StrategyJohn Addison. Krupp Communications
Addison believes their different management styles helped make them a powerful leadership team. "Each of us individually would probably have been a good CEO, with different ways of doing it," he said. "But together we were pretty hard to beat."Addison isn't the only CEO to believe in the power of differences. Randi Zuckerberg, CEO of Zuckerberg Media, explained in an interview with Business Insider that one of the biggest mistakes entrepreneurs make is choosing a cofounder with the same skills.
It's important to partner with someone who has a different skill set, she said, so you don't step on each other's toes.
Ultimately, you and your business partner should have a single set of goals for the company, even in spite of your differences.
In the book, Addison writes that the differences between him and Williams were superficial. What mattered most was their shared values and vision for Primerica, and a shared commitment to strong leadership.