| | By Malcolm Sleath
Question: I’m
working with an SME
client on a business
transformation
programme. At least,
that is what I thought
it had evolved into. It
started out with the
client seeking our
advice on how to build
up their presence in
areas of the market we
know well, but it soon
became clear that the
issue was not just about
finding new customers in
this segment, but about
what the organisation
was going to deliver and
how it would position
itself. Our problem is
that the CEO seems to be
modifying the terms of
reference on an almost
daily basis, switching
backwards and forwards
from one version of the
brief to another. Not
only is this causing
difficulties for us, but
we can see that it is
very irritating for the
internal staff on the
project, and the
credibility of the whole
exercise is being
undermined. How do we
resolve this? We don’t
want to lose the client,
and are hoping this is a
‘phase’. We certainly
can’t go on as we are.
Answer: The
client’s view is that
you are there to solve a
problem, whereas your
view is that the
client’s conduct is part
of the problem, and
getting in the way of
resolving the issues.
Anyone who has been
around the corporate
world for any length of
time knows how easy it
is for the loneliness
and stress of
responsibility to find
expression in behaviour
that reminds one of an
only child who has been
allowed to get their own
way for far too long.
While other people
see their conduct as a
thorough-going nuisance,
such clients often feel
themselves to be the
victims of circumstance.
For example, in a
management meeting where
the object is to uncover
blocks to performance,
they might show signs of
distress or irritation | |
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| | and exclaim, “Why didn’t
anyone tell me this
before?” at each new
revelation, instead of
recognising that at last
progress is being made
and rewarding people for
being candid and open.
Some consultants feel
that is not their
business to try to
educate the client at a
personal level and seek
an acceptable excuse to
leave the relationship
as soon as possible.
Others persist in trying
to re-negotiate a
clearer brief and then
doing their best to
ignore any
‘distractions’ or
‘interference’, relying
on the written terms of
reference for the scant
protection they offer.
An important aspect
of personal growth is to
expand what one knows
about oneself by getting
feedback from others. Of
course, it feels good
when the feedback is
positive, but much
personal growth comes
from hearing about
negative things that
other people find
difficult to deal with.
So a third route is to
see if the client can be
manoeuvred into wanting
feedback and be
persuaded to change
their ways.
Joseph Luft and Harry
Ingham invented the
‘Johari Window’. This
was a grid which
described four aspects
of self-awareness.
1. There are things
that people don’t know
about themselves that
others don’t know
either. This is the
equivalent of Donald
Rumsfeld’s ‘unknown
unknowns’ and is
generally inaccessible
to you or the client.
2. There are things
that people know about
themselves that others
also know. Seeking to
expand this area is
generally thought to be
a good thing. But, as on
Facebook, thoughtless
sharing can lead to
unintended consequences.
3. There are things
that people know about | |
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| | themselves that they
have not shared.
Carefully disclosing
things about oneself can
often be effective in
encouraging disclosure
in others. This approach
can be applied to the
client-consultant
relationship at both the
corporate and the
individual level, and it
can work both ways.
4. Then there are
things that people don’t
know about themselves
that others know. In
this case, you and other
people in the project
think the client is
badly in need of
feedback. The problem is
that the client shows no
signs of wanting it.
If your client is to
take feedback on board,
your initial approach
should be one of
empathy. For example,
saying “It must be very
frustrating for you to
find out these issues
have been around for
some time and you have
not known about them”.
After listening
patiently to the ‘poor
me’ speech that is
almost certain to
follow, you might invite
the client to explore
why people have not been
as forthcoming as they
might have been. You can
point out that people
can be surprisingly
vulnerable and find it
difficult to adjust to
fast-moving situations.
Sometimes they need a
period of stability to
catch up.
There can be a fine
line between being a
‘trusted advisor’ and a
therapist, and such an
approach is not for
everyone. You have to
decide if you want to
take the risk of gently
but firmly holding a
mirror up to the client
so they can understand
what they need to stop
doing to be more
effective.
Without some such
intervention, it is
unlikely the client’s
behaviour will change,
and you might have to
make your excuses and
leave. | |
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