Several offices had a significant staff “on the beach” (no billable work) - and I wasn’t as busy as I should have been either… I definitely felt the pressure to get myself and other people busy as soon as possible…..annual reviews were coming soon and a weak finish to the year could put my promotion at risk….
It was the third meeting with the CEO in two months to discuss an urgent strategy project….. Bob was the senior partner, and I was the aspiring partner -bag carrier and worker bee….
The CEO was now somewhat annoyed…. two months earlier the CEO had outlined the work he needed done and he wanted it done quickly. Instead of responding with an obvious “We will get the proposal to you right away!”, Bob told the CEO he needed to think about the issues and would like to have another discussion…..
I wrote a summary note of the meeting, Bob rewrote 90%, added some pointed questions and sent it to the CEO two days later….
The next meeting Bob asked lots of questions and it ended like the first – Bob wanted to think about the approach….
This was a perfect strategy project that would involve the board – right in our strike zone…. the CEO was anxious to get started …. and even more importantly we really needed the work….
I could not understand why Bob was delaying…. it was as if he did not want to do the work…. Bob was asking probing and challenging questions about the scope, what the different board members’ and executives’ positions were on the issues… the scope of what the CEO wanted had changed a bit after the first meeting and now in the third meeting it was changing significantly….
We were finally there ….. the CEO was practically begging Bob to start the work…. Bob ended the meeting with “Let me think a couple days – let’s have a short call Thursday and then I think we can write a solid proposal”.
On the way to the parking garage I could not hold back any more….
“Why are we delaying ? This is perfect for us… and we have a lot of people on the beach…..”
Bob chuckled “we have people on the beach ? Oh… what does that to do with the client?”
I stumbled through a bad answer….
Bob said “you smell desperate …that’s a risky time to decide which projects to do and how to shape them.” He relayed the story of a project he had done for this very executive many years before – it was a brilliant piece of strategy work ….. that answered the wrong question - not what the client needed – it did not go down well with the board…. and it had taken Bob years to rebuild his and the firm’s reputation at the client and with board members.
Later I heard the expression
“A hungry samurai carries a toothpick in his mouth”
(bushi wa kuwanedo taka yoji (武士は食わねど高楊枝)) (background)
There are several interpretations…I take it to mean that as guns for hire samurai never wanted to look hungry or underemployed – because potential customers would wonder why they were not employed….
Over the years I saw this play out many times….. it always seemed that it was much easier to get new work when things were really busy ……. and when things were slow and I was overly anxious to win a piece of work, it often slipped away, had a bad scope or was priced too low….
I imagine that I have a relative that has the misfortune to be diagnosed with a serious brain issue – would I rather fight to get in to see the specialist doctor that has no appointments available for 3 months…. or jump in to see the doctor that is available anytime this week or next?
It’s very hard for me to be patient when things are slow…. but I now know that scoping or negotiating from a position of desperation is risky…. Clients always seem to sense excessive eagerness…. Procurement professionals make it their sport to tease out a weak position…
I have learned that pausing, taking time to think…even creating a bit of scarcity in the clients’ mind (and mine) is helpful..…. holding that toothpick in my mouth when I am hungry always seems to lead to better outcomes….
Just some thoughts…
Walt
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Walt, as ever, this is on point. Thank you!