A few weeks ago,

an agent contacted me

about a possible keynote.

On paper, it all looked good

until the client started asking

for a break on everything:

my fee, my airfare, even my hotel,

suggesting he put me at a location

a few rungs below the quality of hotel

where the event was taking place.

It left a bitter taste in my mouth,

and I was ready to walk.

The irony is that this particular event

is all about “the customer experience”

. . .and I firmly believe that

how you treat your partners

says a lot about how you operate,

and how you treat your customers.

Long story short:

after my sending

a few strategically worded emails,

the client stepped up to the plate.

But the process left me wary.

And protective.

And this instinctively

caused me to want to pull back.

When it comes to the people

you’re considering hiring,

whether that’s a team member,

a vendor/partner,

or a service professional

(lawyer, accountant, agent, etc.),

how you treat them in the early phases

will have a direct & immediate effect

on how they perform for you.

Are you gracious, appreciative, and curious?

Or do you approach them with skepticism,

disrespect, and request they

reduce their rate at every step?

Either way, it’ll all come back to you,

for better or for worse.

Bottom line:

Be the kind of client for whom

people want to deliver their very best.

Risk Forward & Rock On,