Trusted Advisor: 10 ways to walk the talk

by | Aug 5, 2008 | Client relationships, Trusted advisorship

Charlie Green and I just led a two-day program that we call Trusted Advisor: Walking the Talk. I was struck by the list of “one big ahas” that participants created at the end of the program. The beauty lies in the simplicity of each item on the list; the mastery lies in their application. Here’s a Top 10 list, in no particular order, with a little bit of voice-over added:

1. Sell by doing, not by telling. Give your prospects an direct experience of working with you, not a description of what it will be like.

2. Don’t sell – help. Avoid “vultural client service” by focusing first and foremost on ways to be of greatest assistance to your client. Trust that the deals will come.

3. Trust doesn’t have to take time. Telling a hard truth in a direct and respectful manner is one way to build trust in an instant.

4. Be honest, immediately. See above.

5. Fess up when you don’t know. “I don’t know” are three words that most consultants are loathe to utter; paradoxically, they are perhaps the three most powerful words you can use to establish your credibility.

6. There are steps between problems and solutions (LOL). We’re so good at problem solving that we often forget those steps…and forget to really listen to our clients in the process.

7. Understand your client’s point of view. Take time to sit in his/her chair (literally and figuratively) and share with a committed listener (e.g., a colleague or coach) what the world looks like from this vantage point.

8. Take more risks, faster. Trust-building requires risk-taking. There really is no way around that.

9. Courage and self-awareness are the secret sauce to trust. Having content knowledge or industry expertise is great; knowing yourself and having the courage to take actions that set you apart from the pack are essential ingredients for trust-building.

10. It’s OK to show your feelings. How else can we expect our clients to reveal theirs?

Which one will you choose to put into practice by COB today?

Originally published by BossaNova Consulting Group, Inc.
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Andrea Howe

As the founder of The Get Real Project, I am the steward of our vision and our service offerings, as well as a workshop leader and keynote speaker. Above all else, I am an entrepreneur on a mission: to kick conventional business wisdom to the curb and transform how people work together as a result. I am also the co-author, with Charles H. Green, of The Trusted Advisor Fieldbook (Wiley, 2012).

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