Do you have a thought partner? Is there someone in your sphere who helps you think more deeply, see more broadly, and analyze more effectively? High-performance leaders seek out and treasure such relationships.

We have an innate human tendency to react to circumstances, by letting emotions override sound judgment. An objective thought partner helps us counteract that tendency.

Our world view can swiftly narrow to include only those we interact with daily and the information we consume, if we allow it. The more narrow the focus, the fewer options we can see. A thought partner serves as a wide-angle lens to the world.

We have so many decisions to make and such imperfect information with which to make them. We seldom have all of the information we’d like to have and it can be difficult to sort and prioritize the information we do have. The right thought partner helps us create order out of chaos and make better decisions.

To qualify as a thought partner, that person must embody:

 Implicit Trust — Everything else depends upon this foundation.
 Perspective — Their ability to see different angles and offer alternative approaches sets them apart.
 Respect — They offer ideas and suggest alternate paths in ways that do not threaten.
 Accountability — Owning up to what’s decided turns ideas into action.
 Patience — Sometimes it takes a bit more time to guide a person to the optimum choice.

A leader’s ability to benefit from the insights offered by a thought partner requires humility and a willingness to listen. Without those qualities, a leader is left only with the sound of his own voice. And that eventually creates an echo inside their head that drowns out everything else.

Consider yourself very fortunate if you have even one person in your life who qualifies as a genuine thought partner. Quite simply, we are better together. Who is your thought partner and how has that relationship benefited your life?