One of my favorite Broadway musicals is Jersey Boys. I’ve seen it five times and have had the pleasure of sharing it with many friends. Two of the lead characters, Frankie Valle and Bob Gaudio strike a deal to collaborate and share everything 50/50. They sealed their deal with a “Jersey Contract” – also known as a handshake. This happened in 1961, early in the group’s history – a time which brought us many, many hit songs including “Sherry,” “Big Girls Don’t Cry” and “Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You.” Their Jersey Contract thrives today, as does a bond of friendship between these powerful musical talents.
I recently entered into a Jersey Contract with the owner of a company. I’ve known him for a long time and always felt we had a bond that transcended business. I was thinking we’d be like Frankie Valle and Bob Gaudio.
I always joke that I like to break the rules and here I was, violating one of my own, which is to have a contract in every business relationship. Questions and issues that should have been covered in a contract came up and needed to be resolved. It became obvious to both of us that the only way to clear things up was with a contract.
Luckily, we have enough respect for each other and have a strong enough relationship to go back and fix the errors of our ways. We arrived at a contract favorable to both, but along the way there were a few tense discussions and potential for damage to the special relationship we nurtured for more than 20 years.
So as much as I admire Frankie Valle and Bob Gaudio, I have to admit it’s not 1961 and in 2011 I’m resolving not to break my rule about contracts ever again. No more Jersey Contracts for LegalNurse.com.
For Certified Legal Nurse Consultants, negotiating and getting to a contract that is best for both parties can take some time, but it’s worth it. The bottom line for all CLNC® consultants is that you should have a contract for every business relationship. It’s not a matter of trust – it’s business (even if you’re in Jersey).
Success Is Inside!
P.S. Comment and tell me which of The Four Seasons’ songs is your favorite.
