You Put Me at Ease
The beginning of trust comes when a client realizes you see them as a unique person, not a persona with a problem.
We had a first call with a future client today and I was happy to hear a noticeable turning point in the conversation. This VP for HR gave us a brief overview of the current marketplace, how they are adapting to a new focus, and the kind of people they will need to meet that challenge. He then candidly set up a deal breaker hurdle we must clear for this call to continue. At this point, he leaned back in his chair to watch and listen to our response.
We thanked him for his refreshing candor and his desire to waste neither his time nor ours. Two of us described our deep dive into understanding how his top performers think and act in a key area, how we design the interview and screening tools based on that talent profile, and then partner with his team to apply what we learn to hiring and coaching decisions. All of this investment in people will have the DNA of his team and the evidence of our research to support every hiring and coaching decision they make.
At this point he leaned forward to the Zoom meeting camera, put on his glasses, and started taking notes. He told us we put him at ease with those words. He did not hear a one size fits all approach. Instead, he heard our ability to tailor a set of tools that will help him build a very talented, diverse, and sustainable team who will provide the financial fuel for the company. We had earned some initial trust that he was willing to extend to a few colleagues.
His next words were, “So here’s what I have in mind…”
