Sometimes clients struggle with their wish to create the solutions they want to have. In fact, almost everybody does.

There is no easy answer. But a good starting point is to look at our responsibility and at our ability to influence.

When we are responsible for a solution or an idea, then we will put our efforts into making our idea happen, knowing that we have the authority to do so. Having the mandate also means to have to do the work to establish a solution and to be enabled to do so.

But our ideas don’t stop at the boundary of our responsibility. When they go beyond, they may reach our zone of influence. It’s the space in which our ideas will be heard but not necessarily seen as we see them. Using our influence we can only spread our idea.

Having influence means being able to contribute with our idea and having permission to do so.

Being responsible means to do the work and use our authority to make the solution happen.

Neither is a guarantee that we’ll be able to make the solution happen.

They help us gauge our expectations of seeing our solution happen.