The uncanny valley is the uneasy feeling you get when you look at something that’s not quite human. That is, it almost looks human, but something is off.
If something isn’t meant to look human, then we quickly classify it as non-human.… Read the rest
An author for one of the newsletters I read was recently accused of using AI to write content. The author asked for readers’ opinions.
Here was my response:
… Read the restAs long as the content is useful, who really cares who wrote it?
Once you start protecting your mind from the wealth of information available, consider your client’s mind.
One of the most important roles as a Salesforce consultant is to absorb massive amounts of information and then distill it for your clients.
This means:
1.… Read the rest
Let’s start with the conditions that humans and AI are generating large amounts of information, and not all of this information is true.
Assuming these conditions, it stands to reason that you need to decide which information you should consume, and which you should not consume.… Read the rest
These days, we have instant access to data generated by anyone from anywhere in the world. And until recently, all information was only generated by humans. However now we have a new content creator, AI.
I recently watched a video by Yuval Noah Harari titled, “Why advanced societies fall for mass delusion“.… Read the rest
To improve as a Salesforce consultant, it’s important to be self-aware.
There are a few reasons for this.
1. The “Expert Trap”
When I started to learn how to scuba dive, I learned an interesting lesson. Most accidents happen to expert divers.… Read the rest
Most people are familiar with Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, which starts with Physiological needs (food, shelter, sleep), then Safety (security, health), then Belonging (relationships, love) and so on.
There’s another framework called AQAL (“All Quadrants, All Levels”), developed by Ken Wilber.… Read the rest
An excellent way to keep your good clients connected is to invite them to your Slack workspace.
While email is great for formal communication, Slack is great for quick chats and questions. When you invite a client to Slack, they quickly understand they have significantly better access to you.… Read the rest
Maybe it’s just me, but I love playing the game, “How fast I can respond to a client email?”.
It’s like a seductive game of Whack a Mole. A client email appears in my inbox while I’m composing an email, and BAMN, I respond to it immediately.… Read the rest
Let’s say you have two tasks to do, one from a new client and one from an old. All things being equal, which one should you prioritize?
I’m going to say the quiet part out loud: Proritze the new client.
At first glance, this may sound awful.… Read the rest
When working with others, someone is bound to have different opinions. Sometimes people really believe they are right, that you are wrong, and they are ready to defend their position.
As a Salesforce consultant, sometimes you’re in the middle of these disagreements.… Read the rest
If AI is the future (while also in the present), what skills become vital to succeed?
As a “good enough” consultant, you know there is much more to your job than your pure technical abilities. Sure, you know Salesforce well. But that’s just the start.… Read the rest
Research has shown the tone of your voice changes depending on who you are talking with.
When you talk to a child or loved one, it’s usually softer. When you talk with a stranger or enemy, it’s usually harder. Your tone even changes slightly between two people you are equally close to.… Read the rest
As a Salesforce consultant, influencing your teammates and clients is an important soft skill to cultivate. After all, if you have a great idea, you need to be able to successfully communicate it with others. Not everyone will be receptive to your attempts.… Read the rest
I recently read a post on LinkedIn from someone who said, “‘good enough’ isn’t good enough”. This leads me to believe there are multiple definitions of “good enough”.
When he uses these words, I believe he’s using a bottom-up approach. That is, something starts as awful, then bad, then good enough, then decent, then very good, then excellent.… Read the rest
While it’s easy to say, “You should improve your soft skills”, what does that actually mean? How does one go about improving them?
Since soft skills are mostly about building relationships with others, we can then substitute the question to, “How can you build genuine relationships?”… Read the rest
Knowing the technical bits of Salesforce will only get you so far. And AI is eating up that space with each passing day.
So focusing on your soft skills is critical. In addition, they’ll separate you from your competition.
Let’s start by understanding what exactly are soft skills.… Read the rest
I must admit, I’m good at many things. However there are a few things I’m not so good at. And that list feels like it’s getting longer each year.
Recently, I noticed that I don’t like writing long documents about the project’s implementation plan.… Read the rest
People often ask me what’s the biggest concern I have when implementing Salesforce. Which technical issue or process keeps me up at night?
The answer is neither. It’s change management.
Technical details usually get flushed out and the results are often good enough.… Read the rest
Over the years, I’ve become aware of just how important it is to speak.
Speak not just to your team, or your clients. But to your audience.
This means getting up on stage or on a podcast, and sharing your thoughts.… Read the rest
Everyone once in a while, your Salesforce project will go sideways. The solution isn’t working, the deadline is looming, and your client is frustrated.
So it’s all hands on deck. Time to get organized as a team and solve all remaining issues.… Read the rest
It’s not uncommon for one of your projects to involve a migration from a legacy system to Salesforce. After all, Salesforce is still the coolest kid on the block.
During the discovery phase of such a project, the client typically demos the legacy system.… Read the rest
As a Salesforce consultant, it’s important to listen more than you speak.
Sure, you may be more knowledgeable about Salesforce than your peers, or everyone on the call. But that doesn’t mean you need to show off.
We all have something to learn from others.… Read the rest
As an independent Salesforce consultant, working with the “right” clients is critical.
So when meeting clients for the first time, I quickly try to assess how well we would work together. There are a few approaches on how this can be done.… Read the rest
Every problem has a solution. Or two. Or three. But did you know that three is actually the best?
Why is that? Well, our brains are naturally wired to respond to three. It’s the smallest number needed to determine a pattern, which makes it naturally appealing.… Read the rest
Today I visited a hospital for some routine blood tests. Every time I visit, it’s a pleasure. While that may sound odd at first, it’s because of their excellent customer service.
It started with the ease of booking an appointment with a doctor online within a reasonable time frame.… Read the rest
No matter how many compliments your client or team gives you, don’t let it get to your head.
A Salesforce consultant doesn’t usually work alone. They are typically surrounded by abled people, aligned with the same vision as you: be successful.… Read the rest
A client of mine was recently at a crossroads.
As their Salesforce provider, our team recommended they start with a simple MVP. The first release would be a couple of small wins, and be for their employees.
Some of the staff of the client wanted to replace five of their existing web portals.… Read the rest
Yesterday, during a discovery session, my client demoed their existing five web portals.
The goal of the meeting was to understand the client’s current state. In the near future, I will estimate the amount of work needed to replicate the portal’s data model, functionality, and security in Salesforce.… Read the rest
As a Salesforce consultant, one of your roles when interacting with clients is to exude confidence. They need to feel you’re in control of the technical parts of the project, and to deliver a successful project.
It’s always better to build this type of authority in the early stages of client interaction, as first impressions really count.… Read the rest