solution

Nothing really useful can happen for clients if there is no collaboration. Even when clients will be doing most of the work, the word we can soften this fact and create a team approach to the problem. In this way, you let clients know they can trust your intention to be supportive without taking over and forcing a solution. Collaboration has another useful purpose. When done well, it prevents your giving the impression that you feel superior and that you see clients as being helpless and inadequate. Here are some ways to begin collaboration:

•             “Perhaps we can . . .”

•             “Maybe we can [could] . . .”

•             “Let’s [look at this together, look at your options, see what we can find out about this].”

•             “We can [could] . . .”

•             “Why don’t we . . .”

•             “We might . . .”

•             “You and I together can [could] . . .”