Monthly Archives: November 2016

TNF #061: Self-motivation

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Welcome Professionals…

…we have a little tradition in our company. Instead of Christmas cards, we send Santa Claus cards to our clients. And instead of printing a card which will only be signed, we have the ambition to send every client a personal, hand-written note. But nothing like the usual “Merry Christmas” message. It has to be something that is linked to an individual experience in our relationship. Nice, isn’t it?

The problem is: It is Thursday evening now and by Monday morning I have to finish 350 hand-written Santa Claus cards. This is really not my favourite kind of work! Looking at the huge pile of cards in front of me, it has the potential to set me close to despair.

Time to pull some tricks in self-motivation. I will set the most pleasant atmosphere for my card writing session. Sitting at home in front of the cosy open fireplace, turning on my favourite music. Then, I will imagine with every card that I write, how the receiver will open it, unfold it, and feel truly touched while reading the very personal message. Finally, I will not say that I have to write those cards. Instead, I get to do something special for my most important client relationships. I get to formulate a personal gift.

Call it silly or call it the method of positive reframing. It works for me. I already feel the self-motivation and can’t wait to start writing.

Malte

Thursday Night Flight is brought to you by Malte Müller Professionals. Sharing best practices for top management consultants on topics like communication, client handling, problem solving, appearance, and fitness. Check out www.mm-professionals.com for more material and free resources!

TNF #060: Praise and stand out

Welcome Professionals…

…when is the last time you praised one of your team members? When is the last time that you have been praised for your work?

It has become quite common to use compliments and praise only to sugar-coat the assignment of additional work or constructive criticism. In fact, many people believe that criticism comes across as more constructive when wrapped in some compliments.

Try to stand out! Praise your team member for something that he or she did well. Does not have to be an extraordinarily heroic achievement. Just something that served well to make progress. Go to the person and hand over the praise with eye contact and a smile. Then walk away. Refrain the habit to pass on the next task.

This simple action is so unusual that it has a big motivational effect. It leaves the receiver with astonishment: “I can’t believe she walked over here just to tell me that!”

You will see, praising your team members like this will also be a lot of fun for you!

Try it!

Malte

Thursday Night Flight is brought to you by Malte Müller Professionals. Sharing best practices for top management consultants on topics like communication, client handling, problem solving, appearance, and fitness. Check out www.mm-professionals.com for more material and free resources!

TNF #059: Billability by referrals

Welcome Professionals…

…This week I talked to a self-employed consultant. He works by himself, in his own one-man-company. He told me that he had sold and executed 800 full consulting days within 4 years. That’s quite an incredible billability for a consulant who does all by himself.

The average size of a project is about 30 days, so he cannot count on long running assignments. On the other hand, he cannot afford much time for acquisition because he has to deliver on his ongoing projects. So how did he do it?

He gets referrals to new clients by his core network. He says he knows about 10 clients really well. Meaning that he really knows what is on top of mind for each of the 10 people. He knows their job challenges as well as their personal and private matters. He supports them, whenever they need a quick helping hand, some advice, or an emotional bystander. What he gets in return is referrals to new clients. So many that he is fully booked. All the time.

Can you also count on ten strong relationships? People who would refer you to your next client? Hopefully so!

Malte

Thursday Night Flight is brought to you by Malte Müller Professionals. Sharing best practices for top management consultants on topics like communication, client handling, problem solving, appearance, and fitness. Check out www.mm-professionals.com for more material and free resources!

TNF #058: Looking intelligent

Welcome Professionals…

…have you ever tried to look more intelligent than you actually are in front of a client? I fell guilty of this. Many times in the past and sometimes today.

It is tempting. As top management consultants we want to appear capable of solving our clients problems and intelligence is certainly an important trait in successful problem solving. We must demonstrate our intelligence in order to achieve credibility we may think.

The problem lies in the demonstration, not in the intelligence itself.

There is nothing wrong with applying intelligence in a client meeting. Laying out an approach that has been well thought through, sharing creative ideas, applying deep and structured thinking to understand the real issue – all of this is constructively adding to our credibility.

The moment we cross a fine line and try to show off our intelligence is when the trouble begins. When we use smart vocabulary, try not to be surprised because we knew it all before, jump to solutions, and generally try to look intelligent in front of our client, it hurts the relationship. It destroys trust!

Why? Because of a combination of two things. First, we seem to take ourselves more important than we should. But the attention should be centered on the client in order to build trust. Second, the client may feel uncomfortable by consciously or unconsciously sensing that we are faking something.

Instead, we should not be afraid of looking stupid sometimes.

Malte

Thursday Night Flight is brought to you by Malte Müller Professionals. Sharing best practices for top management consultants on topics like communication, client handling, problem solving, appearance, and fitness. Check out www.mm-professionals.com for more material and free resources!