Win/win

Career lesson #27: Determine if your business relationships are win/win or win/lose situations.

I learned this one on a sales call with a new colleague. Prior to joining us, he led a competing team in our market and a was sales pro. He was also a really likable guy who could make me laugh. Always a good sign.

Still new to professional consulting, I was eager to learn from his sales experience. My prior jobs at design firms were focused on creativity and quality. In this firm I was also measured on billable hours and sales, so I had a bit of a learning curve. Most of my clients were in other cities and I wanted to be successful at home, too.

Our call was with a new manufacturing prospect and it was tough. One of those discussions where you go in optimistically open-minded, have a good conversation and know you can help solve their problem. It felt like we were connecting, but the client’s mood shifted from friendly to dismissive, even a bit condescending at the end.

After we hung up, my colleague shared an observation that has stuck with me ever since. Years ago, he had noticed a dynamic in our local business climate. A heavy manufacturing city with deep roots in organized labor, clients here often preferred win/lose relationships. Meaning, a good deal meant one party gets more from the arrangement then the other party does.

He then went on to say that it wasn’t a good or bad thing — just an insight. It didn’t mean we had to take a loss, in fact the market is lucrative with a profitable client base. We could still “win” by meeting our goals, but the client needed to perceive a “deal.” It calls for strategic tactics. We had to invest in the relationship, and make our value clear.

It took a bit of grit and grace to learn how to play the game confidently, and I gained useful skills and a tougher skin. It also made me really appreciate win/win relationships and markets.

When things feel off professionally or personally, I try to take a step back and assess my own mindset and expectations. What kind of deal are each of us expecting?

This as actually a solid life lesson. I now seek win/win situations as much as possible.