3,000 Feet High: What a Flight Lesson Taught Me About Navigating Difficult Client Conversations

I recently took an intro flying lesson at a nearby flight college. After settling into a small two-seater Diamond Aircraft, the pilot reviewed a lengthy safety checklist, then taxied down the runway. It was a clear day, with very little wind, but as we took off a small gust caught the plane and shook us slightly. The pilot pointed out familiar landmarks which slowly grew smaller beneath us. We soon leveled out at 3,000 feet and I finally got to try flying. The pilot told me to keep my eyes on the horizon and I would go straight. I was thrilled with how smoothly it went as I practiced maneuvering the plane in the sky. Soon the pilot took over and turned us back towards the airport. “Can I try again?” I asked. This time a strong wind came up and the plane began to shake and veer to the left. I pulled my joystick hard to the right but couldn’t seem to steer the aircraft. I started to panic as negative thoughts raced through my mind: ‘We’re going to crash and burn! I’m doing terrible! Why isn’t he taking over again? How does anyone do this?’ I tried to keep my eyes on the horizon but fear was making it difficult. Finally, the plane stabilized and the pilot took control once again. We landed smoothly and my anxiety quickly dissipated. It was thrilling.

Once back on the ground I started to think about how the experience shared many similarities with a challenging call I had not too long ago with a new customer. Everything started out smoothly and I was in control. Then, the customer started shaking things up — asking tough questions and demanding answers I couldn’t provide, which momentarily caused me to lose my focus. Things were going sideways fast. The thoughts that went through my head at the time were the same as those I had while flying. There were four takeaways from my flight lesson which I now realize apply to managing difficult conversations with clients as well:

1. Keep your eyes on the horizon: Ask yourself — what’s the end goal? What will it take to get there? Be sure the client also sees the final goal and understands the steps that need to take place in order to be successful.

2. Don’t panic: Panicking causes you to focus on what is going wrong rather than on the actions you can take to achieve the end results.

3. Don’t wait for someone else to take over: Trust your experience and training. If you don’t know the answers, don’t be afraid to tell the client that you will do some research and get back to them.

4. Enjoy the ride: Remember that challenges are part of the journey and can lead to growth. Be grateful for these opportunities.