Do you sometimes wonder how deeply you could/should get involved in a client’s life? Peter had been my client for quite a few years. From the very beginning he “had” it: he knew how to do his part in creating the trusting, amazing client relationship that we now have.
A few months back we were talking. Peter had gone through a substantial transition over the past years and shared some of the challenges he was now facing. Thoughts and ideas went back and forth. What always amazed me was the different angles that each person looks at things – and how amazingly fruitful a conversation can become because of that – and trust in each other.
I am so grateful when I realize again how deeply involved I, as Virtual Assistant, can get in a client’s life in a specific area. And how it is over and above anything I do for the client.
Some of you might think “Hey, wait a minute, you are his VA… And didn’t you write a blog post recently about not getting too close in the VA-client relationship?”
Yes, I did write that blog post. And yes, one can become too close when the relationship becomes a business AND personal relationship. In such case, we’re really dancing on dangerous grounds.
This, I value as the highest level of a client relationship: a client who trusts enough to show his own vulnerability, who puts his deepest fears on the table, who shows his inner feelings, who asks my opinion. Yes, there can be intimacy in such a relationship, and it makes it even more rewarding.
How do you feel, from a client perspective, about laying bare your vulnerabilities to your business partner/teammate/VA?
Hi Beatrice, this is a great question as my biggest successes have come about through my support staff – multiple 6 figure businesses, helping biz owners remodel their business strategies to become profitable. When people would ask how I achieved so much with my clients/businesses in a short time frame, I always gave credit to my support team. They knew my strengths. My vulnerabilities and they rose to help me close that gap. WE made incredible things happen together. None of it possible without them. I think your VA and you should partner to serve clients as a cohesive partnership. I can say that it’s a rare VA who can connect, read between the lines and rise to the occasion to be what a Coach/Consultant cannot. From what I’ve observed about you, Beatrice, you have a remarkable ability to be present, to listen and to attune to what may be missed and that is priceless. The woman who was my Office Manager for years, became one of my most treasured colleagues and my life was deeply enriched by knowing her and being the recipient of her magic. What she did for me was more than tasks. She helped me to clarify how to take complex projects and zero in on all the little pieces that were needed to make it a huge success. For me, having the ability to be vulnerable, real and open with a support person became one of the most powerful experiences of my life. We achieved local, state and national recognition for projects that never took off elsewhere. That’s the power of two people gathered together. None of it would have been possible without her Yin to my Yang. I was the lucky one.
Thank you Darlene, for your thoughts. It’s so nice to read a comment from someone who’s been able to create such intimate, amazing relationship with her Office Manager. Creating such relationship is a big investment in time, consideration, empathy, vulnerability, and openness – the payoff is invaluable. You were the lucky one indeed!