Last week one of our sales people asked one of our technical people,
“Are you guys ready for this Project X? It just came in!”
They were asking because the past few executions had been cumbersome. There had been some rework. There had been too many conversations updating clients on progress. There had been too much involvement by the client. It had been less than ideal execution.
“We are on it.”
Was the gist of the reply from the operations lead.
“When are you starting the project?”, the sales person inquired.
“Well, we gave it to a project manager but they just had a personal emergency.” The answer came.
“So, where does that leave us?”, said sales.
“The project manager should be back Monday.” Responded Ops.
PAINFUL, PAINFUL, PAINFUL…
We talk with operations about being responsive… and being responsive DOES NOT mean answering quickly. Being responsive means answer the question people want to ask, not necessarily the one they are asking.
The “pulling teeth” method of interrogation is so very painful to watch.
Because with each tug at the dental structure… you can see the frustration building.
Often in these professional exchanges, or personal ones… it’s a game of verbal hide and seek. I am going to HIDE the answer you really want, and only answer the question you are asking.
NOBODY WINS!
STOP IT!
When someone asks you a question… give them all that they need.
Be exhaustive yet succinct with your answer! Be gracious for their concern.
Let’s try this again,
“Are you guys ready for this Project X? It just came in!” sales communicates.
“Thank you for the heads up! We have been expecting this deal and are ready to show the client we can handle this work reliably and to their satisfaction. In fact, we want to wow them this time.
I have selected a project manager who has done a fantastic job in the past. They are on personal leave due to an emergency, but will be back Monday. I will be talking to them first thing on Monday and that will give us plenty of time to create a comprehensive answer two days ahead of their due date on Friday.
Please give me a call if you have any questions. I will send you an update Monday afternoon to confirm that we are rolling. If for any reason this project manager does not return on time from leave, I will do the project myself. I have tentatively booked my Tuesday for this just in case.”
DONE! No dental procedures necessary.
Be gracious for their concern, not irritated by it. Ultimately sales wants the same things operations wants, satisfied clients for a growing business. Acknowledge that directly or indirectly. Thank them for caring.
Confirm that you understand the importance of the project. Embrace their concern.
Explain your planned approach. Show them you have a back up. Offer proactively to keep them in the loop. Offer them to ask more questions.
In one back and forth exchange, the loop is closed, the concern is addressed, the common goal is embraced explicitly.
Why would you want to make your professional partner or counterpart frustrated?
- Because your initial response was “I wish they weren’t checking up on me?”
- Because your inititial response was “I know what I am doing, I don’t need you?”
- Because you take offense to them questioning your commitment, your competence, your whatever?
Do you realize that providing partial answers and failing to affirm their concerns, or explicitly your shared goals only fuels their resolve to do exactly what you possibly don’t want them doing?
Do you realize that the best way to resolve their concern and thus back them up… or in fewer words, in order for them to trust YOU, you have to SHOW THEM YOU TRUST THEM…
A comprehensive answer shows transparence, shows partnership, shows engagement, shows resolve, shows competence.
Don’t be fragmented… only to try to tire out your partner.
Don’t be fragmented… out of laziness, to provide the minimalist answer.
Be comprehensive, and build trust through transparency.
These exchanges are about two people working to achieve harmony.
The basic process doesn’t change…
Understand and embrace the IS, define the want, stay away from the wish.
If you give a comprehensive explanation, it defines the IS and keeps your partner away from the “Wishing they had all the answers.”
Define the IS and then share the WANT clearly enough that your partner knows you are already there…
HARMONY!
Provide comprehensive answers.
Answer the question they are wanting to ask, not necessarily the one they explicitly asked.
Don’t make it into a painful, iterative dental procedure… nobody wins… and it HURTS!
Yours in harmony,
Nestor