We all have times when we wish we could be a fly on the wall–during clients’ internal deliberations about us, for example. The fate of a project or sale is most often decided behind closed doors and out of your hearing. And it can be disconcerting not to know for sure what others are saying about you.
When people make decisions, there are reasons and then there are reasons. Each person’s total perception of value and the risk associated with achieving that value are what influence a decision. Usually, the reasons you hear for a decision are only part of the story.
When you win a project, it’s easy to take a client’s explanation for the decision at face value. After all, that rationale is likely to reinforce your own views of why you should have won. If you choose to remain unaware of the complete set of reasons for the win, though, you’ll jeopardize your ability to deliver the value your clients expect.
Maybe a client tells you that project success means finishing the work on-time, within budget, and with the expected outcome. But it’s likely that client is also concerned about other ramifications, like career advancement, peer approval, and avoiding risk, to name a few. And it’s probable that your client chose you, in part, because of your ability to meet those other objectives.
You’ll deliver a better outcome and strengthen your client relationships if you uncover and understand your client’s total perception of value. The simplest way to do that? Be curious. Ask questions. The more you learn about your clients as individuals, the more likely you are to understand their unspoken definition of success.
It’s easy to get wrapped up in the day-to-day demands of client work. But it always pays dividends to take a step back, connect with your client, and be sure you focus on all of the client’s expectations of value.
About Michael W. McLaughlin
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