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O P I N I O N
S omething I learned a long time ago has to do with my relationship with my clients. If they love me and I love them, I’ll do my best work, and they’ll refer me to their friends. So, what does that love look like? Heart to heart Do your clients really love you? And do you love them? Before jumping into a big contract, you might want to know.
fake it. Establishing a bond with the client must come from your heart. So, what does it look like if your client just isn’t a fit for you, or you for him or her? And, by the way, there is usually one person – the leader of the client relationship – who will set the tone for the way the relationship is going to evolve. Don’t kid yourself or the client by talking yourself into a scenario that things are going to be “I found early in my career that if I don’t like or don’t trust the client or their motives for what they’re planning, I’m not going to do my best work, and they’re not going to be very happy with me.”
Let’s start from my first meeting with a new client. How do I feel about that client? Can we work together? Do I feel empathy for what they’re trying to accomplish? Do I even like them? Am I personally committed to what they want to do? Without building from this foundation, I can’t do my best work, and the client is unlikely to relate very well to me either. So, how does one get started? If these factors are not part of how your relationship develops, I suggest you move on quickly. You’ll have more fun, and so will your client. I found early in my career that if I don’t like or don’t trust the client or their motives for what they’re planning, I’m not going to do my best work, and they’re not going to be very happy with me. An architect’s energies will only accomplish great things if these factors are in place. And you can’t
Ed Friedrichs
See ED FRIEDRICHS, page 12
THE ZWEIG LETTER December 4, 2017, ISSUE 1226
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