Someone from one of your best government industry partners just hacked you off. They promised to do something, but then totally dropped the ball. You are, justifiably, angry and you’d really like to tell the person where to go and maybe call them out with their senior management. Resist that urge.
The world of government business is small. There is, at most, one degree of separation among those involved in government business, public sector included. This fact can work in your favor when you’ve spent the time to develop an exceptional network, but can also get you in trouble if you over-react when things go wrong.
“I can drop that partner today and get someone better,” you reply. “I don’t need this guy causing me pain.” Again, true statements, but, you need to understand the difference between federal and commercial business.
The senior business partner executive who upset you today can, quite literally, be your customer tomorrow. Presidential administrations change, new people are brought in. and yesterday’s partner executive could be tomorrow’s CIO, Deputy Assistant Secretary, or have some other government job that can help decide whether your company gets any business from his or her agency. If you burned a bridge over something trivial, it could cost you substantially later on.
It may help to look at government business as one big game of musical chairs. The players remain the same, but where they sit changes. More than one federal IT industry observer has used the term “usual suspects” because only badges and business cards change in the short to medium term. In this game though, it is your chair that may be the one missing if you develop a reputation as someone difficult to work with.
Think of how many different places you’ve worked. Most of us have made, or will make, multiple moves over our careers. Yet, we don’t usually go from IT or even federal IT expert to car mechanic. Most of us stay inside a fairly well defined industry sector and, if you’ve developed your own federal expertise, you stay in that business because it’s your surest path to career success.
This means that professionalism and courtesy must be shown at all times. Return the phone call, respond to the e-mail, don’t leave people with the feeling that you’re indifferent to them or their mission. Did some 20-something federal staffer really drive you crazy? Be especially nice to them. Today’s GS 5 can be tomorrow’s SES. An easy rule of thumb is “everyone matters.”
Certainly, companies have a right to stand up for themselves. If you receive unprofessional treatment or your team members fail to live up to signed agreements, you have every right to pursue legitimate claims through established procedures. We’re not suggesting that contractors just “take their lumps.” There’s a big difference though, between protecting legitimate interests and letting anger get the best of you.
Go play golf, enjoy an adult beverage, play darts, or do whatever else necessary to work out the frustrations that come with particularly bad experiences. You’ll be able to do business tomorrow and the next day because you understand the importance of keeping relationships intact.
