Contract Talks-continued…

So, how is it that June 7th can turn into June 21st? I mean crazy…it is summer. I’m blaming it on the South Carolina heat! Sorry for the absence, but a much needed break took over. I will however be continuing my thoughts this week about contracting talks. I’m back!

So, after talking about being clear and explicit about what is needed when you are initializing contracts I move toward something a little less clear. That is the scope of the work. Sometimes, in fact many times, when I enter into a contract I identify what looks as if will be the focus of the work but when I get “inside” the project or “on the ground” so to speak it looks completely different. What to do then? Well, if you allowed for this while having your initial contracting conversations then you are free to move about a bit. This is what I want you to always do. The reality is that we never know precisely what the work will look like until we get into it. The longer we are in practice, the more direct sense we may have of what is a most likely scenario, but can’t know for sure until operating in the project parameters.

How then do you discuss with a client that you know what they need to pay you, and you think you know what the work will look like, but you might be wrong without looking like a complete idiot? Well…finesse. What you do, is keep handy concrete examples of other projects that began one way, but ended another…all the while serving the clients needs. Some of the changes in direction even enhanced or improved upon the initial concept proposal…definitely use those in these next contract talks. If clients see that you really have positive experiences that have emerged from unknown but necessary changes it reduces anxiety and quite honestly makes you look less foolish. So, my thought for the day is that there are ways to be vague and ask for leeway, but not sound like you just have no clue what you are doing. Good evaluation is living and breathing and therefore it is a good evaluator’s task to create a living breathing contract that will allow the project to be properly and effectively evaluated.  Have a great week everyone.