Query:

My husband is in competition with me. We started this new venture recently, and it so happens that clients prefer to talk to me. But my husband hates me because of that and he thinks I want to be the face of the company and that’s why I am doing something behind his back to win their confidence. How do I deal with it?

 

Hello Dear,

Competition is what we make it to be. It can be a fun interaction between lovers, or a good motivation to push one another towards higher achievements, or an eroder of self-esteem. Sometimes, you may deal with a person who cannot handle competition all together. 

There are times when a person is not even aware they are in competition, yet they are. This seems to be the case with you. Despite being on the same team, your husband has turned the attention you are receiving from clients as the reward for your efforts, rather than the income you generate from the success of your venture. To begin with, you two should be happy you have any clients at all, and not focus on who they want to talk to. Remember, this is a brand new business. 

ACTION

There are two actions required to solve this issue. First, is the separation of roles. For a business to be successful, individuals have to be placed in the key position based on their skillset. Both of you should not be performing the same role. 

It is obvious you are best fit for business development and communication, so you should be in charge of both. There are several other departments in a business. Maybe he is good with numbers, organization, strategizing, employee recruiting and management, marketing, IT, etc. So he could handle any of these other departments. Second, he needs to see this venture as ‘ours’ and not “you vs me”. Why should it be a problem if you are the face of the company as long as it makes it successful? You will need to have a direct and honest conversation with your partner.

EASY ON YOU

Before that, try to understand it is not easy for a man to be with a woman who can do something better than he can. This is not a concept they were raised witnessing and experiencing. We are the first generation of women who run companies, states and countries. 

In your conversation with him, if you are planning on keeping the peace, you will want to be tactical. You will need to start by outlining all the things he is better at than you, and how those things are the major components to the success of the company, and not your communication and interactions with the clients. (I know, I know). Tell him you are not in competition with him. Make him understand his success is yours and vice versa. Engage here the same persuasive skills you use with your clients, and I have no doubt you will be successful. 

 

Good luck!

 

 

Reference

www.timesofindia.com