What are you selling?
What are you selling?
Are you of the mind that your "talent" is a scarcity?
Talented people are shocked when they aren’t promoted or are let go
Really smart people often forget they are selling a service to a client
Who is your Client? What are you selling? How is your product?
Example: Private Equity principals/partners have two clients:
Sell expensive capital to companies
Sell asset management services to LPs
Wearing both Sales hats is a difficult job:
Do potential portfolio companies perceive value in partnering with you? (or you can always pay the most)
Do LPs perceive value in your process and culture?
Mid-level PE employees provide analytic/support services every day to your Partners & Principals
If your clients don't like your service, you will not get promoted or you'll be let go
Exercise:
What do your Clients want?
What do they value?
Does that busy work actually mean anything?
So many "talented" professionals are myopically focused on their own needs and anxieties; and their own opinions of quality
Successful professionals focus on the needs of their Clients. As excellent Sales people, they check in regularly to listen to what their Clients need
What are you Selling?