Is that an oxymoron? Of course not. We’ve had eight of them as of today. Right now we have four, maybe more. Time will tell. (But that is out of a total of 316 clients over the years). Recognizing a great client takes practice and experience. They come in all sizes and in all industries. Budget size at the start of the relationship predicts nothing. Chemistry predicts nothing. Bad clients are adept at conviviality almost without fail. One thing is predictive however, does the new client have the capacity to listen and to learn, or are they pronouncive and arrogant always putting themselves first? One meeting should do it. I have left the polished mahogany boardroom of a multi-billion dollar bank relieved to depart and never return. I have left the garage-office of a one person shop so excited about the prospects of working with that individual that I was back on the phone while I was driving home.
The two most important criteria are: courage and confidence. In the former category I am speaking of moral courage and not the animal variety. And in the latter category I am speaking of competence, really.
Competence and Confidence
In a study of competence and confidence in The New York Times published a few years ago it was noted that in all of the case studies and commensurate statistical compilations competence and confidence had an inverse relationship. When the “confidence” level was exhibited at its highest level, competence was at it lowest level. And, as you would expect, when competence was exhibited at its highest levels, confidence, expressed and proclaimed, was at it lowest, in fact it was often denied entirely. Think about that for a minute. The more you actually know about a topic leads you to deny any level of real competence, even though your performance is at the highest levels. Why is that? The more you know, the more you know you don’t really know anything.
To be conscience that you are ignorant is a great step to knowledge.
– Benjamin DisraeliWe are all born ignorant, but one must work hard to remain stupid.
– Benjamin FranklinStupidity is without anxiety.– Johann von Goethe
A learned blockhead is a greater blockhead than an ignorant one.
– Benjamin Franklin
Working with truly competent people is fun. They always no talent when they see. They always love honesty and truth. They are tireless in discovery. They are loyal in every way. And their prospects for success are unlimited, so finding them at the beginning, middle or end of their careers does not matter in the least. Finding them is all that matters.
Sad to say, truly competent people are as rare as true leaders. By the way, competent people are nature leaders.
More….
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