When considering whether to partner with another individual in business, most people are aware of the need to evaluate the legal and financial ramifications. But few are prepared to address the single most important factor in successful business partnerships: compatibility. This book shows how to evaluate a partnership for its compatibility potential, how to nurture a smooth working relationship by viewing compromise as an investment and not a deprivation, how to monitor the ongoing health of the partnership, and how to recognize signs of trouble.

Using marriage as both a metaphor and an example from which to draw valuable lessons, Snider explains ten dimensions of partnership dynamics, including conflict resolution, division of labor, and communication styles. He provides a tour of the typical partnership life cycle, from selection criteria to maintaining a healthy partnership and surviving the breakup of the partnership. This book also discusses the various types of partnerships. Included are an appendix covering selected case studies and one that provides a monitoring tool to assist in gauging the health of a partnership at any stage of development.

MARVIN SNIDER is an organizational consultant in Waban, Massachusetts. His clients have included hospitals, school systems, banks, law firms, public agencies, and an insurance company. He is the author of Human Relations Management in Young, Growing Companies: A Manual for Entrepreneurs and Executives (Quorum Books, 2001).