Relationships First (Paperback)

It is no secret that the majority of complex business arrangements fail to achieve their objectives in the long run. Structured as rigid "transactions" or "deals," the contract parties become hostage to fixed performance-based models and change order processes that drive adversarial behaviour, and limit innovation and industrial benefit, which further widen the contract divide. It is time for stakeholders to begin working together to establish and manage "insight-based adaptive relationships" that foster innovation, create change and enable evolution. These relationships must be built on respect, alignment, mutuality, transparency and joint governance. It is also time for policy and procurement regimes to recognize and support the "relationship" as the pivotal point at which delivery management is conducted, measured and evolved.