Uplifting Blog

What My Dad Taught Me About Client Relationships

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I’m back in Singapore after a quick trip to Seattle to visit my parents. Spending time with my dad always reminds of the many lessons he’s taught me over the years. Like me, he was a business consultant – so he’s got lots of insight into my world!

I made a quick video for you, sharing one of the lessons that I’ve come back to over and over again. I call it “don’t kick the stones on Sherwood Island”… 

But it’s REALLY a lesson about client relationships – and how to keep yourself energized and motivated to keep serving. Even when those relationships are challenging.

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Below is an Autogenerated Transcript

Hey, everybody, this is Ron Kaufman. And I’m not in the studio. You’re going to get it straight and raw. 

I’ve got a piece of advice called ‘Don’t kick the stones on Sherwood Island’. 

There will come times during life, despite your best effort, your professional expertise, your insight, your understanding, all your experience, your advice and recommendations that you’re giving to somebody else just won’t be taken. It may not be understood, it may not be appreciated. It might even be paid for. But it doesn’t matter. That client’s not going to follow your advice and that can produce frustration for you. It certainly has happened to me. 

So I reached out to my father because I was encountering this recently. He’s 94 years old and went through a long career as a professional consultant. I said, “Dad, I’m your consultant son. Have you ever had a situation like that?” He said, “Oh, boy, let me tell you.” And he told me a story about a company and a guy who ran the company named Tony who hired him, but despite my father’s best advice, just wouldn’t do what he recommended. 

So my father would go to Sherwood Island State Park near our home in Westport, Connecticut, and walk up and down the beach, kicking the stones and venting his anger and his frustration. And we got to laughing about it together. And I said, “You know, Dad, I get it. You know, it’s not good for your feet to kick the stones.” And then he said, “Yeah, and the stones don’t care. Those rocks are going to be there. They were there before you came. They’re going to be there after you and I are long gone.” And then I said, “Hmm, and it’s probably not good for your shoes either.” He said, “That’s right.” And for you and me, that’s important because we need to have healthy feet, we have to have a good mental and emotional being. 

Then we’ve got to have shoes that are in good condition to get back out in the world and serve other people. 

Not everybody is going to appreciate who you are and what it is that you have to bring to the party. But don’t waste your time and energy kicking the stones on Sherwood Island. Walk down the beach a little further, take off your shoes, feel the sand between your toes, jump in the water and enjoy it. Come on back out and feel that fresh breeze and the sunshine on your skin. And then put those shoes which are in good condition back on. 

Get back out in the world and help other people. Don’t waste your time kicking the stones on Sherwood Island.

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Ron Kaufman

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Welcome to the Worldwide Uplifting Community!

Here’s what’s next…

Check your email for the welcome we just sent – and reply to let us know you received it!

We’ve included some useful resources 
for you to explore…

…and we’ll be in touch to share more ideas 
and invitations for you.