Getting Naked

A very interesting, insightful and powerful book about what it really means to be a consultant and how you can make situations win-win-win. The author, Patrick Lencioni, details his experience while at one of the largest and most prestigious consulting firms and how his views on handling clients and living life changed when he was tasked with trying to implement a much different acquisition, Lighthouse Partners. Lighthouse Partners was a smaller, boutique consulting firm and they had what Patrick described as a "country club" culture. However, they were somehow stealing clients from his current firm and he couldn't understand why or how. He learned that Lighthouse made themselves completely "naked" to the client - honest, transparent and vulnerable. By being this trusting and honest, they created a unique and successful dynamic that enabled them to attract more clients who were ultimately happier and actually paying more. Key Takeaways Patrick had 3 fears when being naked but found the opposite actually occurred: Fear of losing the business because you admit that you don't have every answer. Actually engenders trust and loyalty Fear of being embarrassed because you withhold ideas from the client. Some terrible ideas may surface but will be forgotten because of the great ideas that will ultimately arise Fear of feeling inferior because you show you are willing to do whatever it takes to help them solve their problem instead of trying to build self up in front of the client. What I got out of it: I truly believe that with enough creativity and determination, nearly any situation can be made win-win-win. In this case, the clients were happier, the consulting firm made more money and they came up with better solutions than they otherwise might have. Powerful book and concept that can be applied to every facet of life