Zen-Like Opposites
Thiel: It's very difficult to reduce it to any single trait, because a lot of what you're looking for are these almost zen-like opposites. You want people who are both really stubborn and really open-minded. That's a little bit contradictory.
You want people who are idiosyncratic and really different — but who can work well together in teams. Not 180 degrees opposite, but like 175 degrees. If you focus too much on one end, you'd tend to get it completely wrong.
Really stubborn AND really open-minded. Idiosyncratic AND a team player. Not 180 degrees — 175.
Combinations of Unusual Traits
Thiel: I like to find these combinations of unusual traits. If you have someone with a really interesting, very different idea — okay, that suggests we're in the idiosyncratic category. Then the important question becomes: would they actually be able to function socially and execute?
The teamwork question you'd ask is — what's the prehistory of this company? How did you meet? How long have you been working together? If there's a long prehistory, that would be good.
An idiosyncratic idea is step one. Then ask: can they actually function socially and execute?
The World Is Too Conformist
Interviewer: The rest of the world is way too conformist. There must be unexploited profit opportunities in finding people who are less conformist.
Thiel: That's right. And the challenge is that even the traits that matter are contradictory. It's always getting these combinations right.
The world is too conformist. The profit opportunity is in finding people who aren't.