During one multi-site project of long standing, there was a change in the senior personnel responsible for contact and project management at the key client.
I had been central to all of the discussions on the project, whether it involved me directly or only as a member of the team. I found my comments consistently requested, and well received.
Therefore, when this new person suggested, during one of the discussions and meeting, another, and clever, approach to one of the problems the project was dealing with, I felt it correct and appropriate to provide my opinion, which was that his idea described exactly what should be done.
Imagine my surprise when my agreement and approval was met with a response that was essentially, "Who are you, and what right do you have to comment and tell me whether I am right or not?”
Within days, I received notification that our services were no longer necessary.
Learnings and lessons:
Clients are not always rational, and it is not always easy to understand how best to interact with them.
When the contact individual at a client changes, it is likely that the relationships with the client will have to be reconstructed as well, and care should be exercised.
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Why Are You Here?
An old colleague, who was in charge of a product development group at a Florida company that had recently been acquired, asked me to come down and give a half-day presentation on a field where I was a leading expert, the collection and processing of blood and blood products.
He felt the presentation would help bring the group together, and generate a positive atmosphere for his work and interests.
I arrived with my slides, and after some cordial conversation, left with him for the presentation. On the way out, he said to his secretary, "If my boss calls, get his name."
He turned to me, explained, "We are reorganizing again," and laughed.
We entered the presentation room, and began discussing with the enthusiastic younger attendees, before my formal presentation, the topic of my presentation.
This positive atmosphere disappeared very quickly when the Vice-President of the area walked in, sat down, looked at my colleague, and then at me and said "I don't know why you are here. The field you are going to talk about is not growing, and really has no interest to us."
While I smiled and said, "I hope I can convince you otherwise," and soldiered on for the several hours of presentation, his presence and attitude essentially squelched any feedback or support from the audience.
It was one of the most dispiriting and draining afternoons of my life.
Learnings and lessons:
There are more horse's asses than horses in this world.
One cannot always control the environment within which one works; sometimes all one can do is maintain a professional demeanor and hope to survive.
