Tag Archives: client handling

TNF #134: Opportunity list

Welcome Professionals…

…I am using a CRM tool for all client development activities. The tool offers the functionality to set reminders on when to follow up on a certain topic and when to call my client prospects again. I like this functionality a lot. Checklists work for me really well.

When I opened my CRM tool with all the reminders this morning it had 185 due items. As strong as I feel pleasure to cross out an item on my to-do-list, just as strong it gives me the creeps when I see 185 open tasks! I immediately went through feelings of pressure, stress, and even helplessness.

Then I made up my mind. Why did I set up all these items? In the end these are not reminders for work that has to be done as tasks of a paid project. These are activities that I am planning to do in order to generate more business. The goal is actually not to get rid of the items, but to keep a continuous flow of business development activies which will lead to more opportunities.

From now on I will call my open CRM items the “opportunity list”. It is not a “to-do-list” in the narrow sense. It is a “want-to-do-list” to achieve more business and therefore an “opportunity list”. This context shift helped to get started right away. After 2 hours, I was down to 164 items. I am glad that I still have some opportunities left for tomorrow and next week!

Malte

TNF #131: Taking responsibility

Welcome Professionals…

…Of course we take responsibility and we act responsibly as top management consultants. No question about that. The question is rather how far this responsibility should reach. Where does it stop?

My view is: it never stops. Once we have entered a client relationship, we take full responsibility by making the goals of our client our own. We strive to add value wherever we can, this will most likely reach far beyond our initial assignment. This is the mindset of the trusted advisor.

Let me give you a practical example. I finished a client assignment, the client was very satisfied, we had a final feedback session, job done. A few month later I heard from an ex-employee of the client organization that the solution we had put in place was not implemented and executed the way we had planned it. I did not hear any complaints from my former contract partners, so I could have walked my way without looking back.

The principle of responsibility demands that as soon as I receive knowledge that the goals of my client are in jeopardy, I must take action. So I called the client apologizing for the failure and asking for some further background information. It turned out that although it was neither my fault nor in my area of influence that things had gone astray, I could well be part of a new solution. This has been another moment of truth in our client relationship.

Taking responsibility for the goals of the client is a core principle of the trusted advisor!

Malte

TNF #101: Humor epiphany

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Welcome Professionals…

…I had an epiphany a while ago. I re-discovered the importance of humor in my life, especially in my business life.

Humor has always played a major role in my life. Fortunately, I had a happy childhood in my family with 3 younger brothers where we always had some funny banter going on. As a school kid I used to tell lots of jokes and later at university, I participated in a student comedy contest. With a friend I founded a satire magazine, one of the first published in the internet back in 1996.

When I entered my job as a top management consultant something changed. I remember my first project where we celebrated the final milestone of the project with in a dinner meeting with our client. Soon enough I found myself joking around with the client, in part recycling some bits of my comedy repertoire. I think we had a fun time and I thought the client as well. Except for my project leader.

As I found out during the final feedback round, my project leader rated my behaviour at the dinner table as completely inappropriate. He evaluated my client handling skills as unsatisfactory as a result.

My epiphany occurred when I realized that my long forgotten experience with my first project leader still influences me in client contacts. At least in high-rank client contacts, it makes me act more serious than necessary. Seriousness is an extremely important trait in top management consulting, but overdone it can show as rigidity. So I am acknowledging the situation in my early career that made me suppress the humorous part of my personality. With new confidence I am deliberately adding more fun, banter, and humor to my client interactions. It leads me to come across as a more rounded personality and is relieving tension in various situation. After all, it is more fun to work this way!

Have fun,

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 #087: I love complicated clients