What do you do for a living? Typical question, right? For me, the clear answer to this is another story. It has taken close friends and family members several rounds of explaining to have them fully comprehend what I do exactly. I am responsible for the critical relationship between our Managed Services Providers (MSPs) and our Delivery Team.

In order to fully comprehend how significant this partnership is, it is also important to first understand the role each partner plays, how they are different, and how the value of offerings supports an overall goal. In many cases, for organizations, it is beneficial for them to outsource the management of their continent workforce. In these situations, the company will partner with an MSP. The sole responsibility of the MSP is to manage the talent supply chain and talent life cycle from req creation to invoicing. In my experience, the quality and speed of this delivery is crucial. Crucial, but not easy. I have spent over 10 years as a Talent Supplier and as the Director of the MSP Programs. My biggest piece of advice on “side” of the house: your credibility relies on your delivery. Credibility in everything: Correct Data, Understanding your client’s goals, but most of all: recognizing this role is not about you.

Showing up and working as a true arm to your client is your role. This doesn’t happen overnight, and you will need to build your credibility by providing value.

What does value look like? That is not a cookie-cutter answer. It depends on what value means for your client. It could be cost, it could be quality, it could be all of the above.

Once you uncover what value and what success looks like for your client and you can deliver to that-THAT is what partnership means to me.