Why are they the way they are?
By David Alev . . .
Let's get it of our chest and we'll go from there.
In my recent compilation of issues bothering consultants, the
ones that had to do with clients were:
-
They are demanding
-
They don't care
-
They won't do their part
-
They interfere.
OK, we feel better now. These are comments we use
so many times. Where does it get us? Not too far. So for a
moment let's try to put ourselves in their shoes. (Would you
like to hear what they say about us?
But that's another article)
Have you ever been a client? Not just in I.T. but
any other field? I know you have. Opened a bank account? Ordered
from Amazon? Had a medical checkup? Had your car fixed? Had your
air-conditioner fixed? (We are based in Houston, that's
where we get our examples from -- please fill in your own
weather-mitigation technology.)
You get the idea. So during the next few minutes,
keep those experiences in mind.
Where are they coming from?
In order to understand why your clients behave the
way they do, it helps to acknowledge their backgrounds, their
concerns and their psychological makeup. We cover each of these
aspects in our Art
and Science of Consulting workshop. Here are some of
the main characteristics:
They are professionals in their field . . .
. . . and they know more about certain things than
you do. This is particularly true of people on the
"business" side. They are managers, leaders, VP's of
areas with significant responsibilities. They got there because
of what they know and what they can accomplish. They know their
industry, their company, their company objectives and their
subject matter. It is usually best not to confront them in those
areas.
So when they tell you that certain things are
"done that way", or "can't be done in the way you
suggested," think twice. I am not suggesting that you agree
and accept everything, but listen, inquire and try to
understand.
They have never done anything like this before
The project you're on may be the first time they
have been exposed to the tool you're using or the technology
involved. They may not have been on a project like this before.
What would you do in such new environments? You'd be
cautious. What would you like people to do when you find
yourself in such an environment? You expect them to "go
easy" on you, to explain things, etc. It works best if you
do the same for your clients.
The corollary to this characteristic is:
They have done things like this before
They have done something like this before, or in a
similar environment, with similar tools. This could be an
advantage or a major challenge. They may compare everything you
do to their last experience. If they enjoyed the last
experience, they may try hard to make this project just like the
old one. If they hated the other experience, they will try their
best to avoid anything resembling that one. (Fighting the last
battle) But invariably, they will try to show off. What's the
harm?
What can you do? Listen to what their concerns
might be and work on alleviating them. Listen to their pleasant
experiences and try to work them in, if appropriate and if
you can.
They have committed and are scared
As a group, they have "sold" the project
to their management. That's a commitment. They want the project
to succeed. But if it fails, it could be perceived as their
fault. This is the source of many of the defensive maneuvers you
might come across.
As long as these maneuvers do not get in the way of
your doing their work, it won't hurt to go along. If they are
getting in the way, it will not help much to tell them to change
their ways. This is an emotional battle you're in and you can't
win with facts. (see "Dealing with Resistance"
article, coming soon.)
They have other things to do
They may have committed to working with you full
time, half time or 25% of the time, but the truth is they have
other responsibilities and interests. And who's checking on
their attendance? So put those numbers away.
They may have a replacement looking after their
everyday responsibilities, but they need to check with them,
don't they? Or when they're on the project half-time, and
there's a crisis on the "other" side, guess
which takes precedence. Social meetings, department meetings in
the rest of the organization . . . they MUST be part of those,
as they're going back there when they're finished. Wouldn't you?
They don't know you . . .
. . . from a hill of beans. You're an unknown
quantity. They may have selected your company for a good reason.
They may even have interviewed the consultants, perhaps even
you. But they haven't worked with you.
The unknown always translates into risk. You are a
risk. Your job is to remove that fear as quickly as possible.
What to do?
The quickest and most effective way I've found is
to try to identify which of the above "hot spots"
apply, very early on the project. Every individual has some or
all of these. Inventory them. Plan to deal with each separately.
Share your findings with your colleagues from your company.
But please, do not "survey" your clients.
They need not know you're doing this.
It's easier when you know what you're dealing with
I hope this helps. For more, visit our forums.
Next article
Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2001
Brazos Consulting. You may reprint or distribute this
document as long as it has not been modified and proper credit is
given to Brazos Consulting and The Consulting Academy. Web links
are permitted only in a "new window". |
