How many times has someone said to you, “I’m not getting a sense of urgency from you”?
And how many times has it happened because work wasn’t getting done on an accelerated timeline?
For me, the answers are more times than I can count and none, respectively, which always used to leave me confused. In my younger years, I may have thought said out loud to anyone who would listen that this was the stupidest thing I ever heard. I couldn’t possibly understand why anyone would complain when getting the results they need.
I don’t know if maturity or work experience in the client service space deserves the bulk of the credit, but I have a clarity now I didn’t have back then. And I’ll let you in on what I’ve observed about people.
People care more about the experience than the product or service itself.
A key component of this idea is making the client feel like you understand their pain. You can say you get it all you want but until you show you get it, your clients won’t be confident you have the situation under control. Kind of ironic you have to show a bit of crazy/frenzy to convince people you have things handled, but that’s the world we live in.
The same concept applies to job interviews. I said it before and I’ll say it again. If people don’t like you, they won’t work with you or buy work from you, no matter how many apt qualifications you have.
When thinking about how best to explain this I come back to parenting as the closest example. Every day I work with clients I find an absurd amount of similarities to the experience of raising children. My two kids are 5 and almost 3, and they love when we make a big deal about something good they did or some boo-boo they have (real or imaginary makes no difference). Even if you don’t have kids of your own I’m sure you’ve seen this. Celebrating key project milestones and commiserating over pain points of a flawed business process…same thing.
So next time you hear someone say they’re not getting a sense of urgency from you just know they’re trying to tell you nicely to show them a little more emotion so they can see you feel for them instead of you just telling them what to do.
Of course don’t get carried away though because then you just look like an amateur…
Click this link (3 ways to show a sense of urgency) or the box below to download 3 tips for demonstrating a sense of urgency.
Click Here For My Free Cheatsheet: 3 Things Guaranteed To Show Your Sense Of Urgency
Eric Butts says
July 9, 2013 at 5:50 PMthanks, Mitch. I may have to steal that phrase. It definitely takes some time to get used to the idea. Glad it finally got through to me!
Mitch Browne says
July 9, 2013 at 3:31 PMGreat article – used to call this ‘fake hustle’ and it is definitely a valuable skill!
Not Surprised says
November 15, 2016 at 6:17 PMConsultant, MBA, CPA… I’m not surprised, should read
Eric Butts, BLA, BLA, BLA
I hope no one or no company has paid you a fee. If so, you should be in jail for committing theft. I am certain, you are struggling to make any $$ at this point with your lack of knowledge about what “Sense of Urgency” means. Which in fact is the very reason why you are hurting financially. 1st you can’t handle rejection. Sales 101 Buddy, don’t ever let a NO allow your mind to tell you they really meant NO. Take responsibility for the fact you could have made a bit more income by working a littler harder, by being a bit more confident, (you throw MBA and CPA around behind your name) so act like a big shot. If you had amore of a sense of urgency, you would make more $$ and would have sent your kids to a Prep school, instead their at a public school, b/c you say its the best place for them. That’s what you did when you decided to let the NO change your mind about the client liking me or not. Make sure when your kids become of age you sit them down and teach them your lesson so eloquently framed in your blind post…. see below, read this to yourself in the mirror and learn how negative, weak, give up, poor me, I was bullied in grade school, never had a date and I still haven’t gotten over it….
“The same concept applies to job interviews. I said it before and I’ll say it again. If people don’t like you, they won’t work with you or buy work from you, no matter how many apt qualifications you have.”
1. No one wants more emotion, they want the results accurate and before the deadline. That’s how you get repeat clients, referrals, and more $$$$$$. That’s called growing a business beyond 1 employee = U
2. You are the typical Consultant, couldn’t make it in corporate (b/c you can’t handle deadlines, always blame somebody else (management) b/c you cant understand why anyone is pushing you to meet a deadline. Im sure the quality of your work is not worth waiting for.
3. Finally, nice all BLACK cartoon.
4. I know you voted for Hillary C.
5. Your 2nd 2 last paragraph is …. discombobulated, I know you will not figure it out
6. Your analogy to your kids is …… u didn’t make it in the corporate world b/c u r so misunderstood. I get it, you were born w/ this unfortunate personality and you have chosen to accept it and give up on yourself and your kids, I’m certain your wife has already given up on you by now.
Simply, show a bit, just a tiny bit of “Sense of Urgency” and get back out there and change your give up attitude. WORK man, Hillary did not get elected, your going to need to work now. Move along little doggie.
Yours Truly,
Trying To Help You Enjoy The Rest of Your Life and Be A Producer not a Consumer
Eric Butts says
November 15, 2016 at 6:28 PMThis is a great comment because you clearly have no idea what you’re talking about. I appreciate you reading though. When you’re ready to talk facts, we can have a real discussion. You obviously know how to reach me.
Christene says
December 16, 2016 at 7:41 PMHi Eric,
I really find most of your posts useful and you are doing at least something constructive than someone who has the nerve to be inhumane. I mean, I don’t find anything wrong in the cartoon that you posted Eric. Seriously, whether it’s black or white, it doesn’t really matter. The information you’re trying to convey is more important. I usually don’t comment but I just had to do it because the comment above (Not Surprised Says) can’t be justified. People who view other folks based on their color and not their heart tend to be offended by such cartoons. You don’t have to bother about that. And nobody has the right to intrude, let alone comment about one’s personal lives. Whether you vote for Trump or Clinton, where your kids study or what your wife does, What’s his problem? But Eric, I believe that people who tend to attack personally rather than provide constructive criticism are either :
1) Immature
2) Jealous of your happiness/progress/skills
3) May be mentally affected due to some events in their life
Anyway, Ignoring such people is the best way Eric because if you try to converse with them again, they’ll only try to argue and hurt you again. You will only be wasting your time. So just move on and continue with your awesome work as you do always. My best wishes for you to write great articles and be happy always 🙂
Eric Butts says
December 17, 2016 at 10:57 PMChristene – This really made my day! I appreciate you taking the time to comment this time. The encouragement goes a long way. I will keep focused on the path in front of me and focusing on making next year a great one 🙂