In my last post, I wrote about the consequences of ignoring the red flags in your relationships. The idea goes beyond personal relationships and extends to your work as well. For instance, you can see red flags even when working with clients that aren’t right for you. But you persist anyway for one reason or another. You keep working with them even when it doesn’t feel right. And then you wonder what went wrong. The last thing you want to do is appear “unprofessional,” so you stick to working with them. You let them lead the work even when they have hired you for a reason. Before you know it, they are calling the shots about the deliverables. That happens when you are working for them. You’re not working with them anymore. You are no longer peers/partners, because there seems to be an apparent hierarchy with them above you. Then, it’s over.1 The thing is, not everyone is right for your work. This is why it makes sense to qualify potential clients at the outset. It’s not enough that you can do the work. The real question is what it will be like to work with them. That will make all the difference with how you feel about the work you do. Also, not to say there is something wrong with them when they are not a good fit for you. You have to be willing to say no to those who will pay good money, but you know it doesn’t feel right. More time spent at the outset in figuring out if they are a good fit resolves 99 percent of the future problems. Skipping this initial time to figure out client fit turns out to be costly in the long run in terms of time and attention involved. Besides, life is too short to work with those who don’t value your work. They were never partners to begin with, but you only end up finding out the hard way.