On our podcast episode this week, Laura and I discussed how trust can be built, created, and earned in personal relationships and in business relationship. One of the fundamental aspects of trust in a relationship of any kind is communication. And so how does it fit in to a business relationship?
Acting as general counsel to small businesses, one of the ways that Laura and I can provide the means and measures to build and generate trust in any business relationship is by helping to protect the parties’ interests in their contracts. A contract is, at its simplest form, a tool of communication between two parties. It expresses your needs and wants out of that particular business relationship.
In assisting client with partnership agreement, we aim to provide those terms and provisions that will ultimately protect the relationship of the parties involved, if the partnership terminates or fails in some way. In assisting a client with a consulting or services agreement, we aim to provide terms and provisions in those contracts that ultimately will protect the business relationship between those parties, when those services are completed or no longer required. And in assisting a business owner in preparing their contract template to utilize in their day today business activities, we aim to provide those terms and provisions that will protect the business owner and its reputation moving forward in all the business relationships it has, and the referrals that potentially will come from those relationships.
By providing terms in contract forms that are reasonable, explicit, and designed to see the relationship succeed, we hope that a resulting effect is the parties will make theoretical “deposits” into their “trust” account with one another, build trust in their working relationship, and continue to work in the future if the opportunity arises. By meeting those terms and acting in good faith, a business relationship can establish the trust that is required to continue the relationship in the future.
Disclaimer: The information contained in this post is not, nor is it intended to be, legal advice. You should consult an attorney for advice regarding your individual situation. We invite you to contact us and welcome your calls and communications. Contacting us, however, does not create an attorney-client relationship.