Page 190 - The McKinsey Mind

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Managing Your Client 165

EXERCISES
• What is your sales offering? Identify an important issue
you have been working on that has faced internal resis-
tance. Next, think through the sources of resistance—
where are the roadblocks? Instead of trying to convince
people of the merits of your particular issue, identify an
opportunity to share something you know well to help
them with their current problem. Make it a credible, fact-
based deliverable that increases your exposure and garners
general support.

MAINTAINING CLIENTS

Now that the client is in hand and established, we move to a new
stage in the relationship—maintenance. As with any relationship,
this requires careful consideration of the wants, needs, and desires
of all parties.

THE McKINSEY WAY
There are quite a few McKinsey lessons dedicated to this topic—
hardly surprising given their obsession with client service—and
rather than summarize them one-by-one, we will discuss their key
points all together:

• Engage the client in the process
• Always look over your shoulder
• Keep the client team on your side
• Learn to deal with liability client team members
• Pluck the low-hanging fruit
• Get buy-in throughout the organization