Your calendar is finite. Your patience is finite. The number of potential partners is infinite.

This math doesn't work in your favor unless you become ruthless about qualification.

The hardest skill for a new Partnership Manager to learn isn't how to sell; it's how to disqualify. We are wired to be "relationship builders," which means we want to be nice. We want to hear people out. We want to believe that every conversation could be the "Big One."

But in reality, 80% of the people you talk to are Time-Wasters. They are "kicking the tires." They are "exploring the landscape." They are bored.

You cannot afford to spend 30 minutes figuring out someone is a dud. You need to know in the first 5 minutes.

Here are the three unmistakable signals that you are talking to a Time-Waster.

Jump to a section:

1. Red Flag #1: "Everything is Interesting"

2. Red Flag #2: The Authority Void

3. Red Flag #3: The Data Dodge

Red Flag #1: "Everything is Interesting"

You pitch an integration. They say, "That sounds interesting!" You pitch a referral swap. They say, "Also interesting!" You pitch a co-marketing webinar. They say, "Love that idea!"

This is a trap.

Serious partners have constraints. They have roadmaps. They have things they cannot do. If a partner agrees to everything, they are committed to nothing. They are being polite, or worse, they have no strategic direction.

The Test: Ask them to prioritize.

• "If we could only do ONE of these things in Q1, which one would you kill?" If they can't choose, end the call.

[Internal Link Opportunity]: Link this section to Article #2: "The Coffee Chat Trap" to explain how polite conversations kill productivity.

Red Flag #2: The Authority Void

You are having a great chat. The synergy is there. The enthusiasm is high. Then you ask: "Who signs off on this?"

They reply: "Oh, I’ll need to run this by my manager, who needs to ask the VP of Sales, who will probably need to check with Legal..."

You are talking to a Messenger, not a Maker. Messengers are great for gathering information, but they cannot buy. In 2026, organizations are flatter, but decision-making is still concentrated. If you are 5 minutes into a call and you haven't established if this person owns a budget or a KPI, you are just "educating the market" for free.

The Test: Use the "Resource" Question from our Strategic Intent framework.

• "Do you own the budget for this integration, or whose budget would this come out of?"

[Internal Link Opportunity]: Link this section to Article #21: "5 Strategic Intent Questions You Must Ask" to provide the script for this moment.

Red Flag #3: The Data Dodge

Serious partners know their numbers.

• They know their customer overlap.

• They know their API limitations.

• They know their growth targets.

Time-Wasters speak in generalities.

• "We have 'lots' of customers in retail."

• "We are looking to 'grow' this year."

When you ask for specifics—like an Account Mapping session—they dodge. "Oh, we can't share data yet. Let's sign an NDA first. Let's have another meeting."

This is the Lazy Tax in action. They want you to do the work of proving the value because they don't have the data to prove it themselves.

The Test:

• "I can run a blind overlap report on PartnerMatch.co right now. It takes 30 seconds. Shall I pull it up?" If they hesitate, they are hiding a lack of volume.

[Internal Link Opportunity]: Link this section to Article #14: "Intent Data vs. Identity Data" to reinforce why you need hard signals, not soft answers.

The Verdict

Your time is the most expensive asset your company has.

If you spot these red flags in the first 5 minutes, do not feel guilty. Be professional, but be firm. "It sounds like we are a bit early for this. Let’s reconnect when you have a specific project in mind."

You aren't being rude. You are saving both of you from a Zombie Partnership.