Most clients are corporate people protecting their mortgages. They mistakenly see ideas as a risk rather than an advancement to their careers. Therefore their motivation may be quite different from their brief to you.

Find out what the client’s real objective is. All clients aspire to status. It may be their desire to become member of the New Your Yacht or the Jockey Club. To be chairman of the company, Owner of the football club.

We all want to be proud of the company we work for. It enhances our reputation, makes us look good, feel good and gives us access to the best people. The majority of us want to work for companies with glamorous reputations. If you work for one of these companies, you are probably working for them for what they can do for you.

But not everybody is fortunate enough to be able to work for the outfit that is currently flavoured. So, given that not everyone in your company is an idiot, what are you personally going to do to make it company of the year?

Start by taking it up. Begin thinking and behaving like a winner. It will stop the rot. It will temporarily halt negative thinking and a defeatist attitude. If you find people talking it down, take issue with them, tell others about them. If it persists, get them fired or, fight somebody for talking disparagingly about the company you work for. People will soon get the idea.

Don’t expect top management to lead the way. They are too busy running the company. Decide you are going to make the company great; at least decide you are going to make the difference. Observe that the organization’s reputation is usually built on one or two key accounts. Then pick the ground on which to make your assault.

Realize that companies’ reputations are also built on one or two people. Aim to be that person or one of them. You are halfway there. You have made the decision to do it. Now all you have is your wits, your talent, and your guts.

You are on your own. Just do it. Better.