This weekend, I was out in the crisp air, swinging my axe through a stack of logs. It’s not just about splitting wood to keep my house warm through the winter, though the growing pile for the fireplace is a nice bonus. Chopping wood is a go-to for exercise, a way to get my heart pumping and muscles working. More than that, it’s a mental reset. Each swing clears my head, sharpens my focus, and grounds me in the moment. And as I worked through that pile, I realized chopping wood is a lot like delivering an exceptional building experience: it’s all about preparation, precision, and persistence.
Picture the perfect swing: the axe arcs through the air and slices clean through the log with a satisfying thunk, splitting it perfectly in one go. The blade sticks just right in the stump below, and you step back, feeling like you’ve nailed it. That’s the client work equivalent of a flawless project delivery: when your strategy, execution, and the client’s needs align like a well-timed symphony. The proposal lands perfectly, the deliverables exceed expectations, and the client’s smile says it all. It feels effortless, but it’s really the result of careful planning and honed skill.
Then there are the tougher swings. You put your all into it, but the axe gets stuck halfway through the log. It’s wedged tight, and you’re left wrestling it free, reassessing your angle, and swinging again. Sound familiar? These are the moments in client work when things don’t go as planned, a scope change mid-project, a miscommunication that delays timelines, or an unexpected challenge that demands a pivot. These “stuck axe” moments test your resilience, patience, and ability to adapt, just like when I’m out there fighting a stubborn knot in the wood.
So, how do you maximize those clean, single-swing splits? It’s all about a sharp axe and solid form. In woodworking, that means keeping the blade honed and perfecting your stance, grip, and swing. For me, it’s also about the rhythm of the work, finding that flow where body and mind sync up. In client work, it’s about preparation: deeply understanding your client’s goals by asking the right questions and clarifying expectations upfront. It’s about fine-tuning communication to be clear, proactive, and empathetic, and continuously improving your processes: whether that’s streamlining workflows, adopting smarter tools, or learning from past projects. A sharp axe and practiced form don’t guarantee a perfect split every time, but they tilt the odds in your favor.
Even the best woodchoppers miss sometimes. Every swing, whether it’s a clean split or a stuck axe, teaches you something. Maybe it’s a tweak to your technique, a lesson in patience, or a reminder to check the grain of the wood (or the client’s priorities) before you swing. The key is to keep showing up, adjusting your stance, and swinging again with purpose. That’s what I love about chopping wood, it’s a reminder that progress comes from persistence, whether I’m building a fire to warm my home or building trust with a client.
Delivering stellar client experiences isn’t about perfection, it’s about commitment. It’s about sharpening your skills, learning from every chop, and consistently aiming to hit the mark.
