Before each of Google's founders was married, they were all wed to their business venture.

Cofounders Larry Page and Sergey Brin, and chief executive Eric Schmidt let it drop in an interview with Fortune magazine that in the summer of 2004, just before Google's initial public offering, they made a pact to work together for 20 years.

In this age of perpetual career change, it's refreshing to see people commit to each other for the long haul. But any marriage therapist could tell you that pledging a 20-year commitment is a far different thing than stumbling into a 20-year-long collaboration. Such agreements are exceedingly rare in the business realm, and in the personal one, well, are only met with a 50/50 success rate these days.  

Still, this wouldn't be the first time that Google's top execs were the first to spot and execute a trend. Are Brin, Page, and Schmidt on to something, with the 20-year pledge?

Tom DeLara, who teaches marriage and family therapy at Syracuse University, in addition to holding an M.B.A., agrees that business partners making an explicit commitment to work together and to see their way through a set of challenges is as significant a decision as couples saying "I do."

And in the case of personal relationships, the experts believe that there are some distinct advantages to making such an outright commitment.

Couples counselor Pepper Schwartz, a University of Washington faculty member and relationship expert, says that the most important predictor of couple stability is the determination and commitment to stay together "no matter what."

"The benefit in a lifetime pact is not unlike a lifetime marriage or lifetime friendship—you can say the hard things, and deal with deeper feelings and issues—if you know the relationship is not on the table every time a hard session occurs," she says.

From a professional perspective, the notion is not out of line with certain successful business models based on making overt professional commitments. For instance, major Japanese corporations until recent years were dependent on a high level of explicit dedication on the part of leadership and employees, which "set a foundation for very positive things to happen," according to DeLara.

But DeLara also warns that the value of creating a long-term tie like the one at Google is only as good as each executive's personal ability to carry it out.
 
"If the parties are reasonably mature emotionally, then those commitments are understood and intended and likely to help structure the way in which people will navigate their way through problems," says DeLara.

So will Brin, Page, and Schmidt's pledge stand the test of time? Schwartz points out that "all contracts end with enough provocation," and Google is likely to throw innumerable challenges in the founders' direction in the years ahead.

Some advice from the relationship experts: Being able to weather times of growth and change depends on trust, communication, and having clearly outlined rules and expectations at an early stage of the game.

"They will need the same skills as married people do: Don't take each other for granted, do not use a lifetime contract as a license to abuse, and keep refreshing the relationship!" Schwartz wrote in an email. 

So far, the three executives have not had any trouble keeping things new and exciting at Google.
 
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