Rocks Are Hard

The Typo Is the Beginning of the End

I've said it before and I'll say it again... the typo is the beginning of the end.

Typos count. Typos mean that your client needs to go over everything with a fine tooth comb. Typos mean your client has MORE work to do, rather than the less work to do that the agency promised.

So once you have an even short pattern of typos you should expect your status with the client to diminish. And while most clients don't get fired for typos, they are often the beginning of the end of a relationship -- the time in space where a client can say "everything started going down hill when I had to double check everything because I didn't trust the work."

So use spell check. Have other eyes look at your work. Put DRAFT on the top of drafts so you are signalling that it isn't finished.

Everything you do reflects how you feel about your work -- take it seriously and you will be taken seriously. Don't and other people won't either.

The Answer Is Yes

Clients fire good performing agencies every day because of attitude and how hard it is to work with them….regardless of results. I have done this. It has been done to me. 

So when a client asks the question “Can I have…..?” the answer is yes.

Now of course the answer is not always yes. The answer may be “are you crazy you don’t really want that!” or “ that would kill you” or “no frickin way can that happen today with everything else we have going on for you.”

But the answer should start with “yes, it’s possible. Let me think about it and look at everything else on the table and get back to you with a recommendation.” In the end the answer might be, “here’s how we can accomplish your goal with a set of needed assets, accomplishments or schedules.”

When the client hears YES we can, they know that we’re on the same team, that we’re working towards the same goal.

If the client hears “no” or an argument or a negative attitude or disbelief, they will quickly lose confidence in you and the agency and will go elsewhere to someone who SERVES THEM BETTER. 

Service is not just about results. 

Service is about having the clients’ interests ahead of our interests (because remember the thesis is that if we do what’s right for the client they will reward us). It’s about being positive and responsive. It’s about meeting deadlines with solid work. It’s about building confidence and trust.

Mindreaders are Psychics Not Employees

"I'm really disappointed that I didn't get the result I wanted from Jane - she should have known better."

Nothing wastes more time than counting on people to read your mind. More times than not you won't get what you need from your team mates and you will need to go back and fix it or churn hours to complete the task at hand.

In many ways it's a sign of disrespect not to tell people what you need, by when and how UP FRONT, begore they get started.

Being Explicit is the easiest timesaver on the planet.  Driving clarity into every interaction drives wasted time out of your day.  Helping people achieve the FIRST TIME is the fastest way to gain trust and respect. 

You might find Mindreaders using their psychic powers to predict the future or advise you on what trip to take, but you probably won't find them at work.

If you're disappointed -- look to see where you enabled the disappointment.

If you're disappointed, you are probably disappointing someone else, becuase you aren't driving clarity into your own responsibilities and making sure you know what is expected by when in what way.

NO ONE WANTS TO DISAPPOINT. Operate from this belief and you will make sure you don't get disappointed unintentionally.

Leaders, Followers and Those in Between

When I started this company, my thought was -- just hire people who know what they're doing and my day will be perfect.  And at first I was right...

Because I only hired people who I knew, who had worked with me before. And then we got bigger than 5. And I find that it is NOT true.

Even the most experienced people need coaching and crave leadership.  Even the most experienced people won't necessarily do what they know how do, if you don't tell them where we're going and what you want them to do when.

Coaching and Leading; Leading and Coaching -- NOT THE SAME THING.

I was re-watching Band of Brothers this past week (and if you haven't read the book or seen the movie, go http://www.history.com/minisites/bandofbrothers/ to see more or http://books.google.com/books?id=jlFL20cX9HIC&dq=band+of+brothers&pg=PP1&ots=PLDKvkLvIc&sig=WJWjcNrQj3xlvMIlSEVA1IgHQ8Q&prev=http://www.google.com/search%3Fsourceid%3Dnavclient%26aq%3Dt%26ie%3DUTF-8%26rls%3DDAUS,DAUS:2006-10,DAUS:en%26q%3Dband%2Bof%2Bbrothers&sa=X&oi=print&ct=title to see google book thingy)

and it HITS ME OVER THE HEAD AGAIN. You need to lead people to a destination for a common cause, you can not just expect people to show up and plug in without context and vision.

The particular scene is in episode 7 I think, the one about Bastogne. Easy company -- this elite rifle company in the 506th Regiment in the 101st airborne division -- is on the line constantly, becuase they are the best.  All their guys trained together, were uncommonly bonded together and became the best together. At the end of this episode, they finally have to "take Foy" (sp?) and the Battalion chief (rank?)  knows that the CO of Easy is not up to the job, but can't do anything about it. The men in Easy know the CO's not up to it but can't do anything about it.

So the offensive starts and the CO falls apart.  All around him other officers, ncos and soldiers know what to do, but are waiting for orders.  All around him, the men know they are screwed without a leader. Winters sends out another CO from a different company to relieve the "bad" officer -- and all the new guy immediately gets situation from his NCO and then gives direction. Everyone is relieved. They know what to do, when to do it, and how their part counts.Easy deploys and the Regiment takes Foy.

These guys ALL knew their jobs, they just didn't have their parts -- and without the leadership to tell them how to put their expertise to work -- they were paralyzed.

DUH.

Lesson relearned.

"I Couldn't Get It Done..." and other BS

Nothing pisses me off more than when I am late.  This means that I did not plan well. That I did not honor or respect whoever it is I'm late for to take their day, their work, their time into consideration.  As much as it pisses me off when people are late for me, I am more mad when I am late for someone else.

So the easiest way to cause my head to pop off my shoulders is when a deadline comes and goes without warning.  BECAUSE deadlines NEVER come and go without warning. The person responsible for the deadline KNOWS they are late....KNEW they would be late a while ago and did not alert me so that I could either a) Help b) do it myself c)renegotiate the deadline.  To me it boils down to 2 things

1) disprespect

or

2) fear -- fear that asking for help is a sign of weakness.  For these people DISAPPOINTING people has a HIGHER VALUE than asking for help. 

In my world the strong person is the one who KNOWS they can't go it alone; the one who gets that THEY AREN'T PERFECT; and the one who LEARNS to ask for help.

I guess there is a third option too:  I was going to say that 3) a told-you-so attititude (I told you I was busy and I thought I couldn't get it done and now I'm going to show you that I was right) -- But no that just brings me back to 1) disrespect

which UNLIKE fear is unforgiveable.