--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What clients are really interested in is…" description: "\"What clients are really interested in is honesty, plus a baseline of competence.\" — Patrick Lencioni" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c9f/patrick-lencioni-1969_clients_what-clients-are-really-interested-in-is_1298847.png" --- # What clients are really interested in is honesty, plus a… ![“What clients are really interested in is honesty, plus a baseline of competence.” quote by Patrick Lencioni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c9f/patrick-lencioni-1969_clients_what-clients-are-really-interested-in-is_1298847.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c9f/patrick-lencioni-1969_clients_what-clients-are-really-interested-in-is_1298847.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c9f/patrick-lencioni-1969_clients_what-clients-are-really-interested-in-is_1298847.png) > “What clients are really interested in is honesty, plus a baseline of competence.” [Patrick Lencioni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-lencioni/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Clients value honesty and a basic level of competence above all else. **In simple terms:** Honesty and competence are key. Key Takeaway Deliver truthful work with solid skills. Themes trust competence client relations Mood professional direct Type advice business When to use this quote - consulting - customer service - project management Key Concepts business ethics service quality Questions to Reflect On - How do you demonstrate competence honestly? - What builds client trust? A Different Perspective Competence without honesty still fails. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Honesty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honesty/) ## Related quotes > [“Although your marrows look very good, it’s not them I’m interested in..” (The Honesty Box) Love Potion”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-bacchus/although-your-marrows-look-very-good-it-s-not-them-i-m-interested-in/) Samantha Bacchus > [A great boss understands that clients are really the one's in charge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/a-great-boss-understands-that-clients-are-really-the-one-s-in-charge/) [Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [“What clients want more than anything is to know that we’re more interested in helping them than we are in maintaining our revenue source.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-lencioni/what-clients-want-more-than-anything-is-to-know-that-we-re-more/) [Patrick Lencioni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-lencioni/) > [Over the first two weeks of the Donald Trump administration, Steve Bannon has emerged as one of the most powerful figures in the White…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-goodman/over-the-first-two-weeks-of-the-donald-trump-administration-steve/) [Amy Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-goodman/) > [ A nominee \[to Supreme Court\] must possess the competence, character and temperament to serve on the bench. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herb-kohl/a-nominee-to-supreme-court-must-possess-the-competence-character-and/) [Herb Kohl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herb-kohl/) > [Having spent years ruining the housing markets with their interference, leading to a housing meltdown that has taken the whole economy down with it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/having-spent-years-ruining-the-housing-markets-with-their/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [Friendships are nice. 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Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) ## More by Patrick Lencioni > [The vast majority of organizations today have more than enough intelligence, experience and knowledge to be successful. What they lack is organizational health.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-lencioni/the-vast-majority-of-organizations-today-have-more-than-enough/) [Patrick Lencioni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-lencioni/) > [Trust is the foundation of real teamwork (there is nothing touchy-feely about this).](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-lencioni/trust-is-the-foundation-of-real-teamwork-there-is-nothing-touchy/) [Patrick Lencioni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-lencioni/) > [“There is something so powerful about a person who in one moment can be confident enough to confront a client about a sensitive personal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-lencioni/there-is-something-so-powerful-about-a-person-who-in-one-moment-can/) [Patrick Lencioni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-lencioni/) > [“The idea is that your clients are looking for good suggestions, and they don’t mind sifting through some not-so-good ones as long as they’re…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-lencioni/the-idea-is-that-your-clients-are-looking-for-good-suggestions-and/) [Patrick Lencioni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-lencioni/) > [Are your people uncomfortable during meetings and tired at the end? 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Any other drivers - pricing gimmicks, heroic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-lencioni/at-its-core-all-authentic-growth-depends-on-more-customers-wanting/) [Patrick Lencioni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-lencioni/) > [“ADMIT YOUR WEAKNESSES AND LIMITATIONS”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-lencioni/admit-your-weaknesses-and-limitations/) [Patrick Lencioni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-lencioni/) > [I have yet to meet members of a leadership team who I thought lacked the intelligence or the domain expertise required to be successful.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-lencioni/i-have-yet-to-meet-members-of-a-leadership-team-who-i-thought-lacked/) [Patrick Lencioni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-lencioni/) [Explore all 194 Patrick Lencioni quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-lencioni/) ## More Clients quotes > [Amongst the financial Twitterati, the term 'muppets' has come to describe any client used and abused by some financial predator. 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We worship our work, we worship our clients and we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shailender-singh/i-don-t-care-about-awards-and-public-image-we-know-the-business-of/) [Shailender Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shailender-singh/) > [I became interested in building furniture, because I couldn't find pieces I really loved for myself and my clients. I picked stuff up from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremiah-brent/i-became-interested-in-building-furniture-because-i-couldn-t-find/) [Jeremiah Brent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremiah-brent/) > [“Clients who understand the return on investment you offer will jump at the chance to work with you. To”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-port/clients-who-understand-the-return-on-investment-you-offer-will-jump/) [Michael Port](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-port/) > [Most of my clients don't realize that the way they look and the way they think about their looks are two separate issues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-beck/most-of-my-clients-don-t-realize-that-the-way-they-look-and-the-way/) [Martha Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-beck/) > [One of my closest friends is a trans man who is incredible. And a lot of my clients are trans women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-van-ness/one-of-my-closest-friends-is-a-trans-man-who-is-incredible-and-a-lot/) [Jonathan Van Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-van-ness/) > [If you do good work for good clients, it will lead to other good work for other good clients. If you do bad work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bierut/if-you-do-good-work-for-good-clients-it-will-lead-to-other-good-work/) [Michael Bierut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bierut/) Browse all 737 Clients quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "What clients are really interested in is honesty, plus a baseline of competence.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Patrick Lencioni" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-lencioni/what-clients-are-really-interested-in-is-honesty-plus-a-baseline-of/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Clients" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-lencioni/what-clients-are-really-interested-in-is-honesty-plus-a-baseline-of/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c9f/patrick-lencioni-1969_clients_what-clients-are-really-interested-in-is_1298847.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c9f/patrick-lencioni-1969_clients_what-clients-are-really-interested-in-is_1298847.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c9f/patrick-lencioni-1969_clients_what-clients-are-really-interested-in-is_1298847.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“What clients are really interested in is honesty, plus a baseline of competence.” — Patrick Lencioni", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Patrick Lencioni", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-lencioni/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "What clients are really interested in...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-lencioni/what-clients-are-really-interested-in-is-honesty-plus-a-baseline-of/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-lencioni/what-clients-are-really-interested-in-is-honesty-plus-a-baseline-of/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```