Contracts are so often focused on preparing for the worst, rather than setting up successful relationships. Effective contracts focus on establishing strong relationships, good communication, and problem-solving. Leading with these principles allows contracts to evolve from being blunt legal instruments to valuable tools for promoting collaboration and navigating uncertainties.

Sally Guyer is the global CEO of World CC and a professor at Durham University. She is passionate about improving the way contracts are structured and managed, focusing on creating successful relationships and driving desired outcomes. She believes that contracts should go beyond just addressing legal aspects and must provide a scaffolding for navigating uncertainty and fostering effective governance.

In her discussion with Dan and Pia, she advocates for a shift towards relational contracting and emphasises the importance of communication and an outcome-focused approach in contract management.

Three reasons to listen

• To explore the importance of contracts in business and society, and how they can be improved to drive successful outcomes
• To learn about relational contracting and the principles that support strong and effective relationships
• To discover how contract management can contribute to the success of organisations

Episode highlights

• [00:11:37] What's wrong with contracts now
• [00:15:30] How to fix contracts
• [00:24:28] What good contracting looks like
• [00:33:54] Integrity of relationships
• [00:35:30] Takeaways from Pia and Dan

Links

• Connect with Sally via LinkedIn
• WorldCC
• Legal contracts drawn up as comic strips are being used in South Africa
• Leave us a voice note