Working Together

Working Together Plot Summary

Introduction

The sun was setting over Manhattan as two men sat across from each other at a corner table, laughing over a shared memory. These weren't just any business associates – they were partners who had weathered countless storms together, built an empire from nothing, and still genuinely enjoyed each other's company after decades. Watching them, I couldn't help but wonder: what invisible forces bind certain partnerships together while others fracture under the slightest pressure? Great partnerships are like rare elements – when they combine, they create something far more valuable than their separate parts. Throughout history, from Walt Disney and Roy Disney to Warren Buffett and Charlie Munger, transformative businesses have often emerged from the union of complementary minds. Yet the mechanics of these extraordinary alliances remain largely unexplored. What makes some partnerships thrive while others collapse? How do partners navigate ego, credit, and power? These questions aren't merely academic – they reveal fundamental truths about human connection, mutual growth, and the extraordinary achievements possible when we find the right person to walk alongside us on our journey.

Chapter 1: The Complementary Strengths: How Partnerships Magnify Capabilities

Frank Wells and Michael Eisner transformed Disney from a struggling company into an entertainment powerhouse through a partnership built on complementary strengths. In 1984, after being fired from Paramount Pictures, Eisner was interviewing for the CEO position at Disney. During negotiations, he boldly stated, "I really don't want to do this unless I'm the sole CEO." After a tense silence, Frank Wells, who had been positioned to be co-CEO, immediately responded: "Okay, you can be chairman and CEO, and I'll be president and COO." This moment revealed Wells' remarkable character. Unlike most executives who climb the corporate ladder seeking the top position, Wells was willing to step aside for someone he barely knew. As their partnership developed, it became clear why this arrangement worked so brilliantly. Eisner was the creative visionary with bold ideas, while Wells became the enabler who helped bring those ideas to life. When Eisner would propose ambitious concepts, Wells would enthusiastically support them rather than play the cautious executive. Their relationship worked because Wells maintained complete loyalty to Eisner while handling crucial behind-the-scenes responsibilities. He was the problem-solver who took upset employees to lunch, navigated crises like the French outcry over Disneyland Paris, and maintained the company's ethical standards. Wells once told Eisner to write a $15,000 check to the company on their first day – just in case there were any expense errors – establishing a culture of integrity from the beginning. For ten years, they operated as a unified front. No employee could play them against each other, and they communicated constantly throughout each day. When Wells tragically died in a helicopter crash in 1994, Eisner lost more than a colleague – he lost an irreplaceable partner who had made him better in every way. The story of Eisner and Wells demonstrates how complementary skills create exponential value in partnerships. One plus one doesn't equal two – it equals three or more when partners fill each other's gaps while sharing the same fundamental values. The success comes not from dividing responsibilities equally but from each person bringing their unique strengths to a shared vision.

Chapter 2: Trust and Loyalty: The Foundation of Lasting Business Relationships

Warren Buffett first heard Charlie Munger's name in the mid-1950s during a meeting with a physician named Eddie Davis. Trying to convince the doctor to invest with him, Buffett was surprised when Davis suddenly said, "We'll give him a hundred thousand dollars. He reminds me of Charlie Munger." Buffett had no idea who Charlie Munger was, but it was an auspicious beginning to what would become one of business history's most successful partnerships. The two men finally met in 1959 at the Omaha Club. Buffett, then 29, and Munger, 35, connected instantly. They stayed at the table talking long after the waiter had cleared it, and again a few nights later with their wives. Though Munger continued practicing law in Los Angeles while Buffett invested in Omaha, they maintained a close correspondence. Buffett persistently encouraged Munger to enter the investment business: "Law is okay as a hobby, but a guy with your brains, you're wasting your time. You've got to manage money." Over the decades, their partnership developed through constant communication despite living in different cities. Their conversations became the foundation of Berkshire Hathaway's decision-making process. Rather than relying on teams of analysts, both men spend most of their days reading. "If Charlie and I were stranded together on a desert island," Buffett says, "and we somehow had the Library of Congress available to us, we'd both be very happy for a long, long time." Their partnership thrives on intellectual honesty. When Buffett proposes an investment idea, Munger doesn't hesitate to call it "dumb" if he sees flaws. This frank feedback isn't driven by ego but by a shared commitment to making the best decisions. Their relationship exemplifies what Buffett looks for in people: intelligence, energy, and integrity. "If they don't have the last one," he says, "don't even bother with the first two." Perhaps most remarkably, their partnership has been devoid of jealousy or score-keeping. Though Buffett receives most of the public attention as Berkshire's chairman, Munger has never resented his role as vice chairman. When asked about living in another man's shadow, Munger has a simple explanation: "It's never been about who gets credit. It's about making the right decisions together." What makes the Buffett-Munger partnership extraordinary isn't just their financial success but the foundation of mutual trust and integrity they've built. Their story shows that when partners prioritize shared goals over individual recognition, when they value honesty over harmony, and when they approach decisions with both intellectual rigor and ethical clarity, they create something far more valuable than either could achieve alone.

Chapter 3: Shared Vision, Different Approaches: Navigating Creative Tension

Bill and Melinda Gates represent a partnership where two distinctly different perspectives converge on a shared mission. When Melinda walks into a room with high-ranking officials in developing countries, she knows exactly what they're thinking: "I guess we got the wife." She has three minutes before they realize she's not merely a surrogate for her husband but an equal partner with expertise and authority of her own. Their partnership began at Microsoft in the early 1990s when Melinda, then an employee, started dating the company's founder. After marrying in 1994, she left Microsoft to raise their family, but their professional collaboration evolved in unexpected ways. Following the death of Bill's mother from breast cancer, the couple established what would become the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. What started with Bill's father distributing $100 million in grants has grown into the world's largest private foundation, with an endowment exceeding $30 billion. Though outsiders might assume Bill dominates the foundation's direction, their partnership is remarkably balanced. "From the very beginning, this has been the two of us," Melinda explains. While she initially had more time for foundation work as Bill led Microsoft, she ensured their partnership remained equal by identifying key decisions that required joint input. Today, with Bill fully engaged in the foundation, they tackle global challenges with complementary approaches. Bill brings data-driven analysis and a systems perspective, while Melinda often focuses on the human elements and cultural context of their work. Their different styles were evident when hiring the foundation's CEO. They established a crucial principle upfront: whoever they chose had to be someone they both wanted completely. As Melinda recalls, "I wasn't going to go along with somebody he wanted, and he wasn't going to go along with somebody I wanted." Their mutual friend Warren Buffett advised them to find someone who would "get the best out of both of you—not the best out of Melinda, or the best out of Bill, but the best out of both of you." What makes their partnership work isn't that they always agree but that they've built mechanisms to navigate disagreement productively. When they travel separately on foundation business, they study each other's itineraries and debrief afterward. They discuss strategy together, read the same books simultaneously on vacation, and share observations constantly. "There's a whole deepening that happens when you're working on issues together," Melinda says, "when you're really talking about mothers losing children, and you're working at a deep level on societal problems that you feel deeply about." The Gates partnership demonstrates that effective partners don't need identical perspectives – they need alignment on fundamental values while bringing different strengths to their shared mission. Their story reminds us that navigating creative tension isn't about eliminating differences but harnessing them in service of something greater than either partner could achieve alone.

Chapter 4: The Evolution of Partnerships: From Startup to Legacy

Brian Grazer and Ron Howard first met in 1974 when Grazer, then working at Paramount Pictures, called Howard who was passing by his office. At the time, Howard was the famous child actor turned teen star (Opie from "The Andy Griffith Show" and Richie Cunningham from "Happy Days"), looking to transition into directing. Grazer, an ambitious young producer, invited him to lunch. "Having grown up in the Hollywood business, I still had never had a Hollywood lunch," Howard recalls. "It had just never happened." During that first meeting, they discussed a movie concept about two guys starting a brothel out of a morgue in New York City. This became "Night Shift," their first collaboration, starring Henry Winkler and Michael Keaton. Working from an unfurnished room in a forgotten corner of a studio lot, the pair chased down potential stars (even unsuccessfully pursuing John Belushi) and eventually got their movie made. When the studio didn't like Keaton's performance and threatened to pull funding, they found solidarity in their shared struggle. "We feel like we're in one of those old-fashioned commodes, floating in a toilet bowl," Howard remembers them joking, "and the studio executives are looking down, holding the chain, yelling 'We might pull it!'" Their next film, "Splash," was a major hit, but interestingly, their partnership temporarily dissolved afterward. Grazer felt he wasn't getting enough credit for his contributions while Howard received most of the public attention. "I didn't feel as if I could live with that," Grazer admits. They went their separate ways professionally for a while, but continued talking on the phone daily. Eventually, they formed Imagine Entertainment, initially as a public company, before taking it private in 1993. The turning point in their partnership came when they restructured their financial arrangement. Howard, despite being the more famous partner, insisted they split everything fifty-fifty. "The titles didn't really make a difference—people viewed us much more as a partnership," Howard explains. This equal division eliminated potential jealousy and competition, allowing each to celebrate the other's successes. When Howard directs a blockbuster like "The Da Vinci Code," Grazer benefits equally, and when Grazer produces a hit like "American Gangster" without Howard's involvement, Howard shares equally in that success too. Today, their partnership continues with a clear division of responsibilities. Grazer runs day-to-day operations from their Beverly Hills office, while Howard primarily focuses on directing films, often from his home in New York. Yet they speak daily, consult each other on all major decisions, and maintain absolute trust in each other's judgment. "If I love something," Howard explains, "let me know what you think, but back me up. And if you love something and I don't, I will be dead honest with you, but only with you." The Grazer-Howard partnership demonstrates how successful collaborations evolve through challenges, separation, and reconciliation. Their story shows that partnerships aren't static entities but dynamic relationships that must adapt to changing circumstances, ego conflicts, and shifting priorities. The most enduring partnerships aren't those without problems – they're those where partners commit to working through problems together with honesty, mutual respect, and a shared vision that transcends individual success.

Chapter 5: Ethics and Crisis Management: When Partners Face Challenges Together

On April 14, 1978, Arthur Blank and Bernie Marcus were fired from their executive positions at Handy Dan Home Improvement Centers by a boss they described as "Ming the Merciless." Despite running the most profitable chain in the company, they found themselves suddenly unemployed – victims of corporate jealousy rather than poor performance. This firing, though devastating at the time, became the catalyst for one of America's greatest retail success stories. After their dismissal, Marcus and Blank began planning a revolutionary new kind of home improvement store. With seed capital from investor Ken Langone, they developed a concept built on three simple principles: low prices, high service levels, and wide product assortment. Working from a coffee shop in California, they faced an immediate problem – the financial projections didn't work. When Blank, the financial expert, showed that the numbers predicted losses, Marcus responded with characteristic entrepreneurial optimism: "Well, that's easy. Let's write in more sales." Though initially reluctant to manipulate the projections, Blank eventually agreed. This moment revealed the complementary nature of their partnership – Marcus the visionary entrepreneur who refused to be constrained by conventional thinking, and Blank the methodical financial mind who could translate vision into practical execution. Their new venture, Home Depot, opened its first stores in Atlanta in 1979. The partners established an inverted organizational pyramid where store associates were considered the most important people in the company, while the CEO and president positioned themselves at the bottom. "We were the least important," Marcus explains, "because we were the most far-removed from the customer." This people-first philosophy permeated every aspect of their business, from letting associates make independent decisions to helping customers regardless of profit considerations. When challenges arose, the partnership provided strength. In one instance, Bernie lost his temper during a meeting with Arthur and other executives, dismissing their input with "Screw you, I'm the CEO." That night, he woke up at 3:00 a.m., replaying his response and regretting shutting down the very people he'd brought in for their expertise. The next morning, he gathered everyone again and apologized: "I want you to explain to me what you were trying to explain yesterday." Their recommendations made complete sense – he had been "one hundred percent wrong." This moment of humility strengthened rather than weakened his leadership. The partners' complementary styles were essential to their success. Blank describes them as "the odd couple" – he was meticulous and organized while Marcus was spontaneous and big-picture oriented. Yet they shared identical values about business ethics, customer service, and employee treatment. Associates would call them "BernieArthur," treating them as a single entity because they always presented a unified front. "That political stuff – going to him to get certain answers, and me to get other certain answers – we never had that," Blank explains. The Home Depot story illustrates that true partnerships become most valuable during crises. Whether facing initial financial challenges, personality conflicts, or strategic disagreements, Marcus and Blank maintained mutual respect and commitment to their shared vision. Their partnership demonstrates that ethical alignment – not just complementary skills – forms the foundation for navigating challenges together and building something that withstands the test of time.

Chapter 6: The Ego Balance: How Great Partners Keep Success in Perspective

In July 1960, Valentino Garavani, a rising fashion designer in Rome, spotted Giancarlo Giammetti sitting alone at a table in a crowded bar on Via Veneto. After asking to join him, they discovered they were both heading to Capri the following day. This chance meeting launched a partnership that would span over half a century and transform the fashion world. When they met, Valentino had recently opened his fashion house with financial backing from his father and a family friend. Although the press adored Valentino's designs, Giancarlo quickly discovered the business was headed for bankruptcy. Despite being just a twenty-year-old architecture student with no business experience, Giammetti quit school and took over managing Valentino's company. His first decision was radical but necessary – close the failing business and start fresh with a new one. Success followed quickly. In 1961, Valentino dressed Elizabeth Taylor for a premiere in Rome. The same year, his collection was enthusiastically received at a fashion show in Florence. The ultimate endorsement came when Jacqueline Kennedy purchased six black-and-white Valentino dresses after the assassination of her husband. With Giammetti quietly managing the business, Valentino was free to focus entirely on creating his masterpieces. Their partnership functioned like a protective bubble. Giammetti handled everything – finances, press, marketing, licensing, store development – allowing Valentino to remain undisturbed by practical concerns. "Valentino essentially hasn't changed since the mid-1950s," observed filmmaker Matt Tyrnauer. "Valentino is backward-looking; he's always looking to the romantic past. And Giancarlo is basically the part of him that is in the present." The division of responsibilities wasn't just practical but psychological. Valentino received the glory while Giammetti remained in the background. When asked to define in one word his choice to live in another man's shadow, Giammetti simply answered: "Happiness." Unlike other fashion partnerships where both members sought recognition, Giammetti never competed with Valentino for the spotlight. "I never felt that my position was not in the spotlight," he explained. "When I started working with Valentino, I was twenty, and I always thought that I had my spotlight through him." Their relationship evolved from romantic to professional partners in the early 1970s, yet they remained inseparable. Giammetti estimates that in half a century, all the days they haven't seen each other would add up to no more than a couple of months. They built their empire together, expanded through licensing and ready-to-wear lines, and eventually sold the company twice – becoming extraordinarily wealthy in the process. The Valentino-Giammetti partnership reveals the delicate ego balance required for sustained success. While Valentino acknowledges, "I trust Giammetti to the point that I don't know how much money I earn," he also firmly maintains his position as the creative genius: "If the good dresses are not there, nothing happens." For his part, Giammetti accepts this arrangement without resentment, finding fulfillment in their shared accomplishments rather than public recognition. Their story teaches us that partnership doesn't require equal public recognition – it requires mutual respect for each partner's unique contribution. When one partner is willing to shine the spotlight on the other without feeling diminished, they create a balance that allows both to achieve far more together than either could alone. The greatest partnerships aren't necessarily between equals in the public eye, but between people who feel equally valued in each other's eyes.

Chapter 7: Beyond Business: The Personal Side of Powerful Partnerships

In 1977, a small discotheque called Studio 54 opened in midtown Manhattan, becoming the epicenter of New York nightlife and a cultural phenomenon. Behind this legendary venue were two remarkably different partners: Steve Rubell, a charismatic, social butterfly who personally selected which celebrities and beautiful people could enter each night, and Ian Schrager, a reserved, business-minded lawyer who managed everything behind the scenes. Their partnership began at Syracuse University in the mid-1960s when Steve was a senior and Ian a freshman. Both from Brooklyn, they bonded over their shared urban background amid suburban classmates. After college, they reconnected in the early 1970s when Rubell was struggling with his first business venture – a chain of steak restaurants. Schrager, then practicing law, helped his friend manage creditors and stay afloat. Although the restaurants ultimately failed, their collaboration continued as they explored New York's emerging nightclub scene. In 1977, they learned about an available space on West 54th Street in Manhattan. While Schrager was cautious about the size ("big is not good in the nightclub business"), Rubell pushed forward with his typical enthusiasm. Studio 54 opened on April 24, 1977, with 4,000 people showing up on the first night – though only half were allowed in. The venue immediately attracted celebrities like Andy Warhol, Liza Minnelli, and Cher, creating unprecedented buzz and exclusivity. Their partnership balanced perfectly: Rubell managed the door and entertained VIPs until 4:00 a.m., while Schrager (nicknamed "the Ghost") worked in the back office handling finances and operations, typically leaving at midnight. "I would go to the bar and hang out with the people having drinks," Rubell explained. "It was a business for me," Schrager added, "But he loved it—he would have done it for no money." Despite their phenomenal success, the partners became victims of their own excess. Just twenty months after opening, they were arrested for skimming $2.5 million in unreported income. When authorities offered Schrager a deal to testify against Rubell, he refused. Instead, they faced the consequences together, serving thirteen months in prison. "If we had been separated," Schrager reflects, "then we might have drifted apart. You're sitting in jail, your mind wanders, and all you have to think about is, 'Oh, Steve did this, and I never should have gotten in trouble.' But it didn't happen. We were there for each other." After prison, they rebuilt their careers together, opening another successful nightclub and then pioneering the concept of boutique hotels with properties like Morgan's and the Royalton. Their partnership continued until Rubell's untimely death from AIDS in 1989 at age 45. Today, Schrager continues their legacy with his hotel empire, but he believes his business would have been even more successful had Rubell remained his partner: "If Steve were there networking with me, I think we would have had a business more commensurate with the impact we had on the nightclub industry." The Rubell-Schrager story transcends business to reveal the deeply personal dimensions of partnership. Through phenomenal success, devastating failure, imprisonment, and eventual redemption, their bond remained unbroken. Their relationship demonstrates that the strongest partnerships aren't just professional arrangements but profound personal connections that withstand life's greatest challenges and provide meaning beyond financial success.

Summary

The extraordinary partnerships we've explored reveal something profound about human collaboration. When Warren Buffett and Charlie Munger spend their days reading voraciously and then share insights without ego or jealousy, when Bill and Melinda Gates combine analytical precision with deep human understanding to tackle global challenges, when Valentino creates while Giancarlo enables – we witness the magic equation where one plus one equals far more than two. These partnerships succeed not because the individuals never face conflicts or challenges, but because they've developed the capacity to navigate them together with trust, honesty, and mutual respect. The lessons from these legendary partnerships extend far beyond business strategy. They reveal that our greatest achievements often come not from solitary genius but from collaborative creation. They show us that complementary strengths matter less than shared values, that financial success means little without personal fulfillment, and that ego must be managed for any partnership to thrive. Perhaps most importantly, they demonstrate that working together doesn't just produce better results – it produces greater happiness. In a world increasingly obsessed with individual achievement and personal brands, these partnerships remind us that the most meaningful journey is one we take together, supporting each other through failures and celebrating each other's successes as our own. When we find the right partner – whether in business, creative pursuits, or life itself – we discover not only new possibilities for what we can accomplish, but new dimensions of who we can become.

About Author

Loading...

Michael D. Eisner

Read more

Related Books by Michael D. Eisner

Loading...

Be Our Guest

Walt Disney Company

Perfecting the Art of Customer Service

★★★½☆3.9