| | Question: About nine
months ago, mainly
because of our
credibility in a critical
vertical discipline, a
large corporation
appointed our
medium-sized consulting
firm as a preferred
supplier. However, it was
made clear to us that, if
we wanted to maintain our
place on the list, we
would have to broaden our
user base to include
other departments. It’s
been a struggle to expand
our sphere of influence,
but we have finally
received a serious
enquiry from the head of
another department. The
problem is that her
preferred solution looks
attractive now, but is
not robust enough to cope
with what we know is to
come.
When I tried to broach
this, she more or less
asked me if I wanted the
work or not. My colleague
thinks I should go ahead
with her preferred
solution, and then stay
close so that we are in a
position to carry out the
expected remedial steps.
My instinct is that if we
are associated with
something that looks like
failure, we won’t be
around to do the work.
How can I get her to
change her mind?
Answer: On a scale
of difficulty, in which
one is a shoo-in and ten
is impossible, you have
challenged yourself to
achieve grade eight.
Prising open a closed
mind when it has reached
this stage of the buying
process is not to be
undertaken lightly. You
have to be absolutely
clear about what you are
doing, and rigorous in
your self-discipline.
The approach I am
going to suggest has two | |
|
| | key components. Your
primary goal is to get
her to express her
requirements in terms of
the interests she is
attempting to serve, as
opposed to the inflexible
position she appears to
have adopted. Once you
have achieved that, you
can invite her to
consider alternative ways
of achieving the outcome.
The challenge is to do
that without
precipitating the
confrontation you fear.
Don’t ask, “Why have you
decided to do it this
way?” In my experience,
asking ‘why?’ almost
always results in a
defensive response.
Clients need to feel that
they are understood, and
questions beginning with
‘how?’ seem to work
better. For example: “How
did you become aware that
there was a need to
address this issue?”
By shifting the time
frame to the past, you
can start the process of
getting her to re-examine
her criteria, after which
you can move forward
together. The advantage
is that you will appear
to be collaborating from
the start and avoid
confrontation.
It’s all about your
intention. If you set
yourself the task of
finding out why your
client has been so
stupid, that’s bound to
come through. However, if
you set out to discover
why the decision she
reached seemed to make so
much sense at the time,
you will be unconsciously
sending her messages that
you are on her side.
Set up the
conversation by saying
that you would like to
understand as much as
possible about the
background. Initially
focus on when she first | |
|
| | became dissatisfied with
the current state of
affairs, the facts of the
situation that led to
that dissatisfaction and
the problems she was
experiencing as a result.
Your aim is to create the
impression that you
understand what was
driving her to act.
While you are
listening to this, you
might also gather
information that could
support your preferred
solution. Forget the idea
of trying to push your
professional criteria
onto her; that will lead
to conflict. Think of her
concerns as potential
requirements and criteria
to be addressed rather
than objections to your
proposal. Focus on
gathering evidence that
will enable to you
position your solution as
a way of addressing her
concerns.
It is often the case
that people are not so
much wedded to a given
solution as concerned
about the risks of doing
something else. If you
steadily collect all her
concerns, you are
effectively building up a
list of requirements that
need to be met. You are
more likely to make
progress by identifying
her perceived risks and
reducing them in her
eyes, than by advocating
hard your preferred
solution.
You might also find
that she shares your
concerns about the
future, or you can find a
way to introduce the
issue so that she becomes
concerned. When people
identify concerns that
seem irreconcilable, they
will be tempted to dump
some of them, and not
always the right ones.
Your job as a consultant
is to find solutions that | |
|
| | resolve the apparent
dilemma.
When you think you
have everything out on
the table, it is time to
test your understanding
by using the formula, “So
what you seem to be
looking for is a way of
doing ‘x’ so that the
outcome is ‘y’”. Find a
way of building into this
as many of her concerns
as you can. Bullet point
them if you need to. You
don’t have to know
exactly how you can
address them off the top
of your head. As you will
see, you will have time
to think about it.
An affirmative answer
to this question gives
you an opening to ask
what is sometimes called
the ‘miracle question’:
“If I could wave a magic
wand so that tomorrow
morning all of that was
in place, how would that
help you?” Use the
question to elicit the
benefits as she sees
them. Follow it up by
getting her to envisage
what will be going on in
her situation when such a
solution is successfully
implemented. The more
detailed and rich the
vision the better, so
encourage her to
articulate what people
will be thinking and
saying, what they will be
doing, and so forth.
Now you both know why
you are there and that
you are on the same side.
At no time have you
advocated your solution
or attacked hers. This is
the point where you say,
“On the basis of what you
have just described, it
sounds as if this is
something really worth
going for. Can I have
some time to think this
through and come back to
you with some ideas about
how we might move
forward?”.
| |
|
| |
But before you leave
the room, agree the
precise criteria your
proposals would have to
meet. Bullet point these
and confirm them in
writing. When you return,
you will be able to
present clearly the pros
and cons of the original
solution and the
alternative you propose.
To reduce the perceived
risk of your solution,
try to find examples of
reference sites with
which she can identify.
People relate best to
people they think are
like themselves, so make
sure your examples
reflect how she would
like to see herself, and
carry the necessary
weight and authority.
When you include your
preferred solution in
your offer it will be
clearly linked to her
criteria. One hopes she
will adopt your solution
on the basis that you
have clearly demonstrated
your understanding of her
concerns and addressed
the issues she most cares
about. In any event, your
position will be much
stronger if you are
discussing her decision
in relation to criteria
agreed between you.
Names and details
have been changed and
events compressed. The
essence of this is true,
but I’ve employed
artistic licence in the
interest of clarity. The
steps in this answer were
derived from the 12boxes
method. Email feedback,
questions or scenarios to
malcolm@12boxes.com or to
find out more go to
www.12boxes.com ©
Malcolm Sleath 2008. All
rights reserved.
| |
|
Previous Page 