Right Opportunities: Be Willing to Walk Away

A few months ago, a friend from college reached out to me. He had recently joined a 40-year-old, well-established company. The company had always done well and was very profitable, but when it measured itself against its competition, they felt they could be doing even better. It was family run and the third generation was being brought into the executive ranks.

My college friend had contacted me because they decided they needed somebody to come in and facilitate a strategic planning session. I was excited about the opportunity. I had done this sort of facilitation a number of times and clients were pleased with how things went.

My friend liked what he heard about the process we would go through, so he forwarded my information to the CFO who had a background in strategy.

Something Changed
The CFO and I connected for a brief phone call. The CFO started with: “Jack, I’m not sure if my colleague explained our needs as I would have. Let me tell you where this is headed.” We proceeded to have a very frank and respectful conversation. The CFO thought the executive team needed executive coaching prior to engaging in any sort of strategic planning. After he explained to me the “why” behind his opinion, I agreed.

Then… I told him, I was not the right person for the engagement.

Whoa! Why would any sales professional do that?!? Well, it was because it was the right thing to do. I knew I could probably coach most of these folks, but I also knew it would only be an okay job… not a great job. And, I knew some people who could do a great job. That is why I told the CFO who they were and why I felt they were the right fit. The conversation continued for a while longer. At the end, the CFO thanked me for my honesty and the referrals.

Right Opportunities
Opportunities need to be the right fit. Initially, it may look great but it is important you qualify them in every step of the sales process. You need to connect with all of the stakeholders who have a vested interest in the decision, because what is really needed may not be what you originally thought.

If your focus is setting the potential client up for success, it makes sense to be willing to walk away. And just as importantly, you want to set yourself and your organization up for success by focusing your limited time and effort on the Right Opportunities.

If you would like assistance figuring out a process for assessing your opportunities, we would be glad to help (if it is a good fit for both organizations). Just respond to this email or give us a call at (858) 863-9913 to start the conversation.