A Contract for Client-Centric Healthy Paranoia Three things I or my team will commit to over the next sixty days to more aggressively and uniquely sniff out potential issues that might exist with my client:

FROM a leader who values activity, TO a leader who values aligned achievement.

Think of ways you can help your client beyond what’s in the SOW. How can you make your contact’s life easier? Can you even get him or her promoted?

Use some type of lens or chart to really analyze what is at stake and to determine how much to invest. Apply math and odds to determine what is truly at risk before determining the appropriate investment into the work.

Use your interview time wisely. There’s a lot you cannot address because of the time constraints, but if you’re prepared, you can at least have a general discussion with the candidate about this limitation, and that discussion can show a lot about their personality.

Are you a builder, an evolver, or a caretaker? Here you are looking to understand: (1) how self-aware that person is; and (2) what their prime mode of operations is.

Learning how to advocate in a rigor-based manner is not easy, but there is a methodology. Next, you see the CRER formula: Context, Risk/Reward, Economics, and Recommendation.

There is a great Einstein quote that goes, “Not everything that counts can be counted, and not everything that can be counted, counts.”

Take a minute to talk to your colleagues about how they run their meetings. They might have some great ideas specific to your department.