Clients First: The Two Word Miracle

Just Say “Next”

You might find it awkward at first. You might tell someone that you have decided to put Clients First, and they may react in any number of ways, some of them negative. Just remember the farmer and the paving contractor. Everything has a plus and a minus. If someone responds in a negative fashion, just let it slide.

Late-night television host David Letterman often reads jokes from index cards. Sometimes they get laughs and sometimes they die. When that happens, David flicks the card off into the backdrop of the television set as though to say, “Next.” David uses this flicking gesture to protect himself from rejection. If some people don’t just fall all over themselves with admiration for your new commitment to putting Clients First, say, “Next” and move on.

I’ve had people say things like, “I would hope so,” or “Of course you should.” They might think I’m stating the obvious. But the obvious often needs restating. Don’t be afraid to speak your commitment. It is for you that you do it, and for the most part it will receive a positive response. To let those negative people so pompously dismiss your commitment is to let the forces of evil steal your passion.

Be passionate. Be unrepentant. Be bold. Speak your commitment and claim your reward.

And remember to keep speaking your commitment. Clients First is not for just a day, a week, or a month. It is for always, which brings us to our next step.