Before you tell a difficult public client:

“You can’t do this without me.”

Consider a small building in Sydney.

White roof.

Quite photogenic.

You may have seen it.

February 1966.

Jørn Utzon, the architect of the small building, met the NSW Minister for Public Works, Davis Hughes.

There were unpaid fees.

A dispute over funding for prototypes.

And a relationship that had already gone thoroughly to hell.

Utzon threatened to quit.

Hughes replied:

“You are always threatening to quit...”

And both left with “Con 2 c*jones”

The meeting lasted barely fifteen minutes.

Utzon walked out.

Hours later, he sent a letter accusing the minister of forcing him out.

Hughes promptly arranged to continue without him.

Well.

That escalated efficiently.

Finally.

A government decision without six steering committees.

Unfortunately, it was the wrong decision for the person requesting it.

Utzon expected the government would realise it needed him.

He thought he would be back within two years.

He never returned to Australia to see the completed building… his masterpiece.

Imagine designing the Sydney Opera House.

Then discovering that your client’s preferred solution to the relationship problem...

Was removing you from the relationship.

As I said… con 2 c*jones.

Now.

The unsolicited piece of advice of today…

Before you threaten to leave, check whether the other side wants you to stay.

A surprisingly useful detail… Especially with a public client.

You may think you’re escalating a payment issue.

They may think you’re offering them an opportunity.

To replace you.

To blame you.

Or… my favourite… to announce that they have finally “taken decisive action”.

Lovely.

You wanted an approval.

They wanted a headline.

Different agendas.

Same meeting.

And this is where even experienced professionals can get into trouble.

You know the contract.

The facts.

You have the emails… even the attachments.

Surely, if you take it to someone sufficiently senior, common sense will prevail.

Ah.

Common sense.

So uncommon these days.

Escalation can work.

Sometimes it is essential.

But you need to know what decision you want.

Who can actually make it.

What would make saying yes possible.

And what happens if they say no.

Otherwise, you’re taking the same unresolved problem upstairs.

With a larger audience.

And fewer ways to retreat.

That is why this course deserves your attention:

​PPP Consultation – Escalation: A difficult client public side​

If you’re a Project Director, CEO or board member dealing with a difficult public counterpart, you already know the feeling.

Another blocked decision.

Unpaid amount.

Another meeting where everyone understands the problem.

And nobody owns the solution.

Eventually, someone on your side says:

“Enough. Let’s escalate.”

Before you do...

​Take the course.

Because the next person up the hierarchy may solve your problem.

Or decide that you are the problem.

P.S. “They can’t do it without us” is a comforting sentence.

Sydney has a rather famous building you should discuss it with.

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