Welcome to the 14th edition of North Star Blueprints! In this weekly newsletter, we embark on a journey of personal and professional growth, offering observations, strategies, and inspiration to help you navigate life’s challenges and reach new heights of success. This edition will provide a summary of the daily insights I posted throughout the week, packed with valuable tips, thought-provoking ideas, and actionable advice on how to better engage your clients, coworkers, and personal relationships, build a brand of competence and reliability, and improve communication, in the hopes of helping you to unleash your better self.
May 20: Mix It Up
Sometimes it’s the small things that can make a big impact, something I recently noticed is the importance of seating arrangements in client meetings or even casual dinners with friends. People tend to stick in groups with other people they already know.
While I know it can be tempting or it just happens that way, but you should NOT seat 3 people from your team directly across from 3 clients. Subconsciously, it sets up an “us vs them” vibe (unless of course the client chose their seats or asked for a certain arrangement). If you can get to the meeting space earlier or have control over seating plans, then make sure people are sitting in a way that encourages teamwork, shared dialogue, and “we are all in this together”.
The same thing applies to dinners, parties, and other situations where people from multiple “groups” are expected to interact. When possible, try to mix people, make the necessary introductions, and create a more inclusive environment for everyone involved. These small adjustments can play a major role in how we interact with each other.
May 21: Set Realistic Expectations
“We’re going to give you everything you wanted and more, in less time and less cost!” – you promise your clients as they are getting increasingly excited with your confidence and expertise. Fast forward… and you’re behind schedule, over budget, and are scrambling to find ways to reduce scope. I don’t think your clients are going to be particularly happy to hear about it. Sounds familiar?
The most common pitfall I keep seeing in the business world (though this equally applies in many other settings) is promising mountains and failing to deliver. Overselling the final output and failing to reach it – a misstep that can erode trust and tarnish reputations. Sometimes, permanently.
Take a moment and think of the times you’ve been in this situation, what could you have done to set yourself up for success? I’ve adopted a simple approach – promise realistically and then exceed expectations. Note, I did not say “Underpromise. Overdeliver.” This approach only breeds mediocrity, undersells your capabilities, undervalues your expertise, and often is very easy to see through. I advocate for setting realistic expectations and then going above and beyond to surpass them. By doing so, you not only mitigate the risk of disappointment but also create opportunities for learning, growth, and leaving a lasting impression. Setting realistic expectations is also a great exercise in transparency and open communication because it allows you to work together with your leaders, teams, and clients and set reasonable targets and achievable milestones that make sense to everyone.
When you consistently over-deliver on expectations, you’re not just delivering a service; you’re creating an aura of competency and forging strong relationships built on trust and reliability. People remember those who go the extra mile, and they’re more likely to recommend your services and become repeat customers.
Next time you’re committing to something, whether in your professional or personal life, take a moment and evaluate its feasibility. Better set the right expectations early on and set yourself and your team up for success, than promise the world and fail to deliver. No one cares about promises, people care about results.
May 22: The Importance of Timely Communication
One of the simplest things you can do to build strong client relationships is to respond in timely manner. A client called you? Pick up the phone. Messaged you? Send them a quick message back. Emailed you with a question? Don’t delay and send them a response. I often see communication getting stale and resolution slowing down due to lack of responsiveness.
Don’t rush anything, but don’t linger on it either, make sure that you respond the moment you can. Take your time to formulate a good response, find the right information, take care of their needs, there is nothing wrong with dropping a quick note saying that you’re “working on it”. It’s not about being glued to your phone, or sending half completed work – it’s about being attentive and acknowledging your client’s needs. Being responsive lets your clients know that there is someone on the other side that can take care of them. A true VIP service!
Timely responses to clients are also crucial in building strong, trusting relationships. Being responsive is not just good etiquette, it also demonstrates competence and reliability. When clients receive prompt replies, they feel valued and confident in your ability to address their needs. This, in turn, fosters trust and openness, making future communications smoother and more productive.
Moreover, timely responses show that you respect your clients’ time and priorities. It reassures them that their concerns are important to you, enhancing their overall experience and satisfaction. By prioritizing responsiveness, you not only improve client relations but also strengthen your professional reputation, paving the way for long-term success.
May 23: Always Be Prepared
When it comes to projecting competence and confidence with your clients, one lesson stands out above all: staying organized is non-negotiable. Whether it’s knowing what’s next in your calendar, swiftly accessing archived emails and reference materials, or maintaining a clear folder structure for yourself and your teams… organization is the compass that guides us through the chaos of our daily work.
Being organized isn’t just about tidying up your desk or color-coding your files (though those certainly help!). It’s about cultivating a mindset of efficiency and preparedness in everything you do. When your digital and physical spaces are well-ordered, when your information is readily available at your fingertips, and you can recall details with ease, you become better equipped to tackle challenges head-on and seize opportunities the moment they show up.
It’s very easy to see who is organized and who is constantly scrambling to find something. There is a big gap between how these two types of individuals carry themselves, how they run meetings, what interactions with them look like, and how much we trust them. Spend a few minutes daily to organize and reorganize as required based on the day’s agenda, and make sure you look, act, and are prepared.
May 24: Mastering Etiquette
As we close a week of insights about productive behaviours with our clients and colleagues, Emily Post’s book “Etiquette” comes to mind. It has gone through multiple iterations over the decades to stay current as our society advances, but at its core, provides timeless guidance on the art of good manners and proper conduct.
I find that people often misinterpret what etiquette actually means – old fashioned, rigid, superficial rules that are only appropriate in formal situations or elitist circles. In reality, etiquette is simply the art of making social interactions smoother and more pleasant. Post framed it perfectly nearly a century ago: “Etiquette is not a rigid code of manners. It is simply how persons’ lives touch one another”.
Get yourself a copy of the latest edition, it’s filled with various tips and guidelines on how to act different scenarios we all encounter in our life, both professionally and personally. The book is long but you don’t have to read it cover to cover, use it as a guidebook instead, finding topics that are applicable to your life.
You probably already know and follow many of the suggestions the book outlines, but there are always hidden gems in every chapter that will make positive impact on your interactions with client, coworkers, friends, and family. Covering a variety of key pillars of human interaction ranging from respect, active listening, reliability, to trust.
Thank you for joining me on this journey of growth and discovery. I hope these insights illuminate your path forward as you pursue your aspirations with purpose and determination. See you in next week’s edition!
