A client in Denver told me to stop asking 'is this okay' after every single change

I was doing a design review over a video call, sharing my screen and making small tweaks to a layout. Every time I moved something, I'd ask 'is this okay?' or 'does that look better?' After about the fifth time, he just cut in and said, 'Robert, you're the expert I hired. Stop asking for my permission to do your job. Just do it, and if I hate it, I'll tell you.' It happened about three months ago, but it stuck with me. I realized I was so scared of getting it wrong that I was making the process slower and annoying for him. I was looking for a safety net on every tiny choice. Now I just make the call, present the finished piece, and only ask for feedback on the big picture. Has anyone else had to break a habit of over-asking for approval?

3 comments

3 Comments

lilyb271mo ago

Stop asking permission" was solid advice.

patel.leo1mo ago

Works until you ask the wrong person.

quinnbailey9d ago

Asking for forgiveness instead of permission got me through a lot of red tape. I just moved forward with what made sense and dealt with any pushback later. It saved a ton of time waiting around.