A Client from Hell

My next project was in Goslar, also in Germany. It was a huge furniture retailer and we did the headquarter's operations and one pilote furniture shop, which would then be extended to all the other 50 retail outlets.

Anyway, as usual, we were not overly liked in that company as everybody knew we dealt with cost savings. Especially the administration director hated us. He was very hostile in my workshops, did not say anything, just sat there with his arms folded poisoning the training.

Anyway, this director kicked everyone out who visited him, and I mean all my colleagues - the project director, the project manager, and the consultants. He told them the worst things one can imagine, screamed, and threatened the success of the project.

Well, there was me left who had to see him and do some coaching. The project success was in my hands as the project director said, as in case he kicked me out, too, the project would probably close prematurely. Not that I would not like any pressure, but that was rather much.

So, there I was, all alone and on my way to the appointment with him. I knocked on the door, opened, and there he sat at his desk, the usual hostile face, arms folded, looking disgusted. I had no idea what to say, he told me how much he hated my company, my training, my colleagues, I suppose me too, and the project. I felt he was just about to kick me out, too as he looked at me like king cobra before it bites the little rabbit.

Within a nano second my brain went into attack mode and let me calmly spit out a message which was like this: "I am sorry to say that you are the worst ever manager I have trained. All your employees dislike and disrespect you, your management skills set is appalling, you poison your department with your bad tempers, and you are threatening a project which would bring millions of savings for your company." He looked at me as if I were the reincarnation of all evil spirits. I stood up and left the room before he could throw me out.

A day later the project director was allowed to visit him, he opened up towards the project, but only under one condition, and that was that I had to leave the project. I think he was somewhat embarrassed to see me. So I went. But at least I knew it was up to me that it could go on. Of course that was never communicated into my own company, but the director and manager harvested all the "good wishes" directly from the board. Officially it was their success. Yes, that's also management consultancy, having to swim with sharks rather than goldfish.

My next project was a salad processing one in Swabia and somewhere around Madgeburg.