Complementarity > Compatibility

One mistake many co-founders and employees make when starting or joining a company is optimizing for compatibility over complementarity. As acclaimed social scientist Arthur C. Brooks points out, humans have a tendency to do this in relationships, including with romantic partners.

“Looking for someone who has a lot in common with you is called homophily. As egotistical creatures, we tend to rate those who are similar to us as more appealing (socially and romantically).”

However, the reality is that you should complement one another more than anything else. You'll achieve much more satisfaction and success over the long term.

In the context of joining a company or co-founding a business, you really want to avoid situations where you and another person overlap too much.

Some considerations:

• Co-founding a business as the CTO? Make sure the CEO isn’t also driving product and engineering.

• Joining a company as the VP of Marketing or Sales? Consider what is unique about what you’re adding to the equation. Ask yourself, "Does the CEO already have a ton of marketing and sales expertise?"

Companies are like puzzles. Avoid situations where you’re duplicating the pieces.