When clients are upset and just out of themselves the trick is... LISTEN. Using that technique all consultants learn: Listen, Listen, Listen. And afterwards understand the motive. If they are correct, just put yourself in their shoes and think of a solution. At that point, customers feel receptivity and feel there is someone on the other side listening to them - there’s an openness and willingness to solve the matter at hand.

From my personal experience, I believe letting them pour their hearts out and offering a “shoulder to cry on” and later telling them how we’re going solve the problem usually works.

First of all, I don’t believe managers should cry in public. A manager should be “strong”, bullet proof, no crying – no showing of that type of emotion to customer or to the team.

But I’ll confess to one thing, in 2016 I had one of those moments. It was a difficult year for me, an intense project that provoked an intense personal emotion. Mainly because I believe we did an outstanding job with a young team, who grew up throughout this project on a personal and professional level. However, in the end we didn’t come out as successful as we had hoped and worked for. We struggled as a team after the project went live (we were tired) and small things became huge problems. It upset me because after 8 long months of development, the last 2 months were tough and unfair for the hard work until then.

In reality, I didn’t cry. But I really wanted to.

Besides this specific episode, with more or less difficulties I’ve managed to handle it.

Overall, I don’t see how being nervous can be an advantage. Many consider being nervous is associated to high levels of adrenaline, more focus. However, I believe it limits us, our own way of being, of telling a story, because it imposes a rigorous “script“ instead.

Being nervous while being well prepared, can be surpassed – because being prepared always helps. However, many times those nerves are associated to little preparation.

With time people have come to know me, I’m many times too straightforward and not very cautious with my words. I believe when used cautiously it can be something positive. Many times, this straightforwardness, direct form of communication brings attention to what is really happening. It’s a way of unblocking specific situations and bringing about effective solutions.

Nothing! Absolutely nothing! I think everything on earth is less painful than opening a box with a broken iPhone. I’d rather cut my wrists. (Just kidding)

If I absolutely had to compare it to a project, I’d say losing your “right-hand man” or perhaps missing a strategic opportunity inherent to the project or lead.

I think people recognize two specific characteristics of mine:

• My strong personality and the energy I put into things
• And something I do quite often, pranks

I have this habit of pulling pranks on my colleagues and seeing their reaction to these pranks. Those pranks and the other person’s consequent action makes me laugh out loud! I also work with two other extremely funny people who make me laugh on a daily basis.

I could share a few stories but perhaps we’ll leave that for another time. Wouldn’t want to give anybody any ideas.