5
be honest, do everything we can to make this a great job, and be a fantastic partner for you on this project. In order to be successful in doing that, can you be honest, fair, and treat us like a partner in return? If you do, I promise our relationship will be significantly better than most other contractors you’ve ever dealt with.” It’s hard to say no to that. ■ Stand up for yourself. Whether it is during the bid phase, during project kick-off, or the first time you experience a problem, a critical moment will occur: someone – whether you or the client – will make a mistake. It’s easy to be a partner when things are good but much more difficult once there’s a problem. If your client makes the mistake, make sure to treat them kindly and fairly, and to ask that they treat you the same when you undoubtedly make a mistake! If it’s your mistake, then listen and take your licks, but then stand up for yourself by setting an expectation that anger, screaming, or threats don’t let you operate at your best or be a partner to them. As a partner, you will admit and fix your mistakes, but you need them to trust you when you do. It doesn’t mean you expect there to be no conflict or repercussions, but it does mean that you won’t accept being treated like an enemy, because ultimately it will negatively impact the project!
Yes, they hired you, and yes, they are your client, but that doesn’t mean they get to boss you around. They hired you to do a job – and they need to let you do it! So, make sure you stand up for yourself so you can do just that. IS THIS THE BATTLE? OR THE WAR? One final thought: As you are standing up for yourself – especially after making a mistake – you should ask yourself: Is this the battle? Or the war? You should want to win the war: make money on the project, finish on time, build relationships so you can work together in the future. Sometimes, to win this war, you need to lose some battles. So, don’t be afraid to say:
“Yes, we screwed up.”
■
“I see where we could have done better.”
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■ “You’re right, we need to be better.” Because it may lose you the battle, but it should put you in a position to win the war. Matt Verderamo, MS is a consultant at Well Built Construction Consulting. Connect with him on LinkedIn.
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THE ZWEIG LETTER AUGUST 19, 2024, ISSUE 1550
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