Firstly, a very Happy New Year to you, and I hope you had a great Christmas.

As well as the consuming of my (ever-increasing) body weight in chocolate, and disguising the taste of five-day old turkey with a series of five-year old pickles, I also managed to catch up on some Sky Plus during the festive break, and of the programmes I managed to watch, my favourite was the highlights of the Ryder Cup tournament, played back in September.

As I watched the action back, it fascinated me that where golf is known primarily as a sport where individuals take on other individuals (as well as a large golf course, of course), the biggest and most popular tournament in the sport comprises of a team of twelve taking on another team of twelve, entirely changing the dynamic.

I’m taking nothing away from the individual achievements of the respective golfers involved, but when teamed up with another player, it seems to ignite a different spark – a unity and togetherness that simply can’t be found in the everyday format.

Once these players are paired up, they drive each other forward, encourage each other through the good times, and carry each other through the not so good times, and the sentiments of each partnership are carried through to the entire team, creating a strength and bond that is built from within.

So how important are such partnerships in business?

Well even if you don’t have an actual business partner, forming partnerships and relationships on an ongoing basis is vital to the success of your organisation. As an individual yourself, there are literally only so many relationships that you can manage at any one time – so make them count.

Going back to the golf, a player who excels off the tee but is not such a great putter will perfectly complement a team-mate who can sink the 30-footers but only make similar distances with the driver.

So add value wherever possible, listen to your clients’ wants and needs, identify ways you can help each other and make referrals whenever you’re able to. ‘Pay it forward’ and your clients will do the same for you, building a network from within full of resource, skills, and ultimately new business.

Maximising and utilising each other’s strengths will make you a business force to be reckoned with, and the opposition will be ‘green’ with envy… (sorry).

Wishing you a prosperous 2011,

Matt