The Push Back (Or Letting Go)

Whether you are a lawyer, recruiter, or a brain surgeon your expertise can be your trump card.

I will start with a disclaimer, I am not encouraging you to be pushy, even though, let’s face it, it’s sometimes necessary. ?I’d like to highlight the power of pushback, the technique that may help you in achieving your goals.

Pushback enables you to influence any situation and it’s one of the most effective methods to help you in hopeless situations vs. situations where you can add a real value.

Quite recently I have been in a situation that really inspired me to write this, so I thought it was only right I share my experience which may help/encourage YOU to practice this tool. The best part is - you don’t have to be in recruitment to apply this tool!

I was working one of those “niche roles”; after presenting the shortlist with a few potential candidates, the client and I caught up on a call. One of the profiles, in my opinion, was a perfect match. I am saying this not because of the CV, but because of the in-depth conversation that I had with the candidate, taking time to really get into his CV/experience and more importantly his wants and needs.?This matched perfectly to my clients wants! When writing my summary about this candidate to the client, I tried to ensure all the relevant skills and experience were properly outlined (and showing they were my favorite candidate). Guess what? The client was not impressed, in fact they said they don’t feel there is anything that stands out on this profile, hence rejected the opportunity to interview. ?Other than the utter disappointment I was left with 2 choices.?Choice 1 - accept this and let go (there are other good candidates out there, you just need to look harder) or choice 2 - stand my ground and explain why I have a different point of view. This is when a pushback plays its part. Of course, I went with choice 2!

Would you believe it if I told you that because of a pushback, the situation took a complete U turn? As a result of a “constructive pushback”, the candidate was shortlisted and later offered a job. Sounds like a happy ending, but behind these actions is a structured process with a combination of expertise, accountability, and communication as core elements. Overall happy Candidate and a happy Client, WIN WIN I would say!

It goes without saying you need to be 100% accurate about every statement you make. Your pushback will never work if you don’t have credibility and the image of a trustworthy partner and will not work if you do not believe in what you are selling. Your pushback will never work if you come across irrational, aggressive or have unsupported and weak reasoning. It’s more likely to work though, if you highlight how this candidate can add value and help in resolving certain challenges that your client has shared with you, based on the relevant examples or success stories.

We learn as we go, and it won’t happen overnight and certainly there is a time and place to push back. The good news is that possessing a positive attitude and motivation can be a great start to practicing this awesome tool!

Let me know how and when a proper pushback has helped you in achieving your goals or changed the outcome? Let’s exchange experiences and share ideas which can change lives in the long run!