Modern workplaces have come a long way from where they once were. Cubicles have been replaced by open plan workspaces, disparate systems are being overhauled in favour of integrated technologies, and collaboration has superseded the siloed approaches of the past.

This shift is creating many exciting opportunities – particularly for people in corporate functions such as finance, human resources (HR), procurement, and technology.

While once considered highly technical roles requiring long hours in front of a screen with little human interaction, a new type of corporate role is emerging. One that leverages the knowledge and skills of these professionals in ways that go beyond compliance and towards delivering more value-add to the business.

The role is often referred to as a “business partner”, and involves engaging with business customers in different areas to provide advice and support to achieve project goals.

For finance, HR, procurement and other professionals who are eager to step away from compliance-based activities and into an advisory capacity, this could be the opportunity they’ve been waiting for.

What it takes to be a great business partner

When you become a business partner, your focus shifts from “How do I help us maintain compliance?” to “How can I use my skills to drive the business forward?”. As such, you’ll spend a lot less time behind a screen and a lot more time engaging with people.

Of course, it’s not a role that suits everyone. Some people genuinely prefer being at their computer and continuing to hone their technical skills. But if you enjoy thinking strategically, developing new solutions and working with others, becoming a business partner could be the ideal way to evolve your career.

To be a great business partner, you need to have (or be excited to gain):

• A proactive and responsive attitude
• Strong communication skills
• The ability to influence and persuade
• A knack for strategic or big picture thinking
• A desire to help others

Relationships are vital to business partnership. So regardless of whether you’re an extrovert who revels in customer service, or an introvert with a desire to impart technical wisdom in new ways, you will need to build certain skills to ensure your success.

Tips to move from compliance to business partner

You have probably spent most of your career honing your technical skills and becoming an expert in the various tools and systems you use to do your work.

As a business partner, you need to shift your attention to building soft skills – such as communication, customer service, strategic thinking, leadership, and collaboration. This won’t happen overnight, but these valuable skills will serve you in more ways than one throughout your career.

Here are 3 tips to help you build the skills needed to move from compliance to business partner:

Tip # 1: Take stock

Reflect on your strengths and weaknesses, including how you could add value as a business partner and where you may be challenged.

Imagine yourself as a business partner, engaging with the multitude of personalities you’re likely to encounter. What skills and attributes do you currently have that will help you do this, and what could you improve?

There are many classic books that can help with this self-reflection, and they provide great tips on how to improve certain skills. Some of these include: How to Win Friends and Influence People; Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion; and The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.

Tip # 2: Seek feedback

It takes a high level of emotional intelligence (EQ) to be a business partner. One feature of people with a high EQ is their ability to take constructive feedback on board and use it to evolve their approach.

Feedback could be as straight-forward as a conversation about what somebody feels you do or don’t do well. Or it could be as subtle as learning to read a person’s body language so you can adapt how you engage with them.

You can develop your EQ by proactively seeking feedback from others. This could include your peers, a manager, or even an executive coach. Remember, fortune favours the bold so if you find someone who exhibits the skills you want to build, invite them for a coffee and ask them to mentor you.

Tip # 3: Get involved

Ultimately, the best way to build the skills needed to be a great business partner is to get out there and practice.

To do this, you could look for opportunities to:

• Build relationships with people who work outside your business area
• Volunteer for cross-functional projects
• Develop a new initiative that adds business value
• Get involved in large-scale projects that have a real business impact

Lastly, keep in mind that a great business partner is always responsive – even if it’s just developing the habit of responding to emails in a short time period. Being responsive will help you build a strong personal brand as someone who others can rely on – which is exactly the type of business partner people remember and invite to support new projects.

To learn more about becoming a business partner in your field of expertise (such as finance, HR, procurement, or technology), please contact us.