One of the most memorable moments from my consultancy years was when I was sitting in front of a prospective client from a real estate business in NSW.

The business owner told me that the only way he would engage my services was if I could show him what scripts and dialogues I would give him. At that I jumped up and pulled down his bookcase, which was full of books, CDs and pamphlets that had every script and dialogue known to man.

I said to him, “you’ve got every dialogue in the world you don’t need any more”. You see, to him they were something that he could provide to his staff. He felt he had to deliver something to his team but the reality is, these scripts and dialogues don’t change anything.

They don’t give you an understanding or a platform of process and structure – the real reasons real estate businesses move forward.

Scripts and dialogues in isolation are a complete waste of time. I’d even go as far to say that while they may change the moment with an owner across the kitchen table, they will never change your business.