The Preacher

The chemistry with your customers or potential customers can change over time. One time, I was proposed to be one of the team leaders on a transformation program at a large university. At the oral presentation of our proposal, I fervently spoke about how we would work together during the multiyear project. We, the proposed team leaders, met with customer executives and senior members of the faculty over lunch and discussed the importance of the program. After I returned to the Austin office, my managing partner called me to say that the firm was selected but the customer did not want me to be a team lead because I was “short and abrupt.” Yes, this news bruised my ego, but hey, there would be no commuting halfway across the country each week for the next couple of years. I found out later that they even gave me a nickname: “The Preacher.”

Fast-forward a year and a half. The transformation program was now in trouble, and my boss sent me back there to interview for the overall program leader position. The customer asked me to come on board and we successfully completed the multiyear program. So, at a later time they actually did need someone who had the faith and enthusiasm of a preacher and who could be short and abrupt when necessary.

Be sensitive to chemistry and timing with your customers. They may not think you are a good fit at first, but you may be asked to help at a later time when conditions change.