A Recipe for Success

“Are you making chicken for dinner?” My husband’s question sounded straight forward and benign, but I knew what he was really asking.

‘Can we please – please, I am begging you! – have something other than chicken tonight.’

After six years of partnership and several memorable miscommunications, I have figured out some of the true sentiments and objectives behind his carefully worded questions. Now, instead of mindlessly saying, “Yes,” I can strategically say, “Not if you take me out to eat.”

Background. Understanding. Strategy. It is a powerful combo, both at home and at work.

Question the questions

Clients will sometimes come to us with an order-taking approach (“here’s a list of questions to include in this project”). Now, there are situations where that is absolutely appropriate! But in our experience, embracing a collaborative process yields some tantalizing results. And not to be missed is the prep step of getting everyone in the proverbial kitchen to determine what they really want to get out of the research process. (Is it really chicken, or did someone say prime rib?)

Background

We have styled this meeting-of-the-minds as a one-hour workshop. Banish the images of all-day power sessions or drawn-out team introductions. These are productive deep dives into the pulse of the research study; so deep that some clients have called it research therapy. (That is extremely gratifying!) We want them to feel like they can unload their thoughts, challenges, and hopes on us. Meanwhile, we show up prepared to ask penetrating questions and share our wealth of experience.

Like a therapy session, attendance at our workshop is limited to the people who truly need to be there. We get the key players and stakeholders in one spot, for up to one hour, when their energy level and enthusiasm for the project is high.

And then we get everything we can from them. Not just the stuff to get started. We ask questions that we won’t need the answers to for several weeks. We even ask end-of-project questions. We want it all!

Understanding

We want to understand the project – forward facing, upside down, inside out, and ideal universe. So, we might ask questions like:

• What is the background of the stated objectives? Who or what need is pushing those objectives?
• What do you expect to hear? What would be a surprise to learn?
• What do you plan to do with the research we deliver?

And that is just the beginning. Once we get the context, the conversation becomes very targeted!

Strategy

Why do we approach projects this way?

Because we know that weeks from now, or even hours from now, our client or stakeholders may be forced to divide their attention. (These are busy folks who tackle many important assignments!) Our workshops empower us to keep the momentum of the project on-track and absorb the impact of busy clients and competing priorities.

The bottom line: this is a recipe that works!

• When we know what everyone’s stake is and what their goals are, there’s a level of transparency that allows us to deliver impactful research.

• Having all the information up front provides increased flexibility. We’re empowered to keep the project on-track and prioritized even if clients are unable to devote as much attention as they would like.

• We are not a server-provider / low-cost-leader type of agency. We are strategic partners. We are consultants.

We are prime rib.

Feel free to comment below and don't forget to subscribe to our blog so you'll be notified each time we post.