do I mean by that?
Firstly, by definition, a Diplomat is a person who is in an official capacity to represent their country’s government in foreign affairs. They oversee, advance and foster business, economic and geopolitical agreements and relationships between their country and other countries and organizations. At the same time, they quietly juggle and fix both disagreements and concerns, diligently working a lot of the time in the background of trade negotiations and peace treaties. Diplomats walk a tight rope made of governance, policies and relationships, to allow things to get done.
Comparably, a Partnership Manager is someone who represents their company’s best interests in externally held agreements with other companies or organizations. Working quietly in the background, they oversee governance, policies and agreement terms, build relationships, assemble teams, prevent crises, address conflict, and negotiate differences between corporate, and sometimes country cultures to get things done. Sounds like a Diplomat, right?
Looking at both Diplomacy and Partnership Management roles by action, the secret sauce is really all about nurturing and maintaining strong relationships with new and existing partners and getting people from vastly different backgrounds to work together. Diplomats and Partnership Managers work tirelessly, integrating teams of specially selected people into the ecosystem of partnership agreements and the initiatives at hand. They oversee countless important governance meetings, operate as single points of contact and plan special events that foster communication and relationships. It requires a high degree of tact, subtlety, and specialized expertise that is developed over years of experience.
Many times, however, Diplomacy and Partnership Management are thankless jobs. The skills required are not easily explained or tangible to the average person, making it challenging to convey their value. How, for instance, do you define or measure the quiet, strategic conversation that encouraged an agreement to move forwards? Additionally, Diplomats and Partnership Managers deal daily with leaders who have strong, contrary opinions and personal agendas, making relationship management complex, to say the least. Many leaders simply do not understand the role of Diplomats and Partnership Managers, thinking that a project manager or administrative role is really what’s needed. Additionally, it is often perceived that Diplomats and Partnership Managers just organize expensive events, trips and dinners. The visible nature of these events can often leave the impression that Diplomats and Partnership Managers are frivolous, luxury-oriented beasts that spend lots of money on parties. All in all, it is the collective snags in measuring the value added as well as the lack of clarity in understanding what Diplomats and Partnership Managers’ roles are, that can make these jobs so under appreciated.
So, with many things considered, I stand by my thinking that Diplomats and Partnership Managers indeed have similar and important roles; roles that are often undervalued. They uphold skills that require integral ability in negotiation and strategy development, a deep sense of consciousness and integrity that aims to inspire trust, an understanding of cultural differences, and a necessary level of understanding of the work that needs to be done. And at the end of the day …this is done mostly out of sight and in the background. What’s not to love about that!
Marianne Schovsbo – Founder & Managing Partner of BioPartnering Solutions LLP
BioPartnering Solutions LLP 