But, I'll admit, you have to be somewhat careful in choosing with whom you partner. One big issue is, "Whom do you trust?"
I was reading a Puget Sound Business Journal article about venture capitalists and how to choose which companies or new technologies to fund. I think one of the questions prompted a response that would be good to apply picking our partners in emergency management. He offered three red flags for not working with a person or organization:
1. First, is someone telling you something you know isn't truthful or accurate.
2. Second, is someone dismissive of the competition or the challenges they face.
3. Third, when someone gives you an answer that speaks to an issue that they don't know anything about. An unwillingness to say, "I don't know."
While the venture capitalists are investing their money, we are investing our reputations when choosing to work with other organizations. The tips above were meant to be shared with those who might be solicited for funding. We are investing much more than our money; it is our time, which is irreplaceable.
