---
date: '2022-11-21T06:31:05'
hypothesis-meta:
  created: '2022-11-21T06:31:05.094140+00:00'
  document:
    title:
    - 8 Years on the Road
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  id: E2tl0GlmEe2cZXOxi8VhuA
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  tags:
  - self-employed
  - consulting
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    - exact: "I\u2019ve been using this phrase \u201Cthe next most useful thing\u201D\
        \ as a guiding light for my consulting work - I\u2019m obsessed with being\
        \ useful not just right. I\u2019ve always rejected the fancy presentation\
        \ in favor of the next most useful thing, and I simply took my eye off the\
        \ ball with this one. I\u2019m not even sure the client views this project\
        \ as a real disappointment, there was still some value in it, but I\u2019\
        m mad at myself personally for this one. A good reminder not to take your\
        \ eye off the ball. And to push your clients beyond what they tell you the\
        \ right answer is."
      prefix: ' hiring their marketing team).


        '
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        Anyway, while consulting work '
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    source: https://tomcritchlow.com/2022/11/10/8-years-on-the-road/
  text: The customer is not always right (just in matters of taste). Part of consultancy
    is providing stewardship and pushing back, just like any role I guess
  updated: '2022-11-21T06:31:05.094140+00:00'
  uri: https://tomcritchlow.com/2022/11/10/8-years-on-the-road/
  user: acct:ravenscroftj@hypothes.is
  user_info:
    display_name: James Ravenscroft
in-reply-to: https://tomcritchlow.com/2022/11/10/8-years-on-the-road/
tags:
- self-employed
- consulting
- hypothesis
type: annotation
url: /annotation/2022/11/21/1669012265

---



 <blockquote>I’ve been using this phrase “the next most useful thing” as a guiding light for my consulting work - I’m obsessed with being useful not just right. I’ve always rejected the fancy presentation in favor of the next most useful thing, and I simply took my eye off the ball with this one. I’m not even sure the client views this project as a real disappointment, there was still some value in it, but I’m mad at myself personally for this one. A good reminder not to take your eye off the ball. And to push your clients beyond what they tell you the right answer is.</blockquote>The customer is not always right (just in matters of taste). Part of consultancy is providing stewardship and pushing back, just like any role I guess