I say attempted because Ken Mackenzie is a very difficult read. It took me YEARS of working closely with him before I fully understood his model and its implications for real world (for example: we have some proof that applying Ken's model to schools would dramatically improve student learning!).

Yes, Ken is a difficult read but fear not. I'm going to boil it down to a simple gut-check for you. Let's get on with it.

Your business is either progressing or regressing. Six conditions determine which direction you're headed and whether your team can succeed over the long haul.

Condition #1: Set Clear Direction
Your team needs to know where you're going and how you're going to get there. Your employees need to know your strategy. They need to know your priorities. They need to know what must be done and how to get it done.

Think meeting these six conditions is easy? I'm here to tell you that few contractors meet even this first condition - and it's the easiest of the six.