How do you improve client relationships with best practices from other fields?

1 Use the Johari window model

The Johari window is a psychological tool that helps you understand yourself and others better by mapping out four areas of knowledge: what you and others know about you (open area), what you know but others don't (hidden area), what others know but you don't (blind area), and what neither you nor others know (unknown area). By using this model, you can increase the open area and reduce the hidden and blind areas, which can improve your self-awareness, feedback, and rapport with your clients. You can use the Johari window as a framework for asking and answering questions, sharing feedback, and revealing information that can strengthen your mutual understanding and trust.

2 Apply the principles of user-centered design

User-centered design is a design approach that focuses on understanding the needs, preferences, and goals of the end users of a product or service, and creating solutions that are tailored to them. As a consultant, you can apply the principles of user-centered design to your client relationships by empathizing with your clients, involving them in the problem-solving process, testing and iterating your solutions, and delivering value that meets their expectations and requirements. By doing so, you can create a more collaborative and satisfying relationship with your clients, and increase their satisfaction and loyalty.

3 Adopt the mindset of a teacher

As a consultant, you are not only a problem-solver, but also a teacher. You have to educate your clients about the issues, solutions, and best practices that relate to their goals and challenges. To do this effectively, you need to adopt the mindset of a teacher, which means you have to understand your clients' learning styles, motivations, and barriers, and use appropriate methods and tools to facilitate their learning. You can use techniques such as storytelling, analogies, visuals, quizzes, and case studies to make your content more engaging, memorable, and relevant. By adopting the mindset of a teacher, you can help your clients learn and grow, and position yourself as a trusted advisor and partner.

4 Incorporate gamification elements

Gamification is the use of game elements and mechanics to enhance the motivation, engagement, and behavior of people in non-game contexts. As a consultant, you can incorporate gamification elements into your client relationships to make them more fun, rewarding, and challenging. You can use elements such as points, badges, levels, leaderboards, challenges, and rewards to incentivize your clients to achieve their goals, track their progress, compete with others, and celebrate their achievements. You can also use elements such as feedback, narratives, avatars, and social interactions to create a more immersive and personalized experience for your clients. By incorporating gamification elements, you can make your client relationships more enjoyable and meaningful.

5 Leverage the power of storytelling

Storytelling is one of the most effective ways to communicate, persuade, and inspire people. As a consultant, you can leverage the power of storytelling to improve your client relationships by using stories to convey your messages, showcase your value, and connect with your clients on an emotional level. You can use stories to illustrate the problems and solutions that you are working on, highlight the benefits and outcomes that your clients can expect, and share your own experiences and insights that relate to your clients' situations. You can also use stories to build rapport, trust, and empathy with your clients, and to elicit their feedback and opinions. By leveraging the power of storytelling, you can make your client relationships more memorable and impactful.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?