by Bob O'Connor
You may not know it, but you've already begun your next job, and you need to know what you're doing! Today, look around your station at the personnel, the visitors and service people, listeners and consultants. You're seeing your clients, contacts and networkers. "What?" you may exclaim. "These saps are clients of mine?" Absolutely. All the people in the building, from the dreaded sales types to the receptionist, all the station advertisers and agency people that give you headaches, are clients of YOU, INC..
Take a minute to let something sink in: most of them are not your friends. They're co-workers, advertisers, listeners and copier repairmen. Some are your friends, and the more the merrier; but each person has a particular agenda, something that identifies your relationship with them. So, I think it's advisable to regard people in the business as clients, regardless of each individual's status or job description, and I'll tell you why.
What do sales execs do with clients? Salespeople service clients. Whether you know it or not, you do, too. And how you do it counts. YOU, INC. has clients in the sense that the more you service them (co-workers, friends, advertisers), the better relationship you have. Better relationships mean better working and business conditions, which opens doors to opportunities. Admittedly, not every opportunity is meant to be taken, but nonetheless, they exist. In fact, you're building a relationship with each person right now that may or may not serve you well in the event you want to leave for another job - or work for yourself -- or if you leave because someone else wants you to.
It may sound preachy, but each day you have an opportunity to examine and change your way of perceiving people. It's important to realize that relationships count in business, even for you. And in this day and age, YOU INC. needs all the good clients you can get.
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