Let’s Win More New Clients!

I’m mesmerised by some wildlife programmes.
Especially those narrated by David Attenborough.

Over decades, he’s earned the right to capture my avid attention.
He helps unravel the mystery of why creatures do this, that or the other.

But sometimes, even he admits “We Just Don’t Know Why They Do That!”
Like, what a narwhal does with it’s long, deadly-looking unicorn’s tusk.

It’s the same with that creature Attenborough calls “Humans”

Much of what hundreds of millions of us do remains a profound mystery to the remaining billions:

• Why crowds of ravaging shoppers (remember those days?) tear each other to pieces, merely because somebody labelled a Monday as being “Black”;

• Why people would shop mask-less in the middle of a life-claiming, devastating pandemic;

• Why it’s become fashionable for female celebrities to start croaking at the end of every sentence;

• Why you’d give a ranting, raging, divisive despot control over the world’s largest nuclear armoury;

• Why we’d fill our lofts with another thirty five of those thingummies… simply because they’re discounted by 40% until 5:00 pm on Friday.

Much of our behaviour is a profound mystery!

And then there’s the habit of striving to win more and more and more clients.

Even though we could remain blissfully happy nurturing deeper relationships (and being paid more) with the clients we already have.
Even though the income we earn from doing so provides a style of life which billions would regard as wallowing in untold luxury, reserved only for royalty.

Now, I do understand.
You might have a Grand Plan, which requires enough clients to support (let’s say) a national team of professionals.
You might wish your beneficent influence to touch untold numbers of lives.

But…
Most of the leaders I interview have no such Grand Plan or beneficial intention.

Nor do they have the intense quarterly shareholder pressure for share-price-growth which drives larger groups to furiously chase New Sales.

The fact is… they just don’t know when to stop.
Or even why they would consider doing so.

(Apart from building a Saleable Asset to flog, as their let’s-get-outta-here plan.)

And so, they commit themselves to the wearisome treadmill
The treadmill of more and more and more.
More Advisers and Planners
More support personnel.
More demand on their make-it-up-as-we-go-along leadership skills.
More technology.
More office space (lying empty right now).
More dutiful Review Meetings.
More team meetings.
More frenetic, exhausting activity of every type.
More.

I know. I know.
You’re probably wondering at this heresy I’m spouting.
Surely, all growth is good?!

Well…
That’s the same mentality that drives the yearning for annual growth in GDP.

Of course, it makes sense to have a measure of economic wellbeing to support a community; a nation.
But – beyond lifting people out of poverty – you’d be hard pushed to find any research – anywhere – that links year-on-year growth in GDP to the emotional wellbeing of that country’s citizens.
Indeed, you’d find plenty of carefully researched evidence to show that the link is tenuous at best!

So…
Before you stretch yourself ever thinner.
Before you burn out every more quickly.
Before you rob yourself of yet more precious moments with those whom you vow vehemently you love…

It’s worth a moment’s further thought.

Is this an ego thing we’re wrestling with?
Is this a reflection of the fact that you wrote a goal – a Key Performance Indicator – on a scrap of paper in January…
And you just couldn’t live with yourself if you didn’t achieve that goal by Christmas?

Or is there a genuine, robust, well-thought-through reason to strive for that next new client?

So. Before you walk into that next conversation…
You might wish to consider this question:

In three years time…
Would there be solid evidence that this pursuit-of-the-next-client definitely made you happier…more inspired… or more inspiring to be around?

Just a thought…