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Disorganised Diane

Welcome to the 8th pen-portrait in our series about different types of internal clients.

The person
Diane is a member of the advertising team, and could be a very valuable source of inspiration to the Insight team because she is highly creative. Her head is brimming with ideas, many of which may not at first seem to be terribly practical – but if they are harnessed and developed carefully, they could transform a project.
 
The problem
However, Diane’s creative nature is also accompanied by a tendency to be completely disorganised. This characteristic unfortunately applies both to her personal life and her working life.
 
The potential problem of this disorganisation comes to light particularly if Diane is involved in commissioning research. This may involve: 
  • Providing items such as the stimulus materials
  • Inviting people to attend groups
  • Organising a debrief or something similar
 If Diane is given these responsibilities, she is likely to mess them up; not deliver the requirements on time; or simply get them wrong.
 
The solution
Diane is a classic case of someone who needs some sound, practical help. She is actually quite a good client and has a valuable role to play, but needs to be guided carefully along the right roads. Once you have identified the fact that she is not very well organised (which shouldn’t take too long!), you may have to resign yourself to the fact that you may need to take over many of the organisational aspects.  
  • Start by showing that you have recognised her creativity, and the positive role that this could play. Then offer to help to organise things for her (without telling her that you think she’s disorganised!). This will probably be a great relief to her!
  • If she still insists on being actively involved in the organisation, identify any areas where she is least likely to cause havoc and define exactly what she needs to do, and when. Make sure that you take responsibility for any vital, time-critical issues!
  • Ensure that you cover yourself, by sending her an email that includes a clear schedule of all of the agreed actions – and the person responsible for each one. Send her further emails as time goes by to let her know how you are progressing with your actions, and to check how she is getting on with hers. If something goes wrong because she has overlooked it (due to her disorganised nature), you have proof of what she has been asked to do, minimising the likelihood of any disputes.
 
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