Build me up, Buttercup
September 11, 2007 | by brett | Permalink
I canceled more interviews than I conducted while in Boston. That sucks. I was left with an empty feeling knowing what could have been had there been more communication, and better expectation management.
Cancellations trace back to communication. I learned a few months ago about the importance of laying it all on the table for the other party when I upset a potential sponsor for not informing them there were other interested investors.
Empty feelings can be a result of high expectations. A few weeks ago the PTP team attended a dinner party, where the host looked forward to a lot more than what we delivered. Our failure to meet the night her imagination had created resulted in a badmouth bashing on her blog.
These lessons reared their ugly heads last night when I heard the disappointment in Tracy Boyce’s voice after telling her we weren’t going to make it to Bridgeport, CT that night for an interview.
I had communicated through email with Tracy in mid-June when she submitted her story. She told me how she was a single mother of four, recently divorced, and working in a bookkeeping job to pay the bills. One day she asked her boss for a raise to match the workload she was undertaking, and was fired. She decided to pursue her passion because she had nothing to lose, and has now become New England’s premier Feng Shui practitioner.
When Tracy called me this morning to see if we were still on for tonight, I had to cancel. We weren’t due out of Boston until 3pm (we ended up leaving at 6pm) and we were going to take our Boston host (Mitch) to New York with us so he could catch a flight on 9/11. Tracy was in Connecticut, on the way to New York, but stopping would still put us behind schedule because Zach’s Mom’s friend was expecting us for a chili dinner. It was a sticky situation, and it was one that I hate being in.
This whole thing could have been avoided if I applied the communications and expectation management lessons from earlier in the journey. It goes to show that those lessons are not a one time thing. They’re an ongoing process, and have to constantly be practiced so these Tracy-like situations can be avoided.
Lesson Learned.
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Steve Says:
September 11th, 2007
Juggling priorities in life is a constant challenge and it will be for the rest of your life. Clear communication coupled with realistic expectations (like setting your calendar) is key. Remember, nobody is perfect. Take a deep breath, do your best, and remember that you will always be a student - keep learning and learning and learning….
Eric Says:
September 11th, 2007
Brett,
You are right about communication and expectation management, but you are missing one key thing here and that is commitment.
You committed to Tracy and did not deliver. Even if you cancelled a week ago, she still would have been disappointed. I think a lesson to learn here is to watch what you commit to. Don’t over commit up front.
I don’t mean to be critical here, so please take it in the spirit in which it is intended. Zach’s Mom’s friend’s chili dinner seems like it should have been prioritized below Tracy. So if you had to miss one of them, the dinner should have gone.
I have some professional scars that came from not following through with commitments.
Kelly G Says:
September 11th, 2007
Unfortunately keeping up with the schedule that you have is a constant challenge. These things do happen, so don’t beat yourself over it. Tracy sounds like an amazing person, and if she is willing, it would be nice to get a phone interview with her. She made a gutsy move and I am glad she has found her niche with feng shui!!!! Way to go Tracy!!!
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