David Martin & Company

Work Smarter. Dream Bigger.

  • Home
  • Blog
  • Our Services
  • Our Clients
    • Our Clients Say
  • Contact Us
  • Login

If a client tells you they’re going crazy, should you call 911?

October 3, 2018 by David Martin Leave a Comment

Mel asked me to meet him for a drink at an out-of-the-way dive bar. He wanted to talk away from the office where people wouldn’t overhear us.

After a quick hello, he jumped right into why he wanted to talk.

“Can I ask you a question?”
“Sure. What’s up?”
“Do you think I’m losing it? I’m beginning to think I must be crazy.”

Photo by Aarón Blanco Tejedor on UnsplashHe wasn’t speaking metaphorically.
I could tell from his demeanor, Mel sincerely believed something was wrong with him.

Freeze that frame for a moment.
If someone asked to meet you at a remote location and, 60 seconds into the conversation, he told you he might be losing it . . . .

How would you have responded?

I did not call a doctor.
Luckily, I’ve met a thousand “Mels” over the years, and I was pretty certain he was right on schedule.

You might be Mel, someday. Really.
If you’re a person who often challenges and disrupts the system because you see something much better is possible, you may someday have a “Mel Moment,” too.

He was living out a classic scenario.
Here it is, step-by-step:

  1. Mel’s new company, “Acme,” had been prosperous for years.
  2. Recently some upstart competitors started eating Acme’s lunch.
  3. Acme asked one and then another internal leader to take Acme back to the top. Back to back, they failed. They left the company “to pursue other interests.”
  4. Acme hired an outsider, Mel, to catch them up to current times.

Save us!
Mel had an impassioned mandate from the President: take us back to the top!

Mel brought fresh, outsider eyes and years of experience.
He quickly uncovered what was wrong and what good was possible.

Mel enthusiastically started to paint the picture of a much better future.

Heads nodded. People applauded.
Yet, behind closed doors, when people had him alone, they said things like:

  • There is no problem. We’ve just had a few soft years.
  • That won’t work. We’ve tried it before.
  • You are going to give away the store, and I will stop you.

But wait a second. YOU recruited ME!
People were initially rah-rah about the transformation Mel would lead.

But when he started to do what he was hired to do, he met everything from denial to active resistance.

No wonder he thought he was losing it.

  1. People had a variety of reasons, but it was his opinions that they universally opposed.
  2. What people said they wanted and how they were actually acting were completely incongruent.

Was he trapped in an alternate universe?
Nothing was what he thought it was. This could shake any person to the core.

After a few months of being able to make no sense of reality, he reached the only remaining conclusion: “There’s something wrong with ME. I’M the one who’s crazy.”

As predictable as sunrise—for you, too.
The people you’re leading to the promised land that they’ll insist they want to get to will contradict themselves, and here’s why:

People are enthusiastic for the outcome of the change.
Of course! We all want nirvana!

They just don’t want to live through the process of the change.
“Are you kidding? It threatens my reality, my power, my identity. That’s messy and uncomfortable. No thank you!”

If you forget this, you may someday think you’re losing it, too.
However, you don’t have to, and neither did Mel.

Mel bounced back.
He got clear that this wasn’t a personal problem. It was a leadership challenge.

He developed an influencing strategy to help people ACT in congruence with the outcomes they said they wanted.

It took three years and counting, but Acme has reinvented itself internally and in the market.

The moral of the story.
Don’t confuse predictable resistance with your personal sanity, although it’s easy to do.

If you can overcome this first big obstacle, you’ve slain one of your biggest dragons: your own self-doubt.

Believing you might be crazy is a part of the challenger’s journey. But it doesn’t have to be the final stop.

Does this describe you?
Challengers will be gathering to prepare for their next big leap in Mind to Win, October 17-18. Map out the journey you’ll experience the next time you step up to lead people to greater heights. Learn how to overcome the obstacles that stall most people. Connect with other challengers.

David

Filed Under: Confidence, Influence, New Thinking, Resilience, Success

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *


This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Free the Genius

Free the Genius by David MartinMy new book released and is an Amazon #1 international bestseller! It’s called Free the Genius: How the Very Best Grow Their Meaning, Mission, and Contribution. Read more here.

Connect with Me

  • Email
  • LinkedIn

Sign Up for E-News/Blog

Our Clients Say

 I still hear about my work with David Martin, some five years ago. People at my company will say things like, ‘She made huge strides when she worked with David’ or ‘You should have seen how much positive change she accomplished during that time.’ All good things! 

Beth Himes
Vice President, Local & Regional Business Service Operations, Aetna

 David has become one of my most trusted business advisors. I initially looked to him for guidance in stepping-up my individual performance and leadership but our relationship quickly evolved to where I seek David’s problem-solving skills for the key strategic issues and challenges facing my business. David’s clear thinking helps me sort through the ambiguities that seem to be ever present in today’s tough business climate. 

Erik G. Birkerts
CEO, Clean Energy Trust

 I am amazed at what I’ve accomplished with David’s help. He has given me the skills and tools to keep me moving forward. More than once, I’ve marveled at his insight and ability to clearly express very complex concepts. I thought coaching was going to be hard, but it was the best thing that happened to me. 

Farhad Aghdami
Partner, Williams Mullen

 David Martin is brilliant. His style feels so intuitive, like being coached by a hybrid of Phil Jackson and your closest friend. His ability to hone in quickly on what may be blocking success is swift — but what separates him are his creative and easy-to-implement tools. Plus it’s fun to be his client. 

Gracia Walker
Director, Business Development, Yum Yum NYC, LLC

 David sets very high standards of performance for himself and his clients. He has a very engaging style, listens acutely and devises action steps that are built around current business needs. It’s the results that matter. During the time David spent with me and my team, my region earned the honor of ‘Most Improved’ in our first year, a top third ranking in our second year, and a National Performance Award as the fifth region in the nation in our final year! 

Jeff Holland
Regional Vice President, GlaxoSmithKline

 David has provided me with sound, mature and measured advice and perspective. He’s extremely skilled at strategic thinking and identifying effective tactical action plans. I highly recommend David Martin. 

John A. Schauss
CFO, Media General, Inc.

 David played a critical role in developing a strategy for initiating a series of new partnerships, and then helped us launch them by devising tactical plans. He identifies gaps and then works with you to close them, so you can focus on areas that are key to driving success. 

Kurt Thearling
Head of Decision Sciences, Vertex Business Services

 My time with David was head and shoulders above any coaching experience that I’ve ever had. He developed a deep understanding of my style and situation and provided concrete practices for me to work on that improved my game substantially. 

Rob Finnegan
Managing Partner, 2nd Order Solutions
  • Home
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact Us

Copyright © 2021 · DavidMartinCo.com