Undermined by client who’s withholding data

[Anonymous]

I’m working for a client who has a big, messy situation that is not uncommon in their industry. Their specific problems stem from what appears to be not just industry-wide issues, but also years of neglect and poor decision-making around spending and debt.

The problem is quite unwieldy and the client has been very coy in the information/employees they’re allowing me to access. I’ve tried my best to structure the current problem and potential areas to investigate, but they keep coming back to me saying things like “well actually we have all of that data and it says x so you’re asking the wrong question.” Ok, but I don’t have any of the data and I need to see it to understand what is and isn’t relevant.

Pardon the metaphor, but it’s like they’ve hired me to search around in their dark attic for something in an unlabeled box, but they know what’s in every box and when I find something, they’re like, no, that’s not the right box and we know what’s in it.

Has anyone ever dealt with a client like this? I try to assume the best in my clients but I’m not sure what their motives are here. It feels like someone has an agenda, and someone else is trying to lead me to answers that fit that agenda.

Every time I try to zoom out to see the big picture, there’s hemming and hawing about how this data won’t really be helpful, or that piece of information isn’t relevant to [their spot in a pretty homogenous industry].

Should I fire them? I can’t take this to an individual because I was hired by a board…which also makes me wonder if I’m part of a separate board agenda. I’m going crazy!

[Anonymous]

Produce the report based on the data you were given access to. Auditors do this all the time. They may say they can't certify X is correct, since they weren't given access to X data.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Produce the report based on the data you were given access to. Auditors do this all the time. They may say they can't certify X is correct, since they weren't given access to X data.

That’s kind of where I’m at. The frustration is that the client employees I’m working with keep saying things like “that’s not the right question to ask” or “that data won’t help you.” That it’s all said in a patronizing way is that much more frustrating. Give me the data and I’ll decide if it is helpful. The entire point of a consultant is to bring someone in who can zoom in/out or start from a different perspective.

Obviously they’ve had complete knowledge of their business for years and have used it to dig themselves into a hole, so if they know everything, why are they even talking to me? Ugh.

[Anonymous]

I have a client like this as well. I document everything and manage up to the VP who owns the relationship. I think it comes from a place of deep insecurity and thinking my team is here to "bust" her for the mismanagement of the program over the years, which, we're not... we're just doing the job we're paid to do. My sympathies, I am living the nightmare too!

[Anonymous]

I wasn’t a consultant for that long but this sounds like par for the course to me. It’s part of your job to navigate the climate. And also to fire them, if you think the project is going to reflect poorly on you because of sabotage.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a client like this as well. I document everything and manage up to the VP who owns the relationship. I think it comes from a place of deep insecurity and thinking my team is here to "bust" her for the mismanagement of the program over the years, which, we're not... we're just doing the job we're paid to do. My sympathies, I am living the nightmare too!

Sounds familiar. Deep insecurity is in every corner of this org. I don’t want to bust anyone. I’m just here to ask new questions from a fresh perspective and help them get out of their own way.

I don’t know how I could document what’s going on to an entire board, but I may need to start documenting with my contact on the board. It feels likely that parts of the board are aligned with my work and others are aligned with the agenda of the leadership team. I may be in a position of being set up to fail so I’m trying to think how I can package this up as efficiently and effectively as possible and get out in one piece without my reputation getting shredded because of their drama.

[Anonymous]

It doesn't sound like there's a way to be successful here. This is an organization-wide issue. You can't change that.

If you haven't already done so, then send an email documenting the times you've tried to access the data but weren't given it. You could try an interim step of setting a deadline to get the data, or just fire them.

You're lucky that it sounds like firing the client is an option. I would draft a very short email indicating that you've repeatedly tried to get the data but haven't received it. This makes it impossible to do your job and you believe this isn't a good use of their money to continue where you can't be successful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Produce the report based on the data you were given access to. Auditors do this all the time. They may say they can't certify X is correct, since they weren't given access to X data.

Sounds like a scope limitation to me

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Produce the report based on the data you were given access to. Auditors do this all the time. They may say they can't certify X is correct, since they weren't given access to X data.

That’s kind of where I’m at. The frustration is that the client employees I’m working with keep saying things like “that’s not the right question to ask” or “that data won’t help you.” That it’s all said in a patronizing way is that much more frustrating. Give me the data and I’ll decide if it is helpful. The entire point of a consultant is to bring someone in who can zoom in/out or start from a different perspective.

Obviously they’ve had complete knowledge of their business for years and have used it to dig themselves into a hole, so if they know everything, why are they even talking to me? Ugh.

"Give me the data and I’ll decide if it is helpful."

What happens if you say this?

Honestly, I am a little confused. If you have the credentials and expertise to do the investigation you should also have the confidence/demeanor to tell people who are withholding information or data that without it you can't complete your investigation and that you'll report the withholding as a factor in that. What gives?