“Early and ugly” is what a prized client once said he wanted from his consulting firm.

The client delivered this pearl of wisdom a long time ago to Wayne Simmons, a career consultant who was then the managing partner of an award-winning boutique consulting firm.

If you’ve been a regular reader for a while, you know about the connection between trust-building and personal risk-taking: they are inextricably intertwined. But do you know how you rate in terms of three essential types of personal risks to take in your client relationships?

Most Weekly Tips readers know that your expertise is not enough to reach the levels of success you desire; your clients’ experience of you matters, too. What you might not realize is just how much it matters—backed by a study reported in Harvard Business Review (HBR) that I recently reconnected with and that provides fascinating insight.

My client and I had a phone call the other day that started with considerable stress for us both and ended with a hearty laugh and a big lesson learned that I’m pretty sure can benefit us all.

While “new” is in the air right now, there are always messages that bear repeating, like the tip I share this time every year about what it takes to make personal change stick. I’m going to boldly say (again) that this tip is your #1 predictor of success in 2018, whether your aims are to develop more business, build better relationships, or anything else.

Sometimes it’s so much easier to preach than to practice. I noticed a disconnect between my words and actions the other day. I’m calling myself out here because (a) it’s cheaper than therapy and (b) there might be a little nugget in the story that will help you, too.