One of the most important elements of being a “good enough” consultant is the ability to aggregate knowledge.
In today’s world of constant breaking news, company newsletters, journey articles, blog posts, press releases, Youtube videos and so on, it’s easy to get overwhelmed.… Read the rest
Several years ago, I helped a small client of mine interview for a Salesforce admin.
Since their budget was the primary concern, there wasn’t a very long line of available candidates. I reluctantly had to accept this restriction, no matter what my particular views were.… Read the rest
Even during a good sales to delivery team hand-off, there will inevitably be moments in which you don’t know the answer to something the client already discussed with the sales team. After all, no transition is 100%, and some amount of information will be lost in the process.… Read the rest
Columbo was a popular crime drama television show in the 70’s and then again in the 90’s. He was famous for playing dumb and asking questions he already knew the answers to. He did this to confirm his logic and to get the criminal to see the error of their ways.… Read the rest
You may have picked up a subtle wording I use often in my emails.
When I email or talk with my clients, I normally don’t use the words, “you” or “me”. As in, “You need to do this thing”. Instead I prefer using the word, “we”.… Read the rest
Related to the email Budget, scope or timeline, a reader asked, “Can you please share a sample message to push back for any of these scenarios?”
The general approach to push back is twofold:
1. When you initially ask the client which factor is most important and therefore cannot change.… Read the rest
When I ask a client the question, “Why do we need to do this?”, sometimes their response is, “Well, it’s always been done”.
This is when I grin and ask them if they’d heard the story of the 5 monkeys.
Whether this story is true or not is not important.… Read the rest
Every once in a while, you’ll come across an individual that knows everything. At least, they act like they know everything. And they’ll make sure everyone else know they know everything.
Dealing with these individual can be very challenging, and will test your patience.… Read the rest
Despite multiple alternatives, email remains one of the most important communication tools available. It just works and everyone knows how to use it.
However, when compared to Slack or Teams messaging, email can feel slower. The back and forth nature of email usually has more gaps in the conversation.… Read the rest
The Salesforce job market right now is hotter than ever, and it feels like new opportunities are everywhere.
The interview process can feel intimidating, so here are some tips to help you present yourself in the best possible way.
1. Remember that an interview is a conversation.… Read the rest
Expressions or idioms can be a powerful way to be descriptive and provide context. They can also confuse your audience if they are unfamiliar with them.
So, as a good communicator, should you use expressions?
The short answer is yes.… Read the rest
One of my most outspoken clients constantly boasted about his accomplishments. He was a very talented businessman, and he made sure everyone knew it.
I worked with him and his team virtually for a couple of months, without turning on our cameras during our Zoom meetings.… Read the rest
A student of mine recently asked me how to manage a particular situation. She is the tech lead on a Salesforce project and the client is notorious for scope creep.
The discovery phase of the project was quite extensive, and included both the client’s IT team and business users.… Read the rest
Whenever a challenge arises – usually in a business context, but it could be personal – try to think of at least three solutions.
Why at least three?
To start, it’s really important to think of more than just one option.… Read the rest
How do you know whether you’ve captured all the client’s requirements?
Let’s say they’ve asked for a new feature, and wrote it in their own words. They are probably not as technical as you, so it’ll be in business-speak. Note: Be cautious if they try to solution it (we’ll save that conversation for another day).… Read the rest