I spent the last few posts describing some questions to discuss before you go into business or start a project with a partner. 

(See post #1 in this series here: https://leighchandler.com/questions-to-ask-before-you-work-together)

I came up with these questions from the perspective of a mediator, but other people have different types of expertise, and will have different sets of questions for you.

Think about asking the people you rely on for help with your project – like financial professionals, lawyers, and mentors – to give you their own top ten lists of questions.  You might be surprised to find that they highlight issues you never would have thought of on your own. 

Make conversations like this a habit in your life, not just your business.  Discussing how you can work well together will help you in any part of your life that requires teamwork.

And remember that things change, so plan to have these kinds of discussions more than once.  It can be helpful to have regularly scheduled check ins where you discuss issues that don’t make it into the day to day communication.  And don’t push things off to deal with later – problems thrive on neglect.  If you find yourself avoiding or having unproductive discussions about certain things, always look at it as an opportunity to improve your communication.