ASSERTIVE vs EGOCENTRIC CLIENTS — WHO DRIVES BETTER RESULTS? – Toks Modupe

In consulting—especially in Public Relations—results are rarely solely about strategy; they revolve around relationships.

Over the years, I’ve worked with a diverse range of clients: from firm, constructive and demanding leaders who strive for excellence to difficult, ego-driven client contacts who drain energy and inadvertently hinder progress.

What distinguishes the two?

One propels performance, the other hampers it.

THE CLIENT-AGENCY DYNAMIC

In most organisations, the consultant doesn’t work directly with “the brand.” They interact with a person, a decision-making gatekeeper.

This could be:

– A CEO or Managing Director

– A Director of Corporate Affairs

-A Communications or PR Manager

-Information commissioner

Regardless of title, this individual influences the success—or failure—of the engagement.

ASSERTIVE CLIENTS: THE PERFORMANCE ENHANCERS

The best clients I have collaborated with share a common trait:

They are assertive, not authoritarian.

They:

• Challenge ideas without dismissing them

• Demand results while respecting expertise

• Foster dialogue, not monologue

These clients push you.

They learn from you and also improve you. I go the extra mile for a client who appreciates my efforts

They create an environment where ideas can flourish—and ultimately deliver.

EGOCENTRIC CLIENTS: THE SILENT VALUE KILLERS

Then there’s the other type.

Clients who:

• Confuse control with leadership

• Replace collaboration with command

• Use their position and budget as weapons

In many instances, they use their ego to mask their inadequacy.

And when ego dominates, value leaves the room.

Creativity suffers.

Trust diminishes.

Results decline.

A PERSONAL TURNING POINT

I once walked away from a multinational account after four fruitful years.

Why?

A new client contact took over—bringing a command-and-control style that shut down engagement from day one.

-Meetings started late, with no regard for others’ time

-Dialogue was replaced with directives

-Expertise was ignored, not utilised

It became clear:

We could not co-create in an environment lacking respect.

So I made a choice many consultants find difficult—

I walked away.

THE REAL TRUTH ABOUT CLIENT SUCCESS

A client-consultant relationship isn’t a hierarchy.

It’s a partnership with a shared goal.

And partnerships flourish on:

-Mutual respect

-Clear communication

-Intellectual humility

Without these, even the best strategy will fail.

FINAL THOUGHT

Assertive clients achieve results because they engage.

Egocentric clients struggle because they control.

One builds value.

The other diminishes it.

Have you ever had to manage—or walk away from—an egocentric client?

What lessons did you learn from the experience?