Telling Clients They're Wrong or More Right Answers?

At the end of last year, Ruth Seeley asked that I read an article by Sam Barnes that appeared in Smashing Magazine titled: How To Explain To Clients That They Are Wrong. She asked that I "take on this topic in 2010." Fair enough. If the title of the article were framed as a question, my short answer would be: "You don't!"

That said, I encourage you to read the article. You'll find references to the importance of objectivity and humility (which I agree with), and suggestions such as how one should "Establish Yourself As The Expert" (which I do not agree with). If your expertise in the client's mind isn't already established, then it's not likely to emerge positively during a dispute.

I agree with much of Barnes' advice, I just think he's talking about having the wrong conversation. The moment you sense you're about to be drawn into a positional negotiation with your client should be the precise instant when you reset the conversation. It's not about you being right and your client being wrong; it's about working together to reach the best possible solution(s) for the organization. There's a big difference.

When it comes to serving the organization, you and your client should work from the same side of the table. The "I'm right, you're wrong" conversation is unnecessarily personal and essentially irrelevant. Not to mention, prevailing in such an argument may result in the quintessential definition of winning the battle but losing the war. Whatever you do, don't take the bait! Your client is an ally with whom you may disagree, not your opponent.

I believe, of course, that despite your sharing the same organizational goals, you will disagree with your client as to how to achieve them from time to time. I delivered a presentation at Seton Hall University's Learning Leaders Symposium in 2008 called Truth to Power. It was originally aimed at providing truthful counsel to your CEO, but the same holds true for counseling clients: Here are my ten tips for speaking Truth to Client:

1. Trust yourself. You have a great deal of value to bring to your client. Listen carefully to all perspectives and have the confidence to share your own.
   
2. You owe it to your client to be heard. You're hired to draw from your expertise and bring your outside viewpoint to the conversation. Consider it your responsibility to share your professional judgment.
3. Know your audience. Consider the best manner in which to frame and deliver your thoughts/ideas/concerns to ensure they are received favorably by the specific recipient.
   
4. Be prepared with supporting data and anticipate questions. Come to the conversation with more than your self-proclaimed expertise. Be armed with data and be prepared to address perceived drawbacks.
   
5. Make your case succinctly. Use your communication skills to state your thoughts succinctly and powerfully. Don't ramble.
   
6. Advocate your case in the broader interest, not self interest. It's critical to the credibility and motives of your position that you're not perceived to be advocating a personal or agency agenda.
   
7. Persuade (don't take ceremonial positions). If you believe in something strongly enough to mention it, then be sure to advocate it. You don't want to be the type who offers a thought in passing as a means of "personal/political cover."
   
8. Be patient (let the information sink in). Once you've made your case, stop talking. Allow your client to process what you've said.
   
9. Don't be afraid to share bad news. Understand that bad news or pitfalls are better coming from you now, than from the outside later on.
   
10. Trust your client. Once you've been heard, the resulting course of action may be different from what you've advocated. Keep in mind that the client understands the information from which you are basing your recommendation, but you may not always be aware of all they know - and they are not always at liberty to share. Trust that the decision reached is in the best interest of the organization and join your client in moving forward.

I believe if you are working side-by-side with your client, it's never about who's right or wrong. Instead, it's about what renowned photographer Dewitt Jones regards as a mutual search for "more right answers."

What Is Your Purpose?

Last year, I shared a story about United Way to make a point about being helpful. The story is worth repeating to introduce a new conversation about purpose!

Many years ago, United Way produced a video that cleverly poked fun at itself, while at the same time making a powerful statement. The scene was set in an elementary school classroom where a student brought her Dad (A United Way Exec) to talk to her classmates about what he does for living. As Dad launches into his "United Way speak," the kids quickly look confused and bored. The daughter immediately senses the problem, stands up, and proclaims, "He helps people!" Fortunately, Dad picked up on the cue and began engaging the class. The confusion and boredom quickly gave way to comprehension and smiles.

Crafting a clear statement of purpose matters. Why shop at Wal-Mart or Best Buy? For customers, there's no ambiguity regarding why these stores exist or the reasons they shop there. Can you say the same thing for your customers and prospects? How well do you communicate your purpose in a single sentence? It can be more challenging for some businesses than others, but its importance cannot be overstated. You may deliver value on several fronts, but on closer examination, you'll usually discover there's a primary purpose, with supporting value propositions.

If it takes you several minutes (or even longer) to explain to a friend or relative what your company does, then take a moment to a write statement of purpose. It will not only offer the simple explanation you're looking for, but also serve as the foundation for even the most sophisticated of communication programs. Being part of an enterprise without a clear statement of purpose is tantamount to being in a boat without a paddle.

Need An Alignment?

When I think about the term alignment, it usually conjures images of letting go of the steering wheel while driving along an open road. If I'm aligned properly, my car will stay straight. If not, it will veer to one side or the other in a manner that without correction, would yield catastrophic results.

Last week, I attended a terrific presentation by Edgar Papke hosted by Vistage International on the topic of alignment. Essentially he offers a model that stresses the alignment of purpose, leadership and culture in order to win in today's hyper-competitive climate. It's not only great advice in terms of leadership and business strategy, but also essential with regard to communication.

While there are many companies which are criticized for saying one thing and doing another, such disconnects are often either intentional or victim of what I would regard as priority hierarchy. In such a case for example, a multi-national PR agency may exclaim the virtues of collaboration, selling clients true global capability because of its seamless cross office collaboration. Unfortunately, when times get tough, individual offices can become stingy with their revenues. General managers don't want to give up revenue to another office and, as a result, seamless collaboration takes a back seat. It doesn't mean the agency isn't committed to working together, it's just that collaboration falls down the priority list during lean times.

More problematic however is misalignment that's more subtle. It isn't that your car has a mechanical problem, it's that you as the driver get distracted reading a billboard or changing a radio station, only to discover how quickly your path has changed. It may be unintentional, but just as dangerous.

As a communication professional in your organization, how do you make sure everyone's keeping their eyes on the road? We'd love to hear your thoughts?

So Who Is Responsible?

My post today offers a valuable communication lesson that comes from an unlikely source - an unfortunate chapter in my life at Broad Meadows Junior High School. In the ninth grade, I ran track for only that one year, largely because back in those days I hated running. I only did it because our rather large phys-ed teacher at the time made me do it. (This was back in the day when teachers/coaches could cause you bodily harm without any repercussions.)



I typically ran the mile, but at the last track meet of the year I was also asked to fill-in as the third leg on our undefeated one-mile relay team. (You've probably already guessed where this is going.) No problem I thought. Well, to make a long story short, I ran the third leg, starting slightly back in second place. By the time I was ready to pass the baton I had taken the lead. Our anchor leg was the fastest kid in the city. No way we could lose. As I was passing the baton, I felt a brief moment of excitement, until of course the baton hit the ground. So much for our undefeated season.



After the race, I was searching for answers as to how this may have happened. The coach offered me some clarity by telling me in no uncertain terms that it was my fault. The rule is that you don't let go of the baton until you're certain the receiver has grasped it.



It's hard to miss the relevance to our business. Like it or not, the responsibility lies with those delivering the message, not those receiving it. We can't just say, "it was in the e-mail" or "sure, it's right there in paragraph 8." We as communication professionals should never let go of the baton until we know that our target audiences have received the message. It's only at that point that we can relax and let them run with it.



First Who...Then What

In the book Good to Great, Jim Collins describes the concept of considering who before what. To paraphrase, he states that leaders of good to great companies understand three simple truths: 1) If you begin with who before what, then you can more easily adapt to a changing world. Employees are there because of who is on the bus, not because of where it's going; so if changing direction becomes necessary, it's OK with them; 2) The right people are self-motivated and want to be part of something great. 3) If you have the wrong people, you'll never be a great company - even if you ARE headed in the right direction.

So during this year of client service excellence, I suggested in an earlier post that to get off to a good start individuals should look at themselves and think about what education, resources, or relationships they will need to raise their game - to explore ways they can provide even better client service than the year before. Likewise, PR agencies and major corporations should consider operating on the "first who...then what" principle if they aspire to raise theirs.

Today's employment market is a sea of riches. The problem is that most agencies and companies are squandering this opportunity because they tend to embark on hiring strategies designed to eliminate people rather than engage them. It seems counter-intuitive, but here's the dynamic: The more applicants in the job pool, the more specific the agency/company becomes in its selection criteria. Unfortunately, that means HR people review resumes based on specific qualifications of "what" and often fail to consider people whose experience is different from their pre-set criteria. By eliminating "who" because of "what," they fail to consider some of the very best people for their organization. As a result, lots of great people who are hard working, smart, creative, etc., don't even receive the courtesy of a return phone call, let alone any serious consideration for an open position.

Consider the expression often spoken the day an employee quits or gets fired, "Well, (s)he looked good on paper. Not sure what went wrong." I suggest this approach: Hire people, not paper.

I have a number of brilliant, hard-working friends in the job market that any organization would be honored to have as part of their team. (They can't even get an interview). These are the kind of people of which great companies and agencies are made. Executive recruiters and hiring managers should embrace the current job market as the sea of riches for which it is. Finding the pearl involves something more aggressive than an elimination strategy. That means coming up with ways to include and consider rather than segregate and discard.

By taking a look at the person behind the resume, even going so far as to interview everyone, which I discussed last year, you'll discover the kind of people who won't just fill a slot, but will make your organization great!

To Counsel Leaders, It Helps To Understand Leadership

I spent about 20 years searching for a master's degree program that would meet my needs as a public relations professional. Having worked in PR all my life, I wasn't interested in a straight PR or communication graduate program, and an MBA just didn't seem quite right for me either.

One day, I discovered Seton Hall University's Master of Arts in Strategic Communication and Leadership (MASCL) online program. The university has delivered this program to 25 Learning Teams in just over 10 years, and Seton Hall's experience in providing a rich and rigorous learning experience really shows. For me, it represented the perfect combination of strategic communication, leadership, organizational change, and a host of other disciplines that are so crucial to my clients' success. Now that I've completed the program and serve as one of its instructors, I would without hesitation recommend MASCL as an ideal master's program for the professional communicator, regardless of industry sector.

That said, I'm a firm believer that you can't be at your best counseling leaders if you don't understand the dynamics of leadership and the many challenges they face today. Since I've declared 2010 The Year of Client Service Excellence here at CSI, I thought: What better place to start than to explore what each of us can do to raise our respective games? How can we take our skills up a notch so that we can provide an even higher level of client service excellence in the year(s) ahead?

The best news is that you don't have to wait. Check out the MASCL link and learn how you can be part of the next Learning Team. I also invite alums to share their experiences with MASCL and for others to share programs they would recommend as well! A prosperous 2010 will begin with you!

2010: The Year of Client Service Excellence

Let me start 2010 with a brief but important reminder. For many of you, today is your first day of the new year back in the office. What better time to commit to client service excellence and its critical role to growing your business.

Back in 2006, Frederick Reichheld of Bain & Company reported:

• Over a 5 year period, businesses may lose as many as 1/2 of their customers.
• Acquiring a new customer can cost 6 to 7 times more than retaining an existing customer.
• Businesses who boosted customer retention rates by as little as 5% saw increases in their profits ranging from 5% to a whopping 95%.

The math is fairly simple and the disruption of client churn is often much greater than just the hard costs incurred. In reviewing various sources, the cost of acquiring new clients ranges from 5 to 10 times more than keeping the ones you have. What's more, new clients want to work with agencies that will serve them better than their predecessors. Starting today, make client service excellence the centerpiece for your growth strategy. Make 2010 the year of client service excellence!