My Simple Rule: Help Clients Become Successful

My practices as an advisor/coach/consultant for startup Founders has drastically improved as it’s grown. You know progress happens when complex things become simple, and when conscious behaviors become unconscious.

I have a simple mission as part of my work, and I think it applies to many other careers, so I thought it was relevant to share.

My only goal is to help make my clients successful.

This sounds obvious, but I’m not sure if everyone has this posture and outlook. You can have this in any career. Your "clients" can even just be your boss.

The idea is simple: The more successful my clients become, the more successful I become.

If their world expands, mine can expand with them.

When I speak with clients, I first begin by understanding their definition of success.

I have no preference for what their unique success looks like, I’m just here to listen, and to help them dig in to understand and clarify what that is.

Sometimes they don’t even know what that is, until we discuss it further.

This creates a shared outcome and clarity.

Then, understanding their vision for what they want… I help them expand that vision.

For me, it’s not that I just want to help people hit their goals, and realize a type of vision or goal they have. I expand that universe justttt a bit bigger.

I expand their circle and their vision.

I see if there is another level to their goals.

By expanding their vision or goals, by accelerating the timeline, together we’ve created an even greater picture of what the future could be.

This picture is the compelling reason – it’s the intrinsic motivation.

I then set up a method for us to “stack the deck” to our advantage. I’ve developed a “changed based goals” process that has been incredibly effective in helping people hit their goals, and complete their major projects.

In fact, clients seem to no longer even worry about executing or completing something. They are relaxed because they know that progress will and is currently happening.

But to get to the point of this essay, my work is to expand the future and the progress of my clients.

If their success grows, and I help facilitate that growth, we both win.

I like being on the hook with my clients.

It’s very simple, we have an idea of the progress you want to make, and an idea of the projects you want to complete or the goals you are trying to hit.

And we either make that progress or not.

If you do, we both succeed.

If you don’t, I am no longer hired.

I am only successful if you are successful.

I think this is an aspect of capitalism that isn’t often discussed.

By being in a market, I am forced to deliver.

And delivering is about helping clients become more skilled, confident, and successful at what they do.

It’s simple, and it’s the orientation I prefer.

It allows me to only use tools that are effective. It allows us both to work only on what you find most important.

This creates an orientation that refines processes down to what is effective.

My focus is not on myself…

It’s on what works to create a better future, for them.

I wouldn’t have it any other way.