While talking to an interesting entrepreneurial team, it reminded me that entrepreneurship is more "emotional" than just about any other business endeavor (except of course, the arts, which are in their own category all together!) 

I think because the stakes are high, because everyone involved has a really personal stake in the deal, entrepreneurial teams have to do quite a bit of "emotional" work, if they are to be successful.  They have to get used to talking about tough, personal issues, about personal motivations and what are, usually, hidden agendas.  When the going gets tough, the successful have to get talking.  Sometimes this is hard, usually this is hard.

A suggestion - the founding team needs to start at the beginning with a foundation of honest discussion.  I call it "startup therapy(TM)".  Here's what we've done, with good results.

Each member of the founding team needs to identify what they hope to accomplish/gain from participation in the startup.  This will likely include "make money".  However, after 5 years have passed (as an example), the deal will have impacted each person and positioned them for a "next step" in their life.   What is it that each person wants to be/do after the startup experience. 

Sometimes this is surprising, sometimes it reveals orthoganal interests among the team, sometimes it helps people bring up resentments or concerns, sometimes it helps other members of the team understand that one person is not really "up to the challenge" of startup life.

If you're doing a startup, be sure to go through some "startup therapy"!