The 7 Habits of Awesome Clients

Like everything else in this world, all clients are not created equal. There are some not-so-good clients, some great clients and some awesome clients. So, what makes an awesome client? 

Here is my version of "The 7 Habits of Awesome Clients":

1. Share Vision - All awesome clients have a clear vision of what they want done and they share it with all stakeholders. This vision is supported by specific goals, budget, timelines and scope of work.

2. Enable Communication - All awesome clients enable two-way communication. They seek regular updates about the work and  offer a single point of contact who is responsive and provides inputs and feedback on time, every time. 

3. Respect Expertise - All awesome clients understand the process and seek a view of how things are progressing. They are collaborative and respect the expertise of the partner to make the right choices along the way.

4. Trust Advice - All awesome clients look for a partner who they can trust to get the work done. Awesome clients seek advice, pay well for the right expertise and think of the partner as a trusted advisor.

5. Are Innovative - All awesome clients are open to ideas and new ways of doing things. They listen to partners attentively and are willing to take risks, be convinced by good reasoning and want to innovate.

6. Committed to Quality - All awesome clients know that cheap doesn't get quality. They are quality conscious and show their commitment to quality through appropriate budgets, timelines and processes.

7. Build Relationships - All awesome clients value their partners and the work they do. They speak well for their partners and look to build long-term relationships. 

Working in Groups

I regularly participate in #lrnchat. 

From their website: "#lrnchat is an online chat over the social messaging service Twitter. #lrnchat is on Thursdays at 8:30-9:30pm ET/5:30-6:30pm PT. Participants are people interested in the topic of learning from one another and who want to discuss how to help other people learn in formal, informal, social and mobile ways. The official Twitter account is @lrnchat"

For the week of February 20, the topic for #lrnchat was "Working in Groups".

Here are some of the questions that we discussed as a group and my responses to each question. 

@lrnchat: Q1) In groups you participate in, what makes them work better? #lrnchat

• A1) Trust, collaboration, clear goals and willingness to convince or be convinced #lrnchat
• A1) I work best within groups that work towards a common goal and leave their roles and egos outside the room! #lrnchat

@lrnchat Q2) What leads to better group performance? #lrnchat

• A2) Goals, specific timelines, planning key deliverables and establishing communication protocols = better performance #lrnchat
• A2) Taking calculated risks, allowing everyone to ‘shine’ and investing in that moment/effort completely = better performance
• A2) Recognizing and appreciating diversity and finding a way to make different skills and talent count = better group performance 
• A2) Lack of clear communication is perhaps the weakest link in a group performance. Not a weak person but a weak process. #lrnchat

@lrnchat: Q3) What impedes group problem-solving? #lrnchat

• A3) When groups start to solve ‘people’ rather than ‘problems’!  #lrnchat
• A3) “Solutions” impede problem solving. The group should not arrive with solutions instead they must generate them together. #lrnchat

@lrnchat: Q4) How does emotional intelligence help working in groups? #lrnchat

• A4) Emotional intelligence can help in better communication and in understanding the fine print :)  #lrnchat
• A4) Emotional intelligence can also help the group moderator add some organized chaos to the discussion. #sayyestothemess #lrnchat

@lrnchat: Q5) What other practices foster group problem-solving? #lrnchat

• A5) Time, attention, abilities, processes, spaces, roles and responsibilities and communication foster group problem solving #lrnchat
• A5) Trust, fun, appreciation, recognition and implementation of the solutions fosters continued positive performance #lrnchat
• A5) Leaving the problems and discussions in the room and not bringing it back to work or home fosters group problem solving #lrnchat

@lrnchat: Q6) How can better group problem-solving be facilitated? #lrnchat

• A6) Facilitator must stay neutral and objective and have a structured process to help group arrive at solutions #lrnchat
• A6) Read this somewhere: Facilitators must be in control, but not controlling #lrnchat

If you like the questions and my responses, you can check out the transcript for the complete chat. There were some fantastic insights shared by the group. You are welcome to join us next time! There's lots to learn and share.

What Makes Me Happy At Work?

"What Makes You Happy? Training 2014 Conference & Expo and keynote speaker and happiness guru Shawn Achor wants to know." 

I won't be able to join Shawn at Training 2014 Conference & Expo, February 3-5, 2014, in San Diego but I'd like to thank him and the organizers for this opportunity to reflect and share my version of 'what makes me happy at work'. I just submitted the following as my 'response' to the survey question, "What (specifically) makes you happy at work? What are you doing and what are other people doing?". 

What makes me happy at work?

This list is partly what I do and partly what others do. But at the end of the day, I know that I am responsible for my own happiness. And the way to begin is to be happy.

I am happy at work when I...

• am happy with myself and the direction of my personal life.
• exercise, meditate or listen to good music before I start work. 
• begin work with a positive mind and feel open to taking up challenging tasks and additional responsibilities.
• feel grateful for the day and know that I will be able to accomplish something significant and important.
• am motivated to accomplish meaningful, interesting and creative tasks every day.
• work with supervisors, colleagues and clients who smile often, enjoy an intellectual discussion and are open to convince or be convinced by others.
• receive positive feedback and reinforcement for a job well done and developmental feedback when I go wrong.
• receive time, attention and encouragement to focus on my own professional development and participate in continuous learning.
• get to reflect on all my experiences, publish a blog and receive encouraging reader comments.
• feel I have impacted the world (or a part of it) in a positive way.

PS: Judging by Shawn's TED talk, I am sure there will be several happy people at the end of his keynote address!