There are plenty of reasons for partnership disputes, from a lack of shared goals to allegations of financial misconduct. Partners may find themselves at odds due to personal choices the other person made or because of a general sense that the company is not moving in the direction they would like it to move.

One of the main reasons for these disputes, though, is when one partner oversteps their boundaries. This is especially problematic when it happens repeatedly.

Partners need clearly defined roles

One of the keys to working together is to have clearly defined roles. If one person believes they are in charge of product design and the other person is in charge of, say, customer outreach, they’re going to feel frustrated if the other person tries to do their job for them and makes changes to the product designs. But at least they’ll know that design is their own area of expertise, and they can address it.

What is even harder is when both people are under the impression that they have the same power and the same roles. This can lead to them constantly running into major conflicts and disagreements. Plus, if one of them backs off, that may end the disagreement for the moment, but it does not eliminate the animosity between the two.

What should you do during a dispute?

As you can see, defining your roles in a partnership agreement is the first step, but it may not be enough to prevent a dispute. As such, you do need to know what legal options you have when you and your business partner are at odds.