How many chefs in the kitchen can you stand?

Have you ever started a project with one person and did a lot of legwork up front, then a second 'principal' shows up and you make some modifications in your search, and adapt and continue with the second set of adjustments, etc.

Then you find out that a 'higher power' than the first two makes the bottom line decisions and that the entire parameters must be changed again??

So how can you start something when you really don't know who is really calling the shots?

This is especially tiresome when you are working with friends!

Economic and marketing issues change with the actual bottom line -- which can change in some fluid situations -- but are toyed with by principals who do not see eye to eye.

It is very difficult, and sometimes awkward, to present a contract up front in some cases with discriminating legalese when you assume that a professional discourse is being followed from the beginning...

This goes back to some previously discussed topics but it can creep up on you without realizing what is really going on.

There appears to be a battle of the wills in nearly every transaction having to do with real estate!

As time goes on, money gets tighter it seems and if favorable conditions are not anticipated then the whole ball of wax has to be refigured.

And on top of this are the PERSONALITIES!!

So, what to do in the future?  How do you know that what starts out as a mono y mono dialogue turns into a design by committee?? ha