“You mean it’s NOT about the sexy stuff I’ve built??? Whaaaattt??”😱
Nope.
It’s about #ManagingExpectations. 🎯
The thing is – conflict usually happens because there’s been a mismatch of expectations.
👉🏻I expect you to take the bins out without being asked.
👉🏻I expect you to do your homework without being asked.
👉🏻I expect you to add scope without impacting timeline or budget. 😬
Then when clients get upset during a show-and-tell, it’s because what they’re seeing doesn’t match their expectation.
So how do you set up a show-and-tell for success?
🍩Set the Stage Clearly 🗺️
“Today we’re showing user stories 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 9. Features on X, Y Z coming in future sprints.”
That way, your audience will know exactly what they’re getting today AND what’s coming next.
🍩Tell a Story, Not a Feature List 📖
Walk through Sarah (our intrepid customer on #RetailTherapy) complete journey – searching for items, saving them, adding to cart, checking out. 👖👗
Maybe if our completed work features a Refund process, we could show Sarah logging a case for refund and Adam our Customer Rep completing that process.
Clients love it when they can visualise how This Magical Thing We Built fits their business. 😍
🍩Preview with a Trusted Stakeholder (if possible, ESPECIALLY if the political landscape on the client side is a bit tricky)
Have someone from the client side watch your rehearsal first. They’ll help you avoid landmines.
(Like when they tell you not to use “Adam” in the above demo because Jenny from HR just broke up with her boyfriend Adam. 😅)
🍩Handle Difficult Conversations Early 💬 If someone tends to be vocal, talk to them BEFORE the demo.
Address their concerns proactively.
This is where your skills handling ‘difficult converstaions’ as a consultant/project manager comes into play.
🍩Use a “Car Park” for New Ideas 🚗
“Great idea! Let’s add that to our parking lot and discuss after we’ve walked through what we’ve completed.”
Great tip for halting potential derailing of the show & tells when someone starts going off tangent.
The result? A show-and-tell where the client says, “Yes, that’s exactly what we expected.”
How do you manage expectations on your projects?
—
Did you know I run Consulting Discovery Masterclass several times a year?
Become a better consultant through active listening, socratic questioning and scenario based skills practice using role plays. 🥰
Sign up to my newsletter where I talk about all things project delivery, consulting, emotional development and career in the ecosystem 👇🏻
(Please set your filter to “Most Recent” as LinkedIn hides comments with outgoing URLs)
The secret to a successful show-and-tell isn’t about the fancy demo or the slick presentation.
“You mean it’s NOT about the sexy stuff I’ve built??? Whaaaattt??”😱
Nope.
It’s about #ManagingExpectations. 🎯
The thing is – conflict usually happens because there’s been a mismatch of expectations.
👉🏻I expect you to take the bins out without being asked.
👉🏻I expect you to do your homework without being asked.
👉🏻I expect you to add scope without impacting timeline or budget. 😬
Then when clients get upset during a show-and-tell, it’s because what they’re seeing doesn’t match their expectation.
So how do you set up a show-and-tell for success?
🍩Set the Stage Clearly 🗺️
“Today we’re showing user stories 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 9. Features on X, Y Z coming in future sprints.”
That way, your audience will know exactly what they’re getting today AND what’s coming next.
🍩Tell a Story, Not a Feature List 📖
Walk through Sarah (our intrepid customer on #RetailTherapy) complete journey – searching for items, saving them, adding to cart, checking out. 👖👗
Maybe if our completed work features a Refund process, we could show Sarah logging a case for refund and Adam our Customer Rep completing that process.
Clients love it when they can visualise how This Magical Thing We Built fits their business. 😍
🍩Preview with a Trusted Stakeholder (if possible, ESPECIALLY if the political landscape on the client side is a bit tricky)
Have someone from the client side watch your rehearsal first. They’ll help you avoid landmines.
(Like when they tell you not to use “Adam” in the above demo because Jenny from HR just broke up with her boyfriend Adam. 😅)
🍩Handle Difficult Conversations Early 💬 If someone tends to be vocal, talk to them BEFORE the demo.
Address their concerns proactively.
This is where your skills handling ‘difficult converstaions’ as a consultant/project manager comes into play.
🍩Use a “Car Park” for New Ideas 🚗
“Great idea! Let’s add that to our parking lot and discuss after we’ve walked through what we’ve completed.”
Great tip for halting potential derailing of the show & tells when someone starts going off tangent.
The result? A show-and-tell where the client says, “Yes, that’s exactly what we expected.”
How do you manage expectations on your projects?
—
Did you know I run Consulting Discovery Masterclass several times a year?
Become a better consultant through active listening, socratic questioning and scenario based skills practice using role plays. 🥰
Sign up to my newsletter where I talk about all things project delivery, consulting, emotional development and career in the ecosystem 👇🏻
(Please set your filter to “Most Recent” as LinkedIn hides comments with outgoing URLs)