What are the characteristics of a good partner? The questions below may be helpful in thinking about what you need from a partner, internal or external, to help drive performance improvement.

• Are they credible with senior management?
• Will they be accepted by, and in-tune with, middle and line management?
• Are they passionate, committed and energetic (do they really care)?
• Do they have a track record of success?
• Is their approach focused on the things that matter most to drive business performance?
• Is their orientation to collaborate, experiment and learn with you to find the best path forward?
• Will they build capability and self-sufficiency in your people as an integrated part of their approach?
• Do they bring expertise that complements (not replicates) your internal skill set?