That time the client asked for the truth and then went ballistic when you gave it to them… (with Derrick Van Mell)

2025-10-02

Today's guest is Derrick Van Mell, Principal of The Center for Management Terms & Practices, who recalls a client horror story from his days as a general management consultant. Derrick had set his sights on a massive, century-old manufacturing company and was thrilled when they accepted his proposal. Early in the engagement, he asked how they measured growth—only to discover they focused solely on their production schedule, ignoring their financial statements entirely. When Derrick raised this concern in ...

Today's guest is Derrick Van Mell, Principal of The Center for Management Terms & Practices, who recalls a client horror story from his days as a general management consultant.

Derrick had set his sights on a massive, century-old manufacturing company and was thrilled when they accepted his proposal. Early in the engagement, he asked how they measured growth—only to discover they focused solely on their production schedule, ignoring their financial statements entirely.

When Derrick raised this concern in a meeting, one executive exploded, declaring, “I’ve never gotten so angry in my life!” before storming out. Soon after, Derrick met with the company president and other leaders. Following a CEO friend’s advice, he simply asked, “What do you want me to do?” While the conversation cooled tensions, it wasn’t enough to save his role.

This story is full of sharp turns, unexpected reactions, and lessons on the power—and limits—of listening. Keep listening to hear how Derrick navigated the situation and what it taught him about truly hearing clients.

Morgan Friedman

Derrick's Company Website

Derrick's LinkedIn

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