What do you see in this image? We likely see it differently.

Ever hear of the inkblot test (the Rorschach test)?

It’s a psychological tool where people are shown abstract shapes and asked what they see. There’s no right answer. Just perception. Interpretation. Insight.

I have never taken the test myself, but I feel like I’ve given it a hundred times.

Every time I meet with a new client, that first conversation feels a lot like holding up one of those inkblots.

I want them to paint the picture, show me their world through their lens.

What do they see? The bold outlines of their (SWOT) strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats.

What do they feel? Is the market warm with momentum or cold with hesitation?

What do they hear? The drumbeat of competitors, the buzz of rising trends, or the subtle signals in customer feedback?

What does success look like to them? Not in vague generalities, I try to get clear details. Measurable. Tangible. Real.

Just like the Rorschach test, we all see the same things differently. There’s no right or wrong, just different vantage points. True alignment occurs when we pause to understand how others perceive the world. That’s where strategy begins.

I am fortunate to be working with a great partner team right now (if you’re reading this—thank you). They’re smart, flexible, driven, and always looking to improve the product and the partnership. They sit on the operations, data/analytics, and customer success side. I bring strategy, sales, and account management to the table. Together, we make a strong team. Like any strong team, we don’t always see things the same way.

Recently, we were reviewing some potential improvements. Something critical was missing that seemed obvious from my view. We had a productive conversation (we always do), at the beginning of the call what I was asking for was not on their radar. I am looking forward to the next steps.

After the call, my main point of contact stayed on the phone. I asked him a curveball question, Are you familiar with the inkblot test? To my surprise, he nodded and said, The Rorschach test? with a curious look that said, where are you going with this?

I smiled and said it is a recap of the call. What’s obvious to one of us might be invisible to someone else.

We all come from different backgrounds. We serve different types of clients. We solve different problems. It's not a flaw, it is the benefit of collaboration, where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts

When we lean into it, listen, and meet each other where we are, that’s where progress lives. That’s when the work gets better. The product improves. The results grow.

The best partnerships don’t assume they align.

The best strategy, begins by asking, What do you see?