“Till death do us part” might be a noble vow in marriage, but in today’s professional world it is rarely the best course to follow. Lifetime employment is already a thing of the past. Many professionals know when a job no longer fulfils them and have a strategy ready to move on to the next challenge. The reverse also applies: organisations and leaders must recognise when a collaboration has run its course.
In teams, this means ensuring the right people are in the right place to reach the goal. Not every team member will always remain the best fit. If someone’s skills or contributions are no longer adding value, holding on to the status quo only slows everyone down.
The same principle applies to partnerships. Even when you enter a partnership with long-term intentions, you must be willing to re-evaluate. When a partner is no longer contributing, or the partnership no longer makes sense, the courageous step may be to end it.
This sounds logical, doesn’t it?
Yet in practice I see many partnerships drag on long past their usefulness. Management often lacks the courage to open the conversation about whether the relationship is still effective.
In a recent conversation, someone described his frustration with a long-standing business partner who was no longer delivering. The partner seemed to be taking advantage of the benefits without contributing much. This had been going on for months.
During our discussion, he realised he had to act. The very next day, he initiated a candid conversation with his partner. To his surprise, the partner admitted he was also unhappy with how things were working. That honest exchange allowed them to redesign their partnership in a way that served them both.
In this case, the relationship was revitalised. But sometimes the outcome is different. Sometimes it really is time to say goodbye. Nothing lasts forever. Usually you already sense it: the collaboration feels heavy instead of smooth, and you know something must change.
The worst course is to let things drag on. If you feel the collaboration is no longer working, chances are your partner feels it too. Opening the conversation creates space: space to renew the relationship in a different form, or to part on respectful terms.
Either way, the outcome is better than silence. Saying goodbye is not a failure. It is often the step that allows everyone involved to move forward and be happier in the end.