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Sometimes, a project goes bad in spite of your best efforts. In my
experience, most clients want you to succeed (this goes for department
managers, too). Let's face it: They've agreed to pay you good dough
to make some problem they're having go away. And, if you fail, it makes
them look bad. So, it's in their best interest to help you help them.
(A tip of the batting helmet to Jerry Maguire.)
Yet every now and then, you're going to wind up working with a client
who just can't get out of his own way, and even more rarely, with a
client who is an outright sociopath. In the majority of cases, your
skills as a deal-maker and a problem-solver will help you convert a
not-so-good situation into a pretty-good situation. But on occasion,
you are going to run into a client where success simply is not in the
cards.
The following is my current list of warning signs that I pay attention
to if I want to nip disaster in the bud. If you are working for a client
or on a project and you notice two or more of these signs, or any of
their near cousins, strap on that project parachute, 'cause it's probably
time to bail out.
- The client expects work on the project to begin as scheduled even
though the deposit check is nowhere in sight.
- After you suggest that there might be a delay in kicking off your
effort on the project because you've seen neither hide nor hair of
the deposit, the client wonders out loud whether she should "go
with another vendor if this is going to be an obstacle to your getting
started on the project on time."
- When reviewing previous project decisions, the client gets a bad
case of amnesia and claims the discussion in question never even took
place.
- The client doesn't see why it's not okay to raise his voice and
dress you down as though you are one of his enlisted troopies.
- In spite of documented evidence to the contrary, the client insists
that a project specification was not implemented per her expectations.
- The client spends a great deal of your time on personal business
(in spite of your efforts to redirect him back on task) and then is
upset when he is invoiced for all or part of that time.
- The client sends your invoices to the legal department for "resolution."
- The client asks if you will accept deferred payment on your backlog
of invoices.
- The client insists on a methodology that flies in the face of accepted
practice and refuses to allow you to note the non-standard approach
in your report of findings and recommendations.
- Even after signing off on a project plan, the client ignores due
dates for critical actions for which he is responsible and is incensed
when your status report shows the project completion date slipping
at a rate equal to his non-performance.
Do you have a topic you'd like to see discussed in this column?
Send me an e-mail at thinking@dghenterprise.com.
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