It’s often said that one of the most important things business partners can share is their sense of values. These values can help them define their goals for the company.
But why is it so important for two people to have similar values if they’re going to work together? Couldn’t they just separate those differences from their business relationship? The truth is that their values are drastically going to impact how they approach the business, and a significant gap can lead to some serious disputes.
What values do you have?
For instance, imagine that you value the local community, and your goal for the business is to improve the area around you. You want to give back, reach out, and create a business that feels like it’s part of that community. The people are important to you, even more than the money. Yes, you want the company to be financially viable, but that’s not your only goal.
Meanwhile, you have a business partner who is not from that community and does not care about giving back or helping those around the business. They just want to make as much money as possible, and the bottom line is all they care about.
Neither view is necessarily right or wrong. It’s completely fine for a business professional to have a focus on earnings and profits. But you can see how a dispute may arise if you’re both trying to guide the business in different directions, and that can be very difficult to resolve. If you find yourself in this position, it’s important to know about all of the legal options at your disposal.