Four Vital Factors You Must Know About Your Client

Summary

Understanding a client's preferences, strengths, dislikes, and weaknesses is crucial for effective collaboration and successful project outcomes.

Abstract

To effectively engage with clients, it is essential to recognize four key aspects of their professional persona: their likes, strengths, aversions, and areas of incompetence. These factors are pivotal in shaping communication strategies, task allocation, and overall project management. While one's preferences do not always align with their talents, acknowledging these elements can significantly enhance the working relationship and position clients for success. Ignorance of these factors can hinder the ability to support clients in achieving their desired results.

Opinions

The author emphasizes the importance of distinguishing between what clients enjoy and what they excel at, suggesting that these are often not the same.
There is a recognition that tasks perceived as unpleasant vary greatly among individuals, which should be considered when assigning responsibilities.
The author suggests that honesty about one's weaknesses is important, as it can lead to better task allocation and team performance.
The article posits that a deep understanding of a client's capabilities and preferences is essential for guiding them towards future success.
It is implied that without comprehensive knowledge of a client's professional profile, it is challenging to facilitate optimal outcomes.

Without this knowledge, you’re doomed to failure

There are four things you need to know about a client to successfully work with them: what they like, what they’re good at, what they hate to do and what they’re not good at doing. All four factors help determine how you communicate with them, collaborate on tasks and deliver results during the course of your working relationship.

What a person likes and what they’re good at are not necessarily the same things. While you may like to write, you may not be the best writer in your office, much less in your industry. Typically, the things you like to do are passion plays that you’d do for free. Conversely, the things you’re good at doing are tasks for which you should be compensated.

Everyone does things they hate to do based on their personal preferences and their suitability for the task. For example, one person will happily deliver a speech to a packed hall, while someone else would despise every moment of the experience. Finally, there are things that we’re just not very good at doing (though we sometimes hide the truth out of fear, reluctance to admit weakness, or dishonesty).

Knowing all four of these areas of a person’s interests and skills will assist you in knowing how to put them in the best possible position for future success. Put another way: If you don’t know these things about the people you’re working with, how can you possibly help them deliver the results they need?

Greg Frankson is an award-winning writer, poet, public speaker and spoken word artist. He is also the founder of Voice Share. To learn more, engage in conversation or ask a question, follow Greg on Twitter, Instagram and Medium at @greg_frankson or the hashtag #ownthevoiceyoushare on social media.