When working with Indian counterparts, understand that agreements function within relationships, not apart from them. The relationship is what makes a commitment binding—it provides ongoing accountability, communication channels, and mutual investment in the agreement’s success. Agreements with people you have no relationship with require extra mechanisms (detailed documentation, third-party guarantees) because the relational infrastructure is missing. Invest time in building the relationship before and alongside formal agreements.
Attend to the relationship through regular contact, responsiveness, and genuine engagement. When relationships deteriorate, agreements become fragile regardless of what documents say.
If you want an agreement to work, maintain the relationship that makes it work. The time you spend building relationships is not separate from “getting down to business”—it is the business of making agreements function.
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