For pure efficiency, I've found no substitute for a trusted regular ski partner. Someone who you know, trust, and have a long-time rapport with can make decision making fast, efficient, and reliable. It takes a long time to find a good one, someone who thinks a lot like you do; they're rare.
Regulars or irregulars, I'm now becoming convinced that a proper morning meeting that addresses most major concerns, airs everyone's goals, determines plans and alternates, and comes up with an emergency plan actually lets you have a better time and go faster once you're in the field. If someone isn't a team player enough to give a fifteen minute meeting over coffee or a McMuffin a try, we probably don't want to tour with them anyway.
When conditions and the plan are simple, a morning meeting goes fast. When they're not, it's more efficient to chat about it when you're warm, rested, and happy than cold, tired, and cranky.
Also, you can't reasonably expect to push your own performance envelope with a new partner.
Streamline effective communication, ski more pow, have better adventures.
On the conservative point - ya gotta roll with the most conservative party member's concerns. It might save your life, and will certainly help the conservative party member feel like they're on a team and build some mutual trust. You can always get rad tomorrow with a different partner.
