The Client Letter
September 10, 2013
The Desert of Arizona
Rain 58 Degrees
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Sometimes it’s hard to remember that you’re not in the client pleasing business… that you’re in the leadership business.
Sometimes it’s hard to remember that your ideas are just as valid as anyone else’s ideas.
Sometimes it’s hard to keep from slipping back into order taker mode. You know, that mode, we were all brainwashed into thinking was NORMAL in school?
Not normal. It’s not human either.
Your mind is made to think. Your mind is made to question. Your mind is made to INVESTIGATE. Your mind is naturally wired to call B.S. when you see it.
And that means you have to push against things. You have to push against accepted truths. You have to push against other people’s ideas. You have to push against your clients.
By doing that, you uncover things that would have otherwise been left covered. This is valuable.
Order takers don’t question. Professional service providers question.
The next time your client says something you don’t agree with, don’t fold. That would be a complete disservice to the person you are trying to help.
Instead, there’s a single word you can use that instantly shifts things around. It’s gentle, it’s powerful, it’s effective.
Here’s how it can go:
Your client might say, “Yeah, we’d like you to spend time doing X because we feel it’s going to be absolutely necessary for the success of the project.”
The order taker would say, “Yes sir, coming sir, right away sir.”
The professional could say, “Really? [Make sure you insert a pause. 9 out of 10 times, they’ll jump in and start talking with additional information.] What makes you think that’s a smart idea here?”
The brainwashed order taker might perceive this approach as confrontational. Why would you “question” the person who is paying your bills?
This is such a caustic mindset, I’m not even going to go into it. If you’re thinking stuff like this, just QUIT… cold turkey is best.
Just take this exercise out for a spin and see what happens. Make adjustments so it’s comfortable for you. The words you use don’t really matter, it’s the MESSAGE your words convey that matters.
Over time, repeating this simple habit can show you just how powerful you are. It might take a while for YOU to believe it, but everyone else will see it pretty quickly.
The more you do it, the easier it will get and the more respect you will generate. The biggest pay off is that you’ll actually start respecting YOURSELF.
And when you do that, there’s no turning back. Once you see what you’re capable of doing, you’ll never want to go back inside your little order taker box.
If you’ve lost your center and need to take back your power from the people you’ve given it to, get a fast start here.