Getting Naked: Real Vulnerability for Lasting Client Relationships

Early in my consulting career, I noticed something odd—smart, capable consultants showing up like robots. Great résumés. Fancy decks. But no humanity. No warmth. No soul.

I remember sitting in a room of very senior executives as a 22-year-old with what I thought was a dumb question. My internal monologue went like this:

Surely these people must have thought of this.

I’m going to look like an idiot if I ask.

Just keep quiet… don’t say it… don’t say it…

You can’t help yourself, you’re going to say it.

And I did.

To my surprise, the room completely shifted for the better. That moment taught me the power of asking the uncomfortable question—and I’ve been leaning into discomfort ever since.

That early experience left a mark. I wanted to build a culture where everyone felt safe to ask the dumb question and lean into the awkward. So when we built Intevity, we hardwired “Human First” into our DNA. Because lasting client relationships aren’t built on business value alone.

Yes, quality matters. Yes, performance and outcomes are critical. But those are table stakes. If you’re serious about building high-touch, long-lasting client partnerships—especially as a boutique—you need something deeper.

That’s where Patrick Lencioni’s Getting Naked changed the game for us.

His message? Vulnerability isn’t weakness—it’s the most defensible strategy in consulting.

What “Getting Naked” Really Means

Getting Naked isn’t about oversharing. It’s about dropping the armor:

• Admitting when you don’t know
• Asking the obvious question
• Saying the uncomfortable thing out loud
• Not pretending to have it all figured out

That’s how you build trust—not by acting like a superhero, but by being a real human who genuinely gives a damn and does so in an open and caring manner. Be the person that tells someone they have the proverbial spinach in their teeth and that perhaps, their new idea is not the best, but you will help refine it.

At Intevity, we lean into kind, blunt and uncomfortable. Every team member. Every client. Every time.

Why Vulnerability Works

Being vulnerable disarms skepticism. It shows clients you’re not hiding behind a playbook or a title. It gives the permission to open up—which is where the real problems (and the real value) tend to hide.

Clients don’t want a vendor. They want a partner. Someone who:

• Tells them what they need to hear, not just what they want to hear
• Works hip to hip with them as a true team of one
• Watches their blind spots, not just their backlog

This is especially critical during the moments that matter:

• When a client is second-guessing everything
• When things are going sideways
• When they’ve had shifting priorities
• When what they say they want isn’t what they actually need

Getting naked gives you the credibility to navigate these moments.

How We Put It Into Practice at Intevity

Here’s how we’ve made “naked consulting” operational—across the firm:

1. Give Permission—Loudly and Often

Vulnerability doesn’t come naturally, especially to junior or mid-level consultants. So we make it crystal clear: you have permission.

• We celebrate the “I don’t know, but I’ll find out” moment.
• We coach curiosity, not certainty.
• We make vulnerability a strength signal, not a liability.

2. Practice Internally First

We don’t wait for client situations to practice being human.

• We show by example every day.
• We role-play hard conversations.
• We debrief not just what we did, but how we showed up.
• We run retros where owning a mistake earns more praise than hiding one.

3. Lead with Expectations, Not Perfection

We set the tone early with clients:

“We’re not going to always have the answer in the first meeting. But we will tell you what we’re seeing, ask the hard questions, and make sure the journey is as valuable as the destination.”

This prepares them for a different kind of relationship—one based on partnership, not posturing.

4. Deliver Moments That Matter

We’ve established a common language around “moments” that shape client experience:

Moments We Respond To

These are unavoidable. How we show up defines us.When our client:

• Has a Crisis - We are calm and solution oriented, but also compassionate
• Thinks we made a mistake - We lean in rather than circle the wagons
• Experiences a leadership change - We ask “how can we help you and your career”
• Starts questioning budget an value - We dig into the root of the questions

Moments We Create

These inspire confidence, build trust, and forge loyalty.

• Surprise and delight
• Connect people or ideas
• Ask about fears beyond the project
• Push back with care
• Offer unexpected insights
• Show a better way

Moments We Elevate

Ordinary moments, executed exceptionally.

• First impressions - Put the deck down, have a conversation
• Team transitions - Make this smoother than imaginable
• Scoping or negotiation - Always ask what the “Why” is behind the questions
• Critical workshops - Ensure all feel engaged, prepare 1-1 where needed and call out bad behavior

Moments Outside of Work

We don’t draw hard lines around relationships—we honor them.

• When a client needs a favor
• When they’re facing personal challenges
• When something reminds you of them
• When you haven’t heard from them in a while
• When you see a blind spot that they don’t

These moments build true partnership and advocates that will scream your praise from a mountain top. They generate feedback like:

“You made me realize I was missing something I didn’t even know I needed.”

“I didn’t know it could be that good.”

This Isn’t Soft. It’s Strategic.

Let me be clear: we’re not soft on deliverables. We’re obsessive about quality, craftsmanship, outcomes, and business value.

But we also know the best work dies on the vine without trust.

If you want to build a durable, high-margin, referral-rich firm, your team can’t just be smart. They have to be human.

And they have to be allowed and expected to be vulnerable.