It’s one thing to conceptually grasp the different ways you can offer value to clients, including the ways that a trusted advisor truly stands apart. It’s another thing entirely to embody it such that your in-the-moment reactions are consistent with your intentions. Take this little test to find out how well you generally do.

 

If we had a do-over for The Trusted Advisor Fieldbook, there’d be a whole chapter on how you see your value, and how your own mentality is a key driver of your clients’ proclivity to see you more consistently as a trusted advisor. For now, a weekly tip will have to suffice.

Most services professionals tie their value to their expertise. That makes sense, since most clients pay money for the expertise they need to advance a business issue.

 

There are stories in The Trusted Advisor Fieldbook that inspire me no matter how many times I read them. One in particular provides a compelling example of a company’s commitment to walking in its clients’ shoes. This week’s tip offers ways you can translate their innovation to your business.

I recently failed to follow the advice that Charlie and I offer in The Trusted Advisor Fieldbook about talking price. I hate it when that happens. And while I don’t like admitting it much either, it’s therapeutic to do so … and potentially helpful for you. So here I am.

Have you ever felt bullied by a client? Or at least a little intimidated? Today’s inspiration for what to do comes from a client of mine who once shared with me how he dealt with his own difficult customer.

The last few weeks have been unusually demanding for me, including a lot of overseas travel and many intense days leading learning programs. About two-thirds into this recent sprint I found myself dragging—big time. Fortunately for my clients and for me, I remembered a little trick I use to help me refocus and re-energize.

If you’ve been to one of my workshops, you’ve probably heard me say, “Trusted advisorship is, first and foremost, an inside job.” In other words, being masterful in your relationships starts with you … mastering you. This week’s tip is a compilation of resources to help with exactly that.

 

I recently came across two great best practices for building trust virtually: one to use with your team and one to use with your clients.

For your team: A virtual happy hour. I hosted one of these a few weeks ago. We gathered various members of my team from various parts of the US (including different time zones) for 45 minutes using Zoom, so we were all on video. We called it a “happy hour” (as the old saying goes, it’s 5 o’clock somewhere) and I invited everyone to join with their drink of choice—alcoholic or otherwise.

If you’ve been to one of our workshops, you know we emphasize the importance of paraphrasing and empathizing as critical listening skills, and therefore critical influencing skills. These are not mere nice-to-haves in your trusted advisor toolkit. Master these two skills—no kidding and genuinely—and you’ve got a really good chance of being seen by clients as more than just a smart problem solver. “Genuinely,” of course, is a key word, which can be a challenge.

 

By now you likely know I’m an advocate for personal risk-taking in your relationships as a necessary part of building trust. If you’ve practiced what I preach, you may have found yourself in an uncomfortable spot or two as a result. It happens; that’s why we call it a “risk.” Here are three tips for what to do when your risk-taking leads to … crickets.