Finding Partners
Due diligence: speak to someone who worked with them and it did not go well
References supplied by the partner tell you they have satisfied someone. That was never in doubt.
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Finding Partners
Common Misunderstandings
Why collaborations fail: almost never the science, almost always the unwritten expectations
The failure modes are predictable, repeat across partnerships, and are all preventable in the first month.
Visiting and Hosting
Research visits: a two-week visit early prevents two years of misaligned assumptions
Everything you cannot learn from correspondence becomes obvious within three days on site.