When I was a mid-level designer working at an agency, we needed to hire a new creative director. My boss and I discussed how important this hire was for my career growth, and he promised to heavily prioritize my requests and opinions in our search process.

We narrowed it down to two people, and we scheduled their interviews one day after the other.

The first person came in. We asked lots of questions about his work and what he would do in tough spots. He gave smart answers and showed good work. After he left, I felt like he could be a great leader for me.

The next day, our second candidate came in. We asked our first question. He calmly responded, “If it’s ok, I made a short presentation that I think will answer that question pretty well. Is it ok if I plug in my laptop and walk you through a few slides?”

I knew in that moment we had found our next creative director.

It was 17 years ago when Chris Cashdollar quietly took charge of the room, and eventually our team. From that first interview through the year and I half I spent working with him, Chris—or Cash or Cash Money or C-Money, as we sometimes called him—showed me what real leadership looked like. C$ won the role—and my heart—by being more prepared than everyone else. The work always wins. Smart, articulate people can always impress. But the person who shows up with the sketch or the prototype quickly rises above.

Cash used a framework I recognized almost two decades later in the great book The Challenger Sale by Matthew Dixon and Brent Adamson:

1. Teach for differentiation
2. Tailor for resonance
3. Take control of the sale

This past week, one of my students tried it out for the first time, a very different way than they were used to field an inquiry from a prospect. From their debrief:

The big change was how I led the conversation, felt confident, a little nervous, but then things felt different. It's incredible how things change when a potential client puts a lot of trust in you. No pushback at all. This client was basically letting me talk and the nodding like agreeing with me. If they see you as the only person that can do the job, then it’s a much easier negotiation.

Preparation isn’t flashy. But it’s often the difference between being considered and being chosen.

Thoughtful responses are table stakes. what makes you stand out is how much work you do before you walk into the room.

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