Body work

As phyrz correctly noted, the disclosure of professional secrets is like a striptease. But I have to continue because I consider interest in the topic over the moral aspect of the issue.

Today I would like to talk about working with clients in the context of already voiced typologies . And once again I urge everyone not to skimp on comments and questions. After all, in the article I am limited by time and volume, so I simply cannot physically tell everything. By asking me questions, you can find out more.

As a preamble, I will say only one thing - do not be afraid of customers. Fear grips you, your initiative, interesting suggestions, thoughts. Fear makes you vulnerable.
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Try not to bother your head with extra information before the meeting, and do not try to plan a conversation. In any case, you have to improvise, so it's best to go light. And take your time. I never start meeting first. On the contrary, in the beginning I listen more, I look closely - I tune in to the client:

If a person speaks incoherently, jumps from topic to topic, and when you try to take him to constructive questions, he does not answer them, but rather continues some sort of his inner monologue. This is most likely a “cretin”. Often the image is complemented by elementary bad form. For example, he will at all make humiliating remarks to his assistants, or immediately, without prefaces, he will come to you (in such boorish form) with you. Calmly, endure. Switch to power saving mode. Do not provoke him with unnecessary questions, otherwise it will never end. Try to find out the minimum necessary for work and minimize the meeting. The missing one can be thought out or learned from his entourage later.

In the future, this will all continue throughout the entire project, but here you have nothing to rely on except for high-quality project documentation, installations on the client-oriented nature of your company and patience. And do not forget to switch in time saving mode in time.

If you feel like an audience, where everything is very formal and all eyes are on one person, then, most likely, you are at the “king ”’s reception. Usually these meetings are opened by assistants - members of the client's working group. They meet you, they chat about trivialities (they clearly don’t want to talk about the project), but some tension hangs in the air. And here comes some moment: the time has come, or someone gives a conditioned signal, and you go to the office.

To calmly transfer all this and beautifully play your part in this ceremony, you just need to understand what is happening. And everything is very simple - it is the bride. The assistants who greeted you, show the "great" their work, their choice. We must help the guys and try to please. It means attentively listening, leaving, not being clever, and saying a couple of beautiful phrases like "we will do our best to make you satisfied." Then they left the office, exhaled, and the real work began with someone from the client’s working group.

With "karabasom" harder. Here the typical situation falls into two major components. First, it is a mild form, when a person is simply inclined to manipulate the performer. In other words, can not work in a different format. And it's not so scary. It is important here that he is able to work in such a format, that is, he achieves concrete results. And although your communication can not be called pleasant, working with him, you also come to the goal.

The second form is clinical. It's just a sadist who imagines himself the devil knows who, and gets pleasure, twisting your arms.

In principle, it is difficult to work with “karabasas”. The big question is whether it is worth working with them at all, because most of their projects are not profitable. But when you feel “sadistic karabas”, it is better to turn off the project immediately.

The first meeting with the "karabas" usually takes place as follows. Karabas, like you, also works from a waiting position, looks at you. You mistakenly conclude that this is an interesting, listening client, and you begin to open up. Karabas listens to you, and the answer breaks your sentence. You give the following - he breaks it, adding an idea from himself. And so on, until after some time, consistently destroying you, he does not begin to state the "truth" in one-sided mode.

All you have to do is listen. And there will be a very strong impulse to argue with him. Try to hold on. He is clearly not worth it. Convince you do not convince him of anything, and get a splinter in the soul. Believe me, I tried several times and regret it.

Dunno reveals himself. "I do not know ...", "I do not know ...", "I do not know ..." ad infinitum. I advise you to suffer a little and offer him options and ideas. It happens that the “ignorant” in the end bites at something, and agrees with some of the options (“I know”, “I want”). If not, then at least you will be calm that everyone tried and did not leave unchecked options in the rear, thereby limiting the opportunity for criticism in the final presentation. Where, and be prepared for this, the first version of “Dunno” will fly like a hawk, and tearing it to shreds will finally formulate these requirements. By the way, to draw a “dunno” in the first run of more than one option makes no sense.

Communicating with the collegiate body - "hydra", choose the point of application of effort. As a rule, not all are active participants in the conversation. Part leads the discussion, some silently present. Choose for yourself the most productive characters, and focus on them. Inconveniently gently ignore. Gradually, those you need will remain in the social circle. The fact that you are doing everything correctly, you will understand when other participants, under plausible pretexts, will start leaving the meeting, or turn off completely from it (for example, they will start whispering among themselves). Yes, of course, in no case do not exclude from communication the project manager from the client. Even if he does not show activity, in every way push him to communicate in the "circle".

When it comes to communicating with the “pads” - those who stand between you and the decision maker, I am not ashamed of the direct question: “Who decides everything?”. As a rule, they are not shy about the answer - it is in their interest to please the management and share your glory. If you get the answer: “decisions are made by me”, then you need to turn on caution, and check the validity of this statement through other channels. And most importantly, from this point on everything should be documented in detail: meeting reports, project documentation. Everything should be with a decision-making visa. This is quite an obvious step, but you will see that under various pretexts the “setup” will wriggle and avoid formal moments. Do not give him a chance, and when X comes, do not regret it - drown you with facts.

"Karabasik" steers the process from excessive zeal and incompetence. Several times I was rescued by the fact that I referred to a direct acquaintance with his leadership. Hearing this, the “Karabasik” immediately goes into a power saving mode, and simply fulfills its position. It is clear that this link can make: referring to agreements already signed, sending to solutions approved at a higher level, sending to industry examples (like the others). Cool his ardor, seeing a serious opposition, he will be the first to stop.

“Susanin” can often be caught in a clear contradiction with the general trends of the industry. Since you are not leading the first project, you already have the feeling of what is right and what is not. “Susanin” does not have such an experience, and therefore, dragging you in the direction he needs, he can miss and betray himself. Strange functionality, image designs, some obvious inconsistencies in the requirements - pay attention to this, and ask yourself if he is leading you in the right direction. As a counteraction, it never hurts to request from him the additional sanction of his leadership. For example, “You know, photographs of children smeared with ketchup are usually not placed on the site of a universal bank. Let's sanction this idea with Pavel Petrovich, suddenly he won't like it. ”

"Leech" is generally a harmless child of our environment. Well, a man wants to curry favor with him. Another thing is that you absolutely can not rely on it. In the first critical situation, he will throw all the blame on you and try to distance himself. Therefore, treat him as a political ally, cautiously and mirror.

As for the “drawbar”, we must try to reach a level of trust with him. So that he will tell you directly about the internal kitchen that has an impact on your project. Sympathize with him, empathize, tell about your kitchen, give reasonable advice. Make him your ally. This is your agent-informer, and in intelligence everything is done only for love.

"Pale mole" can try to go round, going to communicate with another level of decision-making. But, most likely, the “mole” will simply be afraid to miss you higher. She is generally afraid of everything, and will have to act tedious, persuasion. That everything is correct, that we are no worse than others, that Pavel Petrovich will understand, and so on. By the way, it is very likely that the mole will be predisposed to someone from your project team. Just humanly, she will be someone cute. I paid attention that for “moth” the question of sympathy is not the last one in the question of trust. Therefore, if someone is clearly impressed, all communications must be conducted through this person. Let him try for the benefit of the common cause.

"Extreme" need as quickly as possible to throw off the yoke of your project. Therefore, on the one hand, try not to bother him and take the initiative in the project. On the other hand, follow the decision making process. "Extreme" is always in a hurry, and is inclined to make decisions quickly and unreasonably, just to get behind. This can be a problem for the project, so gently indicate to him that in some matters you do not intend to share his risks.

In the next series of striptease in the "kitchen". Talk about production and technology. Thanks for attention.