When less is more

Had a meeting recently where as a third party i was able to sit back and watch the courting process from a fairly unbiased position.

Unfortunately for one of my principals, during the course of the informal meeting, it became apparent that, how can i say this tactfully.......i can't. Basically he just couldn't (or wouldn't) SHUT UP!

In an effort to push his business he forgot to listen to the client.

I have a general rule. If i go to a meeting and I have talked more than the client then i know its been a failure. A failure for many reasons...

1. Clients like to be heard and they, like most people like the sound of their own voices. If they are the client then that is their right!

2. If I have talked too much the chances are that in my excitement I have actually "failed to listen". Terrible outcome when as a service provider I am trying to understand the clients problems. And clients don't always TALK verbally....they communicate by the way they stay silent, move their hands, move their eyes, and by the way they sit...

For me I try to look out for all those clues. And in truth this is a skill that has helped me read situations that others fail to understand.

3. Generally if I talk too much I say the wrong thing! Eventually anyway..

So whats the moral here...

ITS NOT ABOUT ME (AND YOU)!!!! (its about the client)

Cheers
VS