Stepping into an inherited contract management role comes with unique challenges. You're tasked with navigating strained client relationships formed under previous leadership, often after tensions had been allowed to fester. Gaining trust and turning things around is an uphill battle.

At WPC Consulting, we understand the pressure of calming demanding waters while proving your capabilities as the new point of contact. It's daunting to contemplate owning a dysfunctional situation not of your making. Our experience coaching countless managers through this scenario gives us valuable insights. At WPC, we provide strategies to turn challenges into opportunities.

1. Understand All Perspectives

Schedule individual meetings to listen without judgment. For example, when a Director criticised delays, we learned disputes over priorities caused tension. With clients and internal stakeholders, gain rounded insight.

2. Communicate Your Fresh Start

Express commitment to openness and partnership. For example, one manager shared experiences and asked what steps helped build the most trust in past relationships. This disarmed clients who are used to defensiveness.

3. Involve All Stakeholders

Schedule inclusive workshops. For one client, we brought in procurement, operations, and legal to jointly map issues with the client. United solutions replaced siloed decision-making and finger-pointing.

4. Find Compromise Through Dialogue

Facilitate structured discussions, such as using interest-based negotiation tools, to discover common ground. For an inflexible client, we found a workaround to objections through brainstorming alternatives together.

5. Establish Healthy Processes

Draft review protocols and refine documentation. One manager struggled with inconsistent requests. We created request templates and timelines to introduce order and accountability.

By implementing skills for unified, long-term focused partnerships, managers can transform fraught relationships into highly valued strategic alliances.

Implementing structure and processes strengthens relationships long-term through consistency, transparency and healthy escalation of issues before they escalate. Most importantly, your empathetic, solutions-focused leadership sets the constructive tone going forward.

Are you inheriting a strained contract management role and desire expert guidance? WPC Consulting is here to provide the roadmap for establishing strong foundations of partnership, trust and accountability through our proven coaching framework.

Contact us today to discuss customised strategies for navigating your most demanding legacy clients successfully and turning previous tensions into opportunities for lasting strategic alliances. Our process has helped countless managers regain control and take challenging portfolios to new positive heights.