Often times we try too hard.
Especially when beginning something new.
There is fresh energy and excitement so it is easy to go for a big change.
This is true of a new job, new customer relationships, and for personal connections.
When in a new job, the proactive ones among us make plans to drive big change and stand out. Many a time, before you make your move, different requests come from multiple directions and you start drowning in work before getting a chance to prove your worth.
What if you identify a short task that will only take a day to complete and finish it within first two-three days on the job. That way you’ll win the trust the boss before she has a chance to judge you, and before the onslaught of the work begins. Quite possible that boss will praise you in front of other team members and make life easy for you going ahead.
It plays out the same way in a business relationship.
Imagine a scenario where you got that coveted high paying client, on a retainer. Both sides were excited. You got ready to impress the client by doing your work as detailed in the agreement. You made your move and sent a note to client stakeholders with the work you did and the inputs you need from them to move ahead. Three weeks in, and you were still waiting for a response. And, then it was the time to raise the invoice.
You started working on the month end report that you needed to send before sending the invoice. And, then the client sent the response with a long list of updates.
Because you were waiting on the client response, a lot wasn’t done and you thought of quickly implementing the suggested updates so that you had some completed actions in the report. By the time you sent the invoice, you were more than halfway into the next month.
Soon after you sent the invoice, you received a one-liner from the client that she was not happy with the progress. Your heart sank for a moment.
You could have avoided this by identifying a small project, getting info to complete it before the contract start date, and executing that during the first 2-3 days of the relationship. If you would have done that, your confidence would have increased enough to ask for info you wanted and made the client feel more responsible to share inputs you asked for, in time.
This is the quick win method, which is a win-win for both parties. You get the work done and show your value and client or the boss gets the confidence in your ability to deliver before getting a chance to doubt your worth or value.
While planning your quick win, you can also plan a one-two punch, by planning for 2 or more quick wins in the first 2 weeks of a relationship, and make sure that you are able to score a quick win even in the case of a miss.
By going for a quick win whenever you are in a new relationship of any kind, you will have a success to boost your confidence. It will also instill trust in the other party that you can deliver.
This will help you go through the crucial first month in a smooth manner and establish the foundation of a long lasting relationship.
