Oh, the Places We'll Go...
When We're Doing Great Work Together!
What you Will Get:
It goes without saying that you'll get the opposite of the uncomfortable situations in the "what you won't get" section. Here's also a semi-short list of what I promise to give you as part of our collaboration:
Confidentiality
Our non-disclosure agreement is Step One.
Having worked a decade with high-profile clients in the biopharmaceutical industry, I understand what the word "trade secret" means.
I get confidentiality.
I respect your proprietary, forward-looking knowledge.
Discussions only go so far as the conversations and work we have together, and with your colleagues and/or other partners if you request it.
Punctuality
I'm always five minutes early to dial into a teleconference call, fifteen minutes early to set up a WebEx, and thirty minutes early to an off-site meeting (not loitering, but just to ensure I'm not late). Your time is money. You time is respectable and valuable: and I value the hell out of it.
My Full Attention
I never take on more work than I can handle.
If our collaboration is estimated to reach a level of intensity that requires my full attention for ten hours a day, every day, I will say no to other prospective clients. You won't hear me multitasking or typing emails on conference calls. You most certainly won't see me scrolling through Facebook or Instagram during a meeting. And, you absolutely will NOT see an email sent while we are having a conversation - unless you request that I send you a document while we're on the phone.
Recapping and Alignment
After we have a discussion, I'll write down a short recap of our conversation along with your action items, as well as mine.
You'll receive that within an hour of our call unless we happen to be in back-to-back conflicts; in that case, you'll get it by close of business. Repetition is key for me, and I want to make sure that I've not only interpreted your needs clearly, but also to give you the opportunity to suggest new action items that come to mind later on.
And who knows: I may have some other ideas as well. My brain is constantly churning.
