Beware the brilliant first meeting

We all wish for that triumphant first presentation. The one where we nail the brief. We bring insight. We provide variety. Our opinions ring true.

We want to see those smiles across the table. And confirmation that, yes, the client really did pick the right partners, that this will be, at last, a beautiful relationship.

Then we go back to the office and tick another one off the list. We relax. We assume the client actually meant everything they said. We marvel at their intelligence and good taste, based on the fact that they agreed with us when we said ‘this is the answer’.

Well, guess what? That great first meeting is the first great opportunity to screw things up.

The client is being nice when they say they love everything. All they want is for everyone to be inspired to come back with better and better.

What they mean is ‘this is good progress, you’ve worked hard and come along way, now, next time we meet, we want you to have covered the same distance again.’

Instead, we lose our paranoia. Alas, that’s just not healthy.

Image by clagnut