As the festive season draws near and the moth-bitten stockings and plastic trees are retrieved from crumbling cardboard boxes, spare a little thought for bid teams, beavering away like elves in hope of festive cheer. Here are some thoughts around proposals in this special time.
Don’t assume things will slow down – plan for a busy Santa’s workshop
Companies often spend great efforts to demonstrate the festive season is a time to slow down and let your hair down, what with Christmas parties and often mandatory leave days in between Christmas and New Year. While this is welcomed by most, I have witnessed first-hand that clients may not be so accommodating, especially in global bid teams. One suggestion is to ask if anyone wants to work during this presumed downturn. I personally enjoy working the few days between Christmas and New Year to get things done and then take time in lieu later on. Not everyone wants to down Santa’s tools as soon as the reindeers and the big bearded man have left Lapland.
Recognise some sore heads – not necessarily from festive partying but from a long and tiring year!
The end of year period has a psychological impact on all of us. It is often the realisation of how quickly time has passed and of how much work has been done. It should be a time of reflection and congratulation of all the achievements in the year to date. There is also a natural instinct to want to lighten the workload and cut short the long hours. This is often at odds with the wishes of clients to get RFPs out before the end of the year; as burnout increases, so may workload. Leaders need to empathise with teams and work around the need to give people a break whilst maintaining quality.
Even clients enjoy some festive cheer, and most have a sense of humour!
One final point about bidding at this time of year is that it’s perfectly acceptable to add a little festive flavour in your proposals and presentations. Adding a reference to ‘Season’s Greetings’ or even some tongue in cheek ‘Christmas discounts’ can go a long way in differentiating yourself from your competition – who may even come across as Scrooge if your offering stands out!
Season’s Greetings everyone!
Michael Brown
Michael Brown is a seasoned bid professional having won multiple projects across the built environment throughout Europe, the Middle East, APAC and North America. He is passionate about leading global teams to deliver top quality proposals and pitches to multinational clients.
