Going 1099 is a book that teaches you how to become a solo federal sub-contractor and gain control of your working life, earn more money and unlock more free time. I wrote it because quite a few people have asked me how they can become a 1099. I figured it was best to write a single book that I can send them and that I can share with others who are interested. This newsletter goes out Monday - Friday and covers topics that will help you succeed in starting and maintaining successful 1099 career.
Parenting your clients
I'm reading a parenting book by the popular Dr. Becky called "Good Inside: A Guide to Becoming the Parent You Want." The core idea is that there are no bad kids, and that trying to manage kids' behavior without addressing the reason why they're behaving in a certain way leads to all sorts of problems. In the book, she emphasizes that it is critical to validate your child's feelings and be in it with them without judgement. "One thing we know about feelings is that they are only scary if we are alone with them. If someone says to us, “Hey! You’re feeling [sad/scared/angry/left out]. That’s okay. I’m here. Tell me more,” the feelings immediately start to subside. We no longer feel so overwhelmed. We feel safer. When kids are upset, it’s as if they are plopped down on the bench of that feeling. It may be an Angry Bench or Disappointed Bench or even a Nobody-Likes-Me Bench. And what kids (and also adults) want when they’re on a bench, especially the dark uncomfortable ones, is someone to sit with them. Once someone sits with us, the bench doesn’t feel so dark and cold. Now we have a 'bench warmer.'" Good Inside: A Guide to Becoming the Parent You Want Now, your government clients aren't children, but sure enough, they have feelings too (though I've seen a few that maybe don't...). As a consultant, you may tempted to solve their problems because on the surface, that's what you're hired to do. But, to build a relationship, you should try to understand how your client's problems affect them. On a few of my projects, I would let the client vent about unreasonable turnaround times for analytic requests by higher ups and then empathize. "Yea that sucks. The boss really doesn't understand how much effort it takes to analyze the data but you get blamed for it anyway. You're in a tough spot." Then, I'd help deliver the thing. It's a winning combo. You build the relationship and then also help solve pain points. So take a page out of Dr. Becky's book and emotionally validate your client. Your 1099 career will thank you. If you're interested in learning how to get your first solo 1099 federal sub-contract, check out my book: |
I'm Dale, the author of Going 1099
Going 1099 is a book that teaches you how to become a solo federal sub-contractor and gain control of your working life, earn more money and unlock more free time. I wrote it because quite a few people have asked me how they can become a 1099. I figured it was best to write a single book that I can send them and that I can share with others who are interested. This newsletter goes out Monday - Friday and covers topics that will help you succeed in starting and maintaining successful 1099 career.
Hi all, I've enjoyed writing this newsletter for over a year now, but I've decided to take a hiatus for the time being. There is an extensive archive if you'd like to go back and read the previous ones. As always, if you have 1099 questions, feel free to ping me via e-mail at dale@1099fedhub.com. Good luck to you all! -Dale If you're interested in learning how to get your first solo 1099 federal sub-contract, check out my book: Going 1099: How to become a solo federal sub-contractor and gain...
Your client when you tell them no "That won't work" is the worst thing you can say to the client when they suggest an approach or solution to something. No one likes being told no, especially clients, and especially by their contractors. Instead of saying "that won't work," you should 1) Acknowledge their approach as one way to do that, 2) Suggest two or three alternate approaches along with your reasoning, and 3) Recommend one of them and say why This feels less "hostile" and gives the...
Being a people person makes you a target for PIPsSource The WSJ had a great article about how companies use "Performance Improvement Plans" or PIPs as a pretext for firing people. The Most Hated Way of Firing Someone Is More Popular Than Ever. It’s the Age of the PIP. -- In the messy business of getting rid of employees, the PIP is having a moment. A performance improvement plan is usually a list of tough-to-achieve goals to be completed within 30 to 90 days. Can’t shape up? You’re out. The...