Achieve More By Interpreting Your Client's Dream

It's Career-Wednesday! I've been dying to finish this article for over a month now. When the inspiration came, I didn't know how best to write it in words. It was so deep that I had to chill for days. Thank God it has finally come through.

Whether you have your own business or you have a boss you work for, you've got customers/clients to please. Meeting the needs of your client is a crucial part of growing a successful business or career.

This' a long post but I pray that you find inspiration. :)

Reading Your Client’s Mind

I am currently wearing the shoes of both an employee and an entrepreneur. There are really no perils wearing both shoes if you are being paid and constantly using not less than 70% of your inspired skills. The only exhausting bit can be being able to read the mind of the client and meeting crazy deadlines.

Blessedly, in both shoes, I do the Media thing.

Media is all about creating, presenting and offering effective and beautiful interpretations . . . hence, you have to decipher what exactly has to be communicated. Sometimes you use your discretion, but most times your client would tell you exactly what they want.

It’s left for you to actively listen to your client so that they can be happy and satisfied at the end of the day. And that sweetie, is the best thing to do, but not often the easiest thing to do. Whew.

See, in this world, you must have a passion for what you do. Check I got that. But to take it further, you must learn to sell what you do. Half check, I am learning on my job in the industry. But meeting your client's need every single time is a totally different ball game.

As an employee: I create content for social media, manage clients' social media pages and engage with brands' targeted audience. It is required that I express the mind of the clients representing each brand.

As an entrepreneur: I communicate ideas, stories and share experiences via various media outlets (TV, radio) - I do voice-overs, host red carpets, discussions/talk shows, and anchor events, etc. It is required that I communicate the mind of my clients with whatever personality type that works best.

On the other side: I design/sew/model clothes and create Ankara accessories. It is required that I know exactly what my customers really want.

Trust me, I have met quite a number of interesting clients.

For the sake of blogging, I have classified clients into three groups based on the format of interpretations they need, viz:

"Do What I Want" Client

Some clients want exactly what they have imagined and execution on his/her imagination might want you to shut your inventive door and open small operational windows. Even if you have an idea of a masterpiece, you would have to lock it up and make it flow out ONLY when you are asked to. In this case, you'd have to be mindlessly operational than to be functionally creative.

"Do When I Want" Client

When the client is unclear about what s/he wants but there is a crazy deadline hanging over you like a suspended sword, keep asking questions to your clients, chew his/her brain up to get a brief and may be give them a few options to make it easier for them to pinpoint their choice. In this case, work towards delivering the best acceptable result in the shortest possible time.

"Do What You Like" Client

When the client is unclear about what s/he wants but they believe you can deliver and leave you to use your intelligence and creativity, by all means give it your best shot. It's a set up. In this case, put yourself in the client's shoes and create a masterpiece you would be proud of.

"Show How You Do" Client

Sometimes your client may become your strict history teacher demanding precision in everything you do and that’s when your true merit will be tested. In this case, you have to record your progress, and send a periodic report to your client.

A client can belong to more than one of the categories listed above. However, knowing the major category in which your client belongs makes it a bit easier to meet their needs.

The ONE Thing About Interpretation

There are many interpretations but only ONE could satisfy your Client. To succeed, you must strive to create that ONE your client dreams about. You must strive to be the ONE that solves their problems. No matter how nice and beautiful the service you provide or the product you sell, it is possible to make no progress if it doesn't match what s/he has in mind.

They said, “We dreamed dreams and there’s no one to interpret them.”

Joseph said, “Don’t interpretations come from God? Tell me the dreams.”

- Genesis 40:8, MSG

It is important to pray for wisdom to produce the best service that only leaves each client satisfied. Ever since the inception of this understanding I haven't stopped praying. Because truth be told, only God can read the mind of your client and only Him can expose it to you.

************

If we conclude now, this article would be applauded by you. However, it'd be counted for me as wickedness unto God if I fail to share this major insight:

Joseph's Style Of Interpretation

I always find myself relating with Joseph (in the Bible) at every point on my journey. His story inspires me to keep going. I would love to sit down with Joseph and hear all his stories, find out all those things not recorded in the Bible. Perhaps he would recount all the temptations and victories and tell me more about his gracious strategy of interpretation.

Joseph beautifully interpreted his clients' dreams. And he got more contracts and more promotions thereafter.

A case study of one of his top clients: Pharaoh

When Pharaoh had his two dreams (Genesis 41), he wasn't short of business contacts. Pharaoh could call the MD/CEO of any organisation to interpret his dreams. There are many top class media experts and businessmen with different interpretations and meanings. "Pharaoh sent and called all the necromancers of Egypt and all its sages, and related to them his dream, but no one interpreted them for Pharaoh." Meaning, not one of them offered an interpretation that satisfied Pharaoh.

Let's even look at the dreams again:

Dream 1:
From the Nile were coming up seven cows, of handsome appearance and robust flesh, and they pastured in the marshland. And behold, seven other cows were coming up after them from the Nile, of ugly appearance and lean of flesh, and they stood beside the cows which were on the Nile bank. And the cows of ugly appearance and lean of flesh devoured the seven cows that were of handsome appearance and healthy.

Dream 2:
Seven ears of grain were growing on one stalk, healthy and good. And behold, seven ears of grain, thin and beaten by the east wind, were growing up after them. And the thin ears of grain swallowed up the seven healthy and full ears of grain.

All the mediapreneurs around gave their opinion. The Bible didn't tell us what they said, however, Pharaoh was definitely not satisfied.

RELATED: Mind-blowing Advertising Secrets From The Bible

Not until Joseph showed up and offered his own divinely inspired interpretation.

What was so special about Joseph's interpretation?

As I ponder on what was it about his interpretation that could had been lacking in the others, three things come to mind:

his uniqueness,
his expertise and
his desire to see his client succeed.

You think so too, right? Here is what I mean:

Uniqueness: When Joseph offered Pharaoh his interpretation of the dreams, he expressed his character, personality, and belief into it. He first declared that his source was God, and then went ahead with his interpretation.

He said the seven fat cows and healthy ears represented seven years of plenty; the skinny cows and beaten ears represented seven years of extreme famine.

He didn't stop there.

He then continued to give his advice. Even when he wasn't asked to do so. He gave more.

Expertise: He gave clarity to everything with a level of professionalism. He said during the first set of seven years they should harvest and store as much grain as possible so that when the seven years of famine arrive the Egyptians will have what to eat.

By offering this advice, Joseph was actually answering the million dollar question on Pharaoh's mind: How was it possible to have the good and bad at the same time?

Make Client Succeed: No one had been able to bring to light that which he dreams. Pharaoh was desperate to find someone, anyone who understands his vision, his kingdom, his business.

Joseph knew!

He proferred solutions. He said during the first seven years, the second set of seven years of famine was already in existence as they were preparing for it by collecting and storing all the surplus grain. When the famine finally arrived, although nothing grew from the earth, the first set of seven years was still at their side as they had all the food from that period stored away. Thus the seven skinny cows stood side by side with the seven fat cows.

Now, Pharaoh was satisfied.

*********

I hope you catch the rhema? You are a 'Joseph' to somebody.

Whenever you get a project, it is for you to interpret a dream. Whenever you are being asked a question, it is for you to interpret a dream. Whatever work you do, you are interpreting dreams.

Remember you succeed by helping your clients succeed.

Thank you for reading.
I want to read your comments. Please don't reserve it, share your thoughts. :)

If you have nothing to say, then what category of client is Pharaoh?

Written by Nwamaka Ajaegbu

Connect on Twitter: @Amakamedia

Connect on Instagram: @amakamedia

Do Email: amakamedia@yahoo.com

And Bloglovin: Amakamedia

Heart Rays . . . giving light.