Using Radical Candor to Improve Client Trust

When things aren’t going perfectly with clients, we’re not only brutally honest, but we’re the first to bring it up. But it took years for my co-founder and I to build up the courage. I used to be a pleaser. Terrified of having difficult conversations with clients. Worried about hurting feelings. Maybe that’s because it’s how most agencies operate—vague promises, smoke and mirrors, kicking the can down the road. Never ‘it’s our fault.’ Always ‘we're just waiting for the algorithm changes to settle’ or ‘we just need to adjust the target audience slightly’. But that approach tends to backfire. What starts out as discomfort (because everyone knows things aren’t quite going well) becomes an acid that eats through and eventually destroys the relationship. The truth is that clients aren't stupid. They wouldn’t be where they are if they were. They know when they’re being fed BS. And they deserve the truth. For example, last year, we had a client whose campaigns weren't hitting their targets. Instead of dancing around it, we told them: 'We can hit this conversion target, but only by turning on low-quality traffic that won't actually help your business long-term. Let's either set a realistic target or plan a clean transition.’ Was it uncomfortable? Absolutely.  But it led to a series of honest conversations. It also led to the kind of newfound mutual respect only unvarnished candor creates. Thoughts? Discuss.

“What we want most is your candor.” That’s what a client told me recently when I asked what success would look like for our engagement. It struck me just how rare candor has become in the workplace—and how much of a gift it is when someone offers it. Years ago, I was working with an organization that wanted to take their PMO to the next level—ostensibly. But as we dug into the work, a funny thing happened. Despite our best efforts, not a single executive agreed to meet with us to provide input. It was clear—the biggest blockers weren’t processes or templates. The issue was at the top. When I finally had the chance to present to the leadership team, I laid out two paths: ➡️ One was a surface-level fix: a few better tools and processes. A 5-15% gain, maybe. ➡️The other was a real transformation—but it required resources, attention, and prioritization they weren’t showing signs of committing to. So I told them the truth: This isn’t a good investment for you right now. The CEO was visibly upset. (He actually stormed out of the room). But when he came back 15 minutes later, he thanked me. “It’s not a lot of consultants who would talk us OUT of spending money with them. But you’re right. This just isn’t important right now.” And even though they chose the lighter path (and we didn't continue working together), they became one of our most trusted references. Candor can be uncomfortable in the moment. But in the long run, it builds trust in a way that buzzwords and bullet points never can. Curious—what role does candor play in your work? And how do you decide when to lean into it? #Leadership #Consulting #OrganizationalEffectiveness #Trust #PMO

Over the last 14 years I have prided myself on ALWAYS telling clients the truth. Even when it costs you business Here's why it's (usually) the right approach Over the last 14 years I have built my reputation on radical honesty. When multiple candidates reject a role due to a company's poor reputation, I have an obligation to not hide it. I have an obligation to go straight to the client with the truth: "Qualified candidates are declining this opportunity specifically because of what they've heard about your company culture." Most clients appreciate this candor. It gives them invaluable market feedback they'd never hear otherwise And allows them to address reputation issues they might not even know exist. Of course, some clients react defensively and end the relationship on the spot. (Vary Rarely) I see this as a natural filter – these things weren't the right partnerships anyway. If a client can't handle honest feedback about their reputation in the market, they likely can't handle honest feedback about their hiring process or compensation structure either. This approach builds massive trust with the clients who stay. Everyone that has worked with me knows I'll never sacrifice honesty & Integrity for a quick commission. In today's job market, your employer reputation travels faster than ever, same with candidates. So does my reputation....... It could take years to build a relationship with a company and 5 minutes to destroy everything you have built by not doing the HONEST and right things. The recruiters who tell you what you need to hear – not what you want to hear – are the ones truly worth partnering with. They might be direct but they always have your best interest in mind. I might be very direct on my approach, but transparency is the key to building a long term relationship with clients and candidates.

🐝 Yesterday I was having a conversation with a customer success friend in another organization. Recalling some of my earliest experiences in customer success, I remembered the most important tool I used: ✨ Radical transparency ✨ Our instinct as humans is to excuse, cover, and soften the blow of our errors. When it comes to customer success we can quickly become crisis managers giving PR answers to issues our clients are facing. Instead, try radical transparency. Instead of this: "This is an error that is out of our control based on our service provider outage" Try this: "I want to be fully honest and transparent with you, this is a failure on our part. We failed to prepare for the possibility of an outage with a failsafe. Now, here is what we are going to do moving forward to make sure this does not happen again:" Instead of saying this on a QBR: "Your data looks great! You are doing A, B, and C well, and we don't really need to worry about D" Try this: "I am always going to be as honest as possible with you, even though there is positive data here, we need to dig into why D is below our benchmark. Here's the plan I have put together to improve that in the next quarter:" Here are the elements I use when being radically transparent: 1. TELL people you are being transparent, this sets the tone of what is to come. 2. Take FULL responsibility for whatever failure has occured. 3. Come into the conversation with a plan to make sure the failure doesn't repeat itself. When you practice this kind of transparency you make sure clients not only feel heard, but trust that you are not hiding behind a PR excuse. We always say as CSMs we want to build trust with our clients, this is where you start. #tech #saas #customersuccess #customersuccessmanager