While trying to manage my two-year old son recently-and I’m not talking about friendly re-direction- I mean real two-year old issues like hiding anything that might hurt when you get hit with it, because you will get hit with something at my house. Managing temper tantrums, using discipline consistently and tears, there will always be tears. I am reminded that much of parenting-or any relationship for that matter- comes with its fair share of power struggles. And then I got to thinking about how power struggles within a business can cause turmoil and sometimes the break down of the business.

So, I came up with a few characteristics that can help anyone working with another human being in any kind of business. Like Shawn Hessinger at Boot Strap Me says, teaming up can cut costs which gives your business more bang for its buck.

First, consider that having different skills within the same business is an asset. Working alongside someone that may be highly skilled in technology while you are great at presenting could make for an outstanding presentation. As long as you are on the same page, having different skills is a bonus for your venture.

Second, although being honest in and of itself isn’t bad, being honest and tactful is even better. Hand in hand with this is being open to criticism. A business grows through changing and improving. Be willing to give honest feedback, take criticism and make improvements and you’ll see your business evolve. And criticism shouldn’t be internal only, getting feedback from your customers is priceless.

Finally, be flexible. Working with someone can be a challenge by itself. Working together can multiply your efforts and divide the labor, so take advantage of it.

The bottom line, is if you are a business opportunity seeker, an existing business or a lone employee, teaming up with someone else can really improve the quality of your work and the quantity, so don’t shy away from a partnership.