Introduction: How do you ensure you deliver what the client wants?
Learning from the challenges that others face can save us time and shorten the learning curve. Below is an interview I conducted over four years ago. I have posted it on The Invisible Mentor Blog because I know that some can learn from Neil Aitchison's experience. Be sure to let me know what you think.
Interview With Neil Aitchison, Director of Marketing & Development, Drayton Entertainment
Avil Beckford: Describe a business challenge you had and how you resolved.
Neil Aitchison: Challenge – I have a background in broadcasting and theatre and I got a call to do a humour speech on Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE or Mad Cow Disease) intergovernmental border issue. I had to tie my speech into that theme.
Resolution: I met with the group and I asked many questions, listened and took a lot of notes. I restructured my speech so that it would tie in with what my client wanted. I prepared as I went along.
Avil Beckford: What lessons did you learn in the process?
Neil Aitchison: Lessons Learned
- Listen hard
- Learning never stops
- Everyone has their own issues and concerns that they have to deal with
- There is always another hurdle to overcome
Neil Aitchison's Formula For Success
Success is a gradual realization of worthwhile achievable goals. You have to risk failure, work toward long-term goals. Learning never stops. Take steady steps a day at a time and make small reasonable goals.
Final Thoughts: How do you ensure you deliver what the client wants?
If you faced this challenge how would you have handled it? Would you have done anything differently from Neil? Whenever I begin a new project, I ask a lot of questions, and I reinterpret what I heard the client say to ensure that I understand the deliverables. This helps me to deliver what the client requires. How do you deliver what your clients require?