I am off to the confessional as soon as I hit post. Add to the list For All The Times I Talk Too Much.

Father (Mother), it has been one year since my last confession....

Lewis, I know exactly what you mean! :) I guess that's why we're good communicators.

Elaine,

Chuckled when I read your post. On the money, succinct and revealing, as are all of your posts. Thanks for another good blog entry.

I quite agree with Lewis. Sometimes we marketers have such strong opinions and passions, we're talking when we ought to be listening to the client, more. You can add that one to my list of sins, too.

Thanks, Claire. I appreciate your feedback.

I guess our passion and opinions make us good marketers, warts and all.

Clever.

I love Yom Kippur for its pragmatic acceptance of human nature, and for the value it places on taking a day each year for the thoughtful consideration of mistakes, both conscious and subconscious.

(Also, it's a *beautiful* service -- I was at the Wilshire Boulevard Temple in Los Angeles this year with friends.)

Applying Yom Kippur's principles to professional "sins" is a great idea.

Thanks, Christian. We actually have ten days of repentance - between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. That gives us ample time to track down people to ask for forgiveness! :)

I agree with Elaine.

Instead of looking at what the customer wanted...I was focusing on what I thought would be best. I can look back and say I offered suggestions that I thought would improve her marketing campaign but in the end it is the customers vision that matters most I am there just to guide the vision.

Sharon, you raise a good point. Yes, we are advisers, and ultimately, it is the customer's vision that counts. However, in the consulting world, there may be limits. If a client wants to go in a particular direction, and it means that I must do something that is totally against my better judgment, it becomes a dilemma. If it's an ethical issue, there's no contest. I would gracefully bow out. Yet, sometimes there's a grey area, and that's where things get challenging for me.

Good topic for another post! :)

I do agree with you regarding setting personal limits. I have a client that refuses to change their logo. I have been doing some work for her at cost so I could use what I created to build upon my portfolio. However, I would never use the logo she so desperatly wants to cling to. We have created a better logo for her but she just won't budge. I guess its time for us to bow out. I would rather have nothing to show for the time I spent working with her rather than display what she chose to use. My point is that I cannot make her change her mind I can only suggest. Then it is up to me to either stay and go against my better judgement or as you stated bow out.