If you have ever met me in person, you know that I’m highly relational. I’m truly blessed to work with people I like. I’m at the stage in my career that I don’t have to pursue relationships that are only financially motivated. This year, instead of paying for a booth at the Catalyst Conference (13 thousand Christians leaders meeting for 3 days in Atlanta), I opted to have a small gathering of clients, friends and even some new friends at a restaurant near the arena. Everyone seemed to have had a great time. I loved it. It was a great fit for my personality and the type of work our branding and development team does: focused, personal and relational. By the end of the evening, our friends and clients were talking unsolicited about the value we bring to them to our new friends and potential clients.
I realized years ago that strategy is not a commodity you can peddle at a trade-show booth. In order for me or anyone in my team to be effective, we have to have a deep connection and trust with our clients. That’s the nature of strategic consulting: it’s difficult, often emotional, and a trusted friend is always more effective in these situations than a paid consultant. I decided long ago I was going to be a trusted friend to my clients. That decision has served me well.
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