Ask Kabbalist

Updated September 2026: in 2019 I wrote about agreeing, somewhat reluctantly, to support another opportunity from the account my team found hardest, and finding the first call with the delivery contact smoother than expected. I have rewritten it as a guide to starting work on an account with a difficult reputation.

I was unsure about this one. My manager did not have the best relationship with me and tended to give me the complicated work. Still, trusting him this time, I told the other manager I could support the opportunity, even though it came from the most difficult account in our team. After finishing the previous opportunity from that account, I hoped this would be easier. I contacted the delivery person to get the background and understand how much work I would need to do. The first call was smoother than I expected. The request seemed straightforward, and I already had a standard set of slides that fitted.

Why do some accounts get a bad reputation?

Usually because of a few painful deals: frequent changes, short deadlines or difficult individuals. The reputation then sticks, even when the people or the work change.

What should you ask in the first call?

• What the client has asked for, in their words.
• The deadline and any interim reviews.
• Who decides on the final content.
• What was sent before to this client, so you can reuse it.
• What went wrong last time, so you can avoid it.

How do you protect yourself on a difficult account?

Write down what was agreed after each call and send it to everyone involved. Keep a list of changes and their dates. If the work grows, the record makes it easy to explain why timelines move.

Should you accept work from a manager you do not fully trust?

Sometimes it is worth giving it a chance, as I did. Agree the scope and your time commitment up front, and tell both managers if it changes. That way you are covered whichever way it goes.

What if it turns out easy?

Enjoy it, and note what made it smooth. Those notes help change the account's reputation and make the next request easier to accept.

Keep reading

• Manager Asking for Status Every Few Minutes? Fixes
• A Proposal Deck in One Week: Start With the Storyline
• Asked for a Draft by End of Day? When to Say Not Yet

Updated September 2026: in 2019 I wrote about picking up an opportunity after its difficult delivery contact left the company, building a storyline, bringing in leaders from several teams, and then being given one week and daily calls to finish the deck. I have rewritten it as a guide to building a proposal deck on a short deadline.

I had been pulled onto the most difficult opportunity my team had worked on, and to my surprise the delivery contact I found hardest to work with had left the company. On the first day I pulled standard slides from earlier decks, built a storyline, and asked the onsite team for inputs. I set up a call with them and invited senior leaders from my team and others, hoping it would go smoothly. It turned out to be very complicated, and the leaders asked me for an updated deck within a week, with daily calls to track progress.

Why start with the storyline?

A storyline is the sequence of points the deck must make, written as headlines before any slides exist. It lets reviewers agree the argument early, so later feedback is about details rather than structure. On a short deadline, that saves days.

How do you plan a deck in one week?

• Day 1: agree the storyline and assign each section an owner.
• Days 2 and 3: draft all sections, reusing standard slides where they fit.
• Day 4: full review with leaders; collect all comments in one place.
• Day 5: revise, check numbers and format consistently.

How do you make daily calls useful?

Keep them short and structured: what changed since yesterday, what is blocked, and who acts next. Share an updated tracker before each call so people arrive informed.

What should you do when many leaders are involved?

Ask one person to own the final decision on disputed content. Senior reviewers often give conflicting comments, and without a single decision maker you end up rewriting the same slide several times.

Does a new contact change the dynamics?

Often, yes. When a difficult colleague leaves, use it as a fresh start. Set clear ways of working with the new team from the first call rather than carrying over old frustrations.

Keep reading

• Closing Work Before Your Vacation: A Practical Plan
• Asked for a Draft by End of Day? When to Say Not Yet
• Starting Work on a Difficult Account: First Call Tips

Updated September 2026: in 2019 I wrote about presenting a team session the day before my vacation, a session I felt existed mainly to show a manager was active, and being told afterwards it was optional. I have rewritten it as a guide to giving an internal knowledge session when you are nervous or unconvinced.

I had to present a session on a Monday, the day before my long vacation. I was annoyed, because I felt it helped nobody and had been planned so one of the managers could show he was monitoring the team. He told me that, starting with me, everyone would present each week about their approach to work. The session went fine. I stammered in places but explained the concepts confidently. At the end he told the team the sessions were optional, for anyone who wanted to share something new. That annoyed me more, and I felt unwell for a few hours afterwards.

Why do internal sessions feel like a burden?

They take preparation time on top of normal work, the purpose is often unclear, and presenting to colleagues can feel more exposing than presenting to clients.

How do you make a session worth giving?

• Pick one useful topic, such as a template or shortcut you use every day.
• Keep it short, fifteen or twenty minutes with time for questions.
• Show a real example rather than theory.
• Share the material afterwards so it outlasts the call.

How do you handle nerves and stammering?

Rehearse the opening minute out loud, since that is when nerves are worst. Speak a little slower than feels natural and pause instead of filling gaps. Most listeners notice confidence in the content far more than small stumbles in delivery.

What if the session turns out to be optional?

Treat the one you gave as a win, not wasted effort. You now have material you can reuse in onboarding or client work. If you disagree with how sessions are organised, suggest a better format to the manager, such as a monthly slot with volunteers.

Should you present right before a vacation?

Avoid it if you can. The days before leave are already busy with handovers. If a date is set for you, ask to move it, or keep the session short and simple.

Keep reading

• Closing Work Before Your Vacation: A Practical Plan
• Asked to Work Before the Client Replies? What to Do
• Starting Work on a Difficult Account: First Call Tips

Updated September 2026: in 2019 I wrote about coming back from a long vacation to two days with no work, a manager on leave on the third day, and a team that ended up playing Bingo over the office messenger. I have rewritten it as a guide to using a quiet week at work well.

After a long vacation, I spent my first two days back with nothing to do, watching random videos and browsing the internet. On the third day I was sure I would be given a new opportunity, but my manager was on leave. With no manager and no work, I went back to videos. Then a colleague messaged me on the office communicator asking whether we could play Bingo, because she was bored and frustrated. I said yes, and soon the whole team at my location was playing.

Why do quiet weeks happen?

Work in client-facing and presales teams arrives in waves. After a vacation, your old tasks have been covered or closed, and new ones have not been assigned yet. A manager on leave makes the gap longer.

Is it wrong to relax during a quiet spell?

Not at all. A bit of team fun builds friendships that help when the pressure returns. The risk is only in letting several days pass with nothing to show, especially if someone later asks what you did.

What are useful things to do with free time at work?

• Tidy your templates and slide library, so the next request is faster.
• Catch up on what changed while you were away, such as new offerings or clients.
• Learn one tool or skill that your role uses often.
• Offer help to a busy teammate, which also shows you are available.
• Write down lessons from your last opportunity while you still remember them.

How do you let people know you are free?

Send a short note to your manager or team lead, even if they are away: "Back from leave and available for new work. Here is what I am doing in the meantime." It prevents the impression that you are idle by choice.

Should you worry when there is no work?

One quiet week is normal. If it lasts a month, ask your manager directly about upcoming work and your role. Long quiet periods can be a sign of changes in the team, and it is better to hear about them early.

Keep reading

• Closing Work Before Your Vacation: A Practical Plan
• Joining a Request Mid-Flight: How to Ramp Up Fast
• Asked to Work Before the Client Replies? What to Do