Yes, You Can Enjoy Your Client or Boss who just changed his/her mind
Hint : Watch your self-talk!
Life has not to be perfect. We may get the job we love, the project we crave, and still, moments of boredom and frustration can hit, spreading doubts about our work, management, or worse, relationship with the one who trusted us. How can this happen ?
My confession in a nutshell
That day, I was about to polish a report before delivering it and raising my invoice, only to learn that some significant changes are needed by the client. While the claim was legitimate and doable at that stage, I was already invaded by unpleasing thoughts and resentment, triggering questions such as :
- They ought tell me that from the very beginning..
- So.. the initial briefing was incomplete, great!
- This is disrespect.. I have other responsibilities! I am not their employee!
- Why did I accept that work in the first place ? Why!
That escalated -in my mind - leading to all kinds of doubts about the essence of my freelancing career itself. Needless to say, the more I let those thoughts race, the less I was moved to revisit my work as recommended.
How did I escape that loop ?
- Fact One : Time was running out, mercilessly. I had realized that my inner yelling was going on for half an hour, one hour, ninety minutes, .. at some point, my poisonous posture cost more time than the required work itself. Shame on me!
- Fact Two : To the existential question “Why did I accept that work in the first place ?”, a simple answer popped up : “I wanted to handle the challenge, and I already trusted the client”.
- Back to the beginnings : Here I found myself recalling the very first call when I was granted that project. I could remember and feel the trust and the enthusiasm expressed by that client. Suddenly, the annoying situation I experienced in my head was no longer “real”.
- Ending Feelings : Serenity, gratitude and satisfaction, those were the impressions I regained after I remembered the meaning of this slightly prolonged work for both of us.
- Lesson learnt : Next time, I will manage to check my client’s feedback at an early stage of my work, making sure that we are on the same track. Stating this takeaway provided me with a deeper sense of peace and confidence. I felt good.
In brief :
If you deal with a client, a boss or a colleague who changes his/her opinion in the course of your work :
- Is the request legitimate and feasible ? You might have already agreed about the revisions : Scope, delays, maximum number, etc. If your answer is Yes and your feel a surge of boredom towards the changes, then :
- Stop yelling! Remember how trustworthy you have been in the eyes of your collaborator!
- Happy working!
