Regular readers know that I believe there is power in a money back guarantee.  (http://bit.ly/1sqLUVu   ). This is different from guaranteeing results. 

A client asked if I would guarantee that his business would increase after our meeting together. My short answer was no. I do offer money back after every session if my client believes that it wasn’t worth the time and money invested.  What I can’t guarantee is a result over time because I can’t guarantee how a client will implement my recommendations. 

Recently, a client asked me for advice about how to hire a manager for a gym facility. The client owned two exercise gyms, both doing very well. He wanted to hire a manager to free time up so that he could work in ministry. He needed to look outside his present staff because he had no current employees who could handle the task.

Managers encounter a frustrating situation when an employee messes up.  They schedule a candid conversation with the employee and want to believe them when they say they have learned from the situation and will improve in the future. Frequently, however, the person slides back into the same pattern.  As King Solomon observed, “As a dog returns to its vomit, so fools repeat their folly.” (Proverbs 26:11, NIV)  We have a natural tendency to slip back into old, familiar habits.

Builders have built homes on speculation for years. The thought behind this process is to build a great house at a good price, and someone will buy it.  While the strategy may work, it is risky.  What if no one buys the house? Building spec homes is a plan that may work, but it depends on the economy and customer demand.

Why do so many businesses fail to establish effective teamwork? After all, most business leaders talk about teamwork, scores of books have been written about teamwork, and teamwork posters adorn the walls in many businesses. With all the buzz about teamwork, why don't more businesses move beyond merely talking about it? The key to developing a collaborative workforce is to establish an effective culture that builds teamwork into the fabric of the organization.