We would all like to be seen as trusted, valued partners in our jobs. But the reality is sometimes you have to earn the right to do your job. Frustrating, I know, but true. In lieu of instant, unlimited trust and confidence from our “customers,” here are a few things we can all do to change the conversation, align perceptions, and gain/exert influence in our current and future roles.
Solve the Problem
It’s happened to all of us. The client comes to the first meeting either with a mental idea or a physical artifact of what they want. What they have done is solved their own problem, and are looking for someone, namely us, to execute their solution. At this point, we have a couple of choices: we can either execute their solution and lose an opportunity to truly be problem solvers and trusted advisors, or we can change the conversation and show the value that we can bring.
Understand the Problem
The first step in solving the problem, is, well, to get an understanding of what the problem actually is. This is often the hardest thing to do as the client probably doesn’t understand their real problem either, and it was easier for them jump right to a “solution.” One of our biggest challenges here at NI is lack of clear strategy and problem statements, and helping your client uncover their real marketing problem serves not only us, but also the entire organization.
One of the biggest challenges in problem definition is agreement of the problem statement. I think this alone is the biggest cause of project rework and strategy disconnect.
Help them narrow down the problem statement to the context of the project at hand. We can’t solve all of the problems with one ad, so what is the ONE thing we are trying to address and why? Don’t underestimate the power of understanding the why.
Striving to understand the problem by asking Smart Questions will take us a long way toward becoming a trusted advisor and giving us the influence and the knowledge we need to truly help solve the right problems.