Close encounters of a different kind

Professional Services firms like ours, are reliant on the rain makers. The Professional Services firm is peopled by delivery specialists, Lawyers, Accountants, Architects, Strategy experts, Brokers, Surveyors but the most valuable of these in their organisation, the ones who will rise to the top and end up running the place, are the ones who are most able to build client relationships and bring in the business. My experience is that business development and client retention is not best handled by specialists in those arts. Clients want to talk to someone who is an expert in their field not a salesperson. It’s another reason why Professional Service firms do not have powerful marketing departments; they are not marketing led they are relationship led. The success of the business relies on a complex web of relationships which are developed and invested in over time. Developing those relationships is a particular skill and a rare one. It’s also why relationship capital is one of any firms most valuable assets. It doesn’t happen by chance, even with the right talent in place. Accumulating relationship capital takes planning and investment and it’s a long-term game.

In my own experience of recruiting and developing talent, the hardest thing to find is the talent for business and relationship development and often the appetite for it. There will always be a host of applicants with outstanding academics and strong professional qualifications and even those combining those with good client facing skills. Harder to find will be those people who possess the last attribute in the jigsaw, much harder. The first challenge is to be able to explain that this ability will ultimately be the key to an applicant’s career advancement, the difference between a talented person being a competent cog in the organisational wheel or a leader in it.

Often very clever, competent people do not like the idea of selling. I understand that it’s not what they aspired to be doing when they entered the industry equipped with class leading qualifications. They’d rather have someone else focussed on that part of the job. Asked to consider their potential as a work winner they are likely to explain that it is not really their area of strength. Often this is because they perceive a salesperson as a besuited, motor mouth handy with a PowerPoint presentation. This is to misunderstand the KSF. No client enjoys being sold to and few respond positively to an email requesting a sales meeting.

What they respond much better to is a close encounter of a different kind. It is this kind of encounter which the budding business leader needs to develop the skills to manage and enjoy. The first step in the dance is to meet a real person, not send emails or fix up a short Zoom call. Being in the same room makes a difference even if it takes a little more planning and commitment. Go to see them and spend an hour with them. When you meet, present nothing. Instead listen. Ask questions about them and their business, uncover their aspirations, understand their frustrations, encourage them to talk about their opportunities. Lead the conversation subtly and skilfully and listen very carefully. Think about their needs and aspirations as you develop your understanding and think about how your organisation might be able to help them achieve what they aspire to achieve or solve a problem. It may be that no such opportunity arises, in which case endeavour to meet again and continue to build your relationship, remembering what you have learned about them. If you do think there is something you can help with then playback your understanding of that opportunity and how exactly you could help. Demonstrate your firm’s experience and competence to do so and take things from there.

In short, if you want to climb high in your business and perhaps end up running it, it really helps to develop an appetite for and expertise in becoming a skilful listener. Being an expert in your field is not enough. If you are leading such an organisation you need to be adept at identifying, attracting and motivating those rare individuals who can sell as well as they do. Building a cadre of all round talent is how you both grow and derisk your business because the broader the network of strong relationships that exist across and within organisations, the more opportunities you will surface and the more resilient you will be. The key to everything is an understanding of the power of being a good listener and as a leader, putting in place a culture which develops and supports them. This takes a little thought and planning but is the best investment you could possibly make.