The outsourcing of Brighton and Hove City Council’s refuse and street service proved disasterous. As well as service failures it resulted in staff doing the same jobs on different terms and conditions, because of contracts signed with different contractors. 

Managers are moving up the learning curve in negotiating deals with private sector contractors under the public finance initiative. Over 500 PFI deals have been signed so far, but when the earlier deals were negotiated the public sector managers, unlike the contractors, did not understand the complexities of raising finance for the projects. The terms of the contracts were agreed on the basis of the rates of interest charged by the financial backers. 

By Patrick LencioniThe author describes the ultimate leadership crisis: uniting a team in disarray. This is a gripping tale and serves as a timeless reminder that leadership requires as much courage as it does insight. Throughout the story, Lencioni reveals the five dysfunctions which go to the very heart of why teams even the best ones-often struggle. He outlines a powerful model and steps that can be used to overcome these common hurdles and build a cohesive, effective team.