#3: Reframing requirements vs. Meeting requirements

In this series, we look at 15 skills that add impact to your role, whether you work within an organisation or as a self-employed professional.

In the last two editions, we looked at #1: the power of context questioning and #2: Co-creating insights with clients.

Just as it’s the job of servants to meet requirements, it’s the job of high-value trusted professionals to reframe requirements. Put very simply, if you want to be valued, you need to able to do more than just what you are told. 

This is an important lesson for many service functions within organisations, such as HR, Systems, Marketing, Communications etc. All too often, these professionals are expected to simply “execute” the business imperatives of Sales / Operations / Management etc. In the constant drive to be better servants, they can unwittingly devalue their own work.

What is “reframing”?

Reframing requirements means shifting the customer’s thinking: changing their perspective on a problem, perhaps by for example…

- Adding a new option

- Re-prioritising

- Magnifying the potential (or risk)

- Connecting two unconnected projects

- Anticipating an unforeseen barrier

Reframing adds value up-front. It establishes your credibility and shows you know the issues. It gets the customer thinking in new and different ways. Reframing builds trust – showing that you are not just “yes people”. It leads to a better approach for everyone.

Partner vs. Servant

One of the most important distinctions I learned in my consulting career was that it’s more important to “make the client think than to make the client happy”. 

You can do this in a multitude of ways e.g. by offering unique perspectives, seeing multiple dimensions, helping the client navigate alternatives, identifying potential landmines, educating clients on new developments, providing new means to tackle tough problems. In this way you behave as a partner to your client… not just their servant.

However, It’s really important that reframing comes not from arrogance, but from a deep commitment to adding value. Otherwise, it’s just a nuisance! Therefore, in practice is closely linked to the skill of insights that we covered in the last newsletter. 

As already noted, this is a significant area of development from many internal functions in organisations… notably HR. All too often, service focused professionals then backwards to meet everybody’s needs.

As a result, they often have little time or energy left for strategic engagement. Furthermore, the faster they execute, the more they get to execute.

Shaping Requirements

Do you want to add more impact and value in your work?  If so, you are welcome to schedule a call here.

The fastest route to higher revenue is doing higher-value work. The simplicity of this is a constant surprise. Almost everything else takes longer and/or costs more. Typical examples of higher value work undertaken by recent clients include:

• Tailoring a technical / financial / legal offer with up-front insights, so that the value is clearer
• Doing essentially the same work, but with better customers, who not only pay more but put more effort into the programme
• Challenging clients and partners to contribute more to the end-result
• Bringing fresh perspectives to clients so that your judgement is more respected
• Being fluent in the risks of adopting an inadequate/cheaper approach

In all cases, these professionals were actively shaping requirements, not just blindly following the instructions of others.

Advanced Consulting Skills, summary

For your reference, here is the full table of 15 advanced skills that add impact and value to all forms of professional work. In this edition, we covered #3. More to follow in subsequent newsletters.

#1. Context questioning

#2. Sharing insights, co-creating new insights with clients

#3. Reframing requirements

#4. Exceeding expectations

#5. Compelling presentations and emails

#6. Facilitation skills e.g. opening a meeting, wrapping up

#7. Boosting / maintaining project momentum 

#8. Influencing skills e.g. overcoming objections

#9. Discussing money & resources 

#10. Doing proposals with the client, not for the client

#11. Anticipating the next step of the journey during delivery

#12. Building rapport and empathy

#13. Uncovering and communicating value e.g. success stories

#14. Boosting client career-success, getting referrals

#15. Juggling competing commitments

© John Niland, June 2024. For enquiries about John as coach or speaker, on topics of self-worth and professional identity,

see www.selfworthacademy.com or email john@selfworthacademy.com