Are you a "Yes Sir" or "We Can Do It Better" type of worker?

Had some of my friends over for dinner. The limited quantities of beer and pizza combined with the unlimited freelance wisdom. There was a movie on HBO. The Seventh Son. It was one of those movies. You see it, it's OK. You miss it, it's OK again. You won't notice a difference in your life. This is something some warriors here like to say for my writing. Either way, we had to do it. We discussed the movie and ended up with surprising conclusions that are worth mentioning and definitely applying in your line of work and business.

The movie itself was OK. The special effects were great. The actors, you couldn't possibly wish better for this fantasy genre: Jeff Bridges, Julianne Moore, Kit Harington, Djimon Hounsou, and many, many others. So, what went wrong? We all agreed that the story was weak and too deja vu, so to speak. Based on the choice of actors and special effects, the budget wasn't the problem for this movie. Yet, it has failed. As you might have expected the box office was merciless. For a movie with a production budget of almost $100M, it is a shame to earn no more than $120M. So, who is to blame?

My opinion was that the actors were to blame. Why? Because they were cowards. Maybe it's a too strong word to be used, but this doesn't mean I'm too far from the truth. These famous actors obviously took a check, smiled, followed orders, and forgot about the movie the moment they were done with their part. Now, my friends, freelancers just like me, had a question for me. What were they supposed to do? To rebel against the products and director or make a movie of their own? They should have spoken up. That was my point.

When I work with a client, I'm not all like "Yes Sir This" and "Yes Sir That." My job isn't to be a wiseguy, but it also isn't to be a blind follower of orders, only. Meaning, I should suggest something here and there. For example, I should say something like, let's not write blog posts that are 1,500 words long, but let's make ones that are 500 words long. Or, let's create a Privacy Policy for your website, so you can protect yourself better. You have some kind of a moral duty to help your client with your suggestions. Now, I'm also aware that you shouldn't jeopardize your position if you stumble upon a bossy client. In a situation, when I hear something like, who are you to question my decision because I'm the one who's paying and not the other way around, here's what I do.

I offer my apology. I put a smile on my face and say the best "Yes Sir" you can possibly imagine. I did what I had to do. I gave a fair warning based on my previous experience. If a client wants to proceed with the original plan that's not my problem anymore and my conscience is clear. It's important for me to feel good about my work just as it is important to be paid for it adequately and fairly. I'm fully aware that the entire freelancing industry has quite a notorious reputation when it comes to this "Yes Sir" attitude. That's understandable and I'm not here to judge anyone. We do our best and we do what we have to do for a living. The last thing I need is for a client to think of me as being uncooperative and always playing smart.

For what is worth, there are some clients who appreciated suggestions and especially this proactive attitude. Yet, to be totally honest it isn't an easy thing to say whether or not your client will appreciate or be offended with what are you doing at the moment. I have to worry about the quality of my work, deadlines, and everything. To top it all, there's my self-imposed obligation to contribute with suggestions and fair warnings. Unfortunately, very rarely and almost never, this proactive attitude is being rewarded. I mean, you will hardly find a client who will say, you just save some time or money, or your helped me with something I haven't even thought of, let me reward you with a bonus. So, why bother with in the first place?

Well, maybe it's just me and my childish sense of some duty you have toward your clients. Although this is something I would never do, I don't want to hear that some of my colleagues, a freelancer too or some other guy, warns my client in the future about the things I should have done, but I didn't. Guess, that's me. I need to know that I have done everything and anything for the project. And, when I'm done, I'm done for real. I have given my best under the circumstances and according to client's instructions and expectations. My conscience is clear and I know that both money and a review are rightfully earned.

Honestly, I don't know what happened during the filming of the Seventh Son. Maybe some of the well-paid actors complained. Maybe some of them contributed with ideas, suggestions, and even improvised. What's the best thing to do? Take the money, smile, say "Yes Sir" as many times as needed, and hit the road once you're done with your work. Do clients want the job to be done with no debate and discussions? Have you ever been caught between your conscience and your client's demands? Who cares what you think, I'm paying you to do your job. This sentence says it all, doesn't it?