And yet few of us really evaluate a prospective partner with the same objectivity and clarity that we might use to select a major purchase. We wouldn’t buy a used car off the lot just because it looked great and felt really comfortable to drive. We’d check out its history and ask for the facts, with our radar out to detect dishonesty or hype. We might consult with a clear-thinking, car-savvy neighbor. And we’d enter the negotiation with a few criteria of our own that were deal-breakers—maybe air conditioning, good mileage, or safety features such as antilock brakes.
