‘Tis the season for end of year musings.
I considered sharing a laundry list of All The Stuff That Happened. But instead, I’m going to share my one unifying theme for 2023.
This unifying theme is the point I’ve made to clients, students, and audiences more than any other. And it’s a point I’ve had to contend with (somewhat painfully) myself.
Here it is:
The projects that found success all did so by evolving into something completely different from what anyone could have imagined at their outset.
The projects that failed all stuck to the original vision.
And so my theme of the year is adapt.
This was the theme of the training I’ve given this year, the theme of my talk at UX Brighton, the theme of the work I’ve done with teams seeking product-market fit.
I didn’t realise it when I started 2023, but I had a vision and gosh be damned, I was sticking to it.
Mine was a vision about how potential customers “should” engage with my services as I set out on the path of the indie consultant. It was the kind of vision that would have rung alarm bells had I seen someone else holding on to it … but I was avoiding noticing it in myself.
My vision wasn’t something I’d explicitly written down but more of a belief: surely people will want to pay me so they can learn the methods I’ve developed. After all, I have evidence that the methods work and I know they’re not that hard. They only took me 20 years!
Now, to be fair, a few lovely clients met me where my vision was. But — as I’ve coached so many teams to face up to — you don’t want to be fooled by pleasant signals, while ignoring the unpleasant ones.
2023 was a year of market downturn, with corporate belts tightened and work thinner on the ground than it has been in a long time. I’ve had to contend with the fact that the market hasn’t been queueing up to buy my services in the way I’ve been selling them.
I don’t know. Perhaps the way I’m selling isn’t wrong. Perhaps it’s right but with the wrong timing, or right but with the wrong framing. Same difference, and I’m put in mind of the classic relationship advice:
Do you want to be right, or do you want to be in a relationship?
I’m not alone in needing to let go of what I think people should be doing and instead meet people where they are.
(This experience has definitely given me more empathy for founders. I’ve spent decades developing methods to help teams spot this pattern – and now it’s my vision in the hot seat, not someone else’s. And it’s emotionally brutal!)
What does all this mean for me in practice? I’m adapting. I’m working on having lots of conversations with people — product leaders probably — who I think might be in my target market, so I can learn much more about them and their challenges, hopes, dreams and fears.
And so a little ask: are you one of those people? Or do you know someone who is? I’d love to talk. Not to sell anything. I just want to hear your perspective on how things have been going, what you’re struggling with, what you’d like to have happen. I’ll offer suggestions if I can, but mainly an ear. Folks who’ve spoken with me so far have even said it was quite therapeutic. Just hit reply, or use this link to book 15 minutes at a time that suits you. Feel free to forward this email. Thanks!
Here’s to all of us holding our visions more lightly in 2024. Here’s to starting more journeys and adapting!
Tom x
It's a valuable lesson Tom and one I think we keep on learning, no matter how long we've worked for ourselves. It seems to become especially important in tough times.
I've never had to adapt as in the last 4 years. Mainly to stuff I know is BS. And feeling like I'm failing on many fronts.
Or learning to jump off cliffs and fly ✨
Best wishes for a healthy, fruitful start to 2024.