=+● And – maybe the most important people and management issue – putting together the right team of people to start up and implement the alliance.54 Often, the members of this team are chosen for the wrong reasons, e.g., because they are available, are strong negotiators, or are familiar with or expert on the product or technology that is to be the focus of the partnership. Often, too, the intention of the partner is that these individuals will not manage the alliance beyond getting the deal under way. But experience shows that putting the right team together to get the alliance through its start-up is critical. Such individuals must have functional and technical expertise, but also the interpersonal competencies and requisite partnering mind-set necessary to work collaboratively.