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Other than emails, no logs. The original request was to help them a few hours a week, but now it snowballed into full on bug fixing. I suggested they block the

Other than emails, no logs. The original request was to help them a few hours a week, but now it snowballed into full on bug fixing. I suggested they block the non working parts and go live with the working ones, remove fluff. They reluctantly agreed. No contract, not paid. I'm not worried about money. I'm more interested in getting out on good terms and moving on.

ddingus 8y ago
Tell them that. Tell them you will be kind, forget money, and are done unless: And right now, decide what that is. For everyones mutual benefit, going forward, things need to work this way: Decide what that is. Communicate all that, and then let them make choices. You will make sure you have options, and that they also have them. Best you can do. You did not build that problem. Make all those rhings ultra clear. Hear all their emotions, concerns, etc... feed them right back with your own and point to those options. When they own it, you can move away easily and on reasonable terms. Or, you won't care because they are not veing good humans about all this. Or, they agree to make your ownership worth it, and then you can take care of them properly. I put all the cases here for clarity and to be complete. If you are going to quit them, omit what does not apply, leave them with a recommended process for their next engagement, and step away. It may not be possible to do it and have everyone feel good. So make double sure your communication is documented snd very defensible. Good as it gets. I have been there. Oh, one thing I did for a very difficult client was bring a peer in for review and consult. We did it together client and I. They were enlightened. So was I. Learned to manage expectations much better. I paid for that, and did it to reset a gig gone bad. Got someone you trust to deliver competent, brutal truth? Fresh eyes can be worth gold. Honestly, after thinking about it. The root cause on this is likely the help out a few hours a week expectation combined with a full-time reality. There was probably no winning this. They need to know that. Or they're just going to continue to suffer.
- justaguyhere 8y ago
  This is very helpful. Thank you for taking the time to respond!
  - ddingus 8y ago
    Hope it helps. Talking through stuff like this is high value. Your turn one day. One of us will hear the bell ring at the school of hard knocks.

ddingus 8y ago

Tell them that. Tell them you will be kind, forget money, and are done unless: And right now, decide what that is. For everyones mutual benefit, going forward, things need to work this way: Decide what that is. Communicate all that, and then let them make choices. You will make sure you have options, and that they also have them. Best you can do. You did not build that problem. Make all those rhings ultra clear. Hear all their emotions, concerns, etc... feed them right back with your own and point to those options. When they own it, you can move away easily and on reasonable terms. Or, you won't care because they are not veing good humans about all this. Or, they agree to make your ownership worth it, and then you can take care of them properly. I put all the cases here for clarity and to be complete. If you are going to quit them, omit what does not apply, leave them with a recommended process for their next engagement, and step away. It may not be possible to do it and have everyone feel good. So make double sure your communication is documented snd very defensible. Good as it gets. I have been there. Oh, one thing I did for a very difficult client was bring a peer in for review and consult. We did it together client and I. They were enlightened. So was I. Learned to manage expectations much better. I paid for that, and did it to reset a gig gone bad. Got someone you trust to deliver competent, brutal truth? Fresh eyes can be worth gold. Honestly, after thinking about it. The root cause on this is likely the help out a few hours a week expectation combined with a full-time reality. There was probably no winning this. They need to know that. Or they're just going to continue to suffer.

justaguyhere 8y ago
This is very helpful. Thank you for taking the time to respond!
- ddingus 8y ago
  Hope it helps. Talking through stuff like this is high value. Your turn one day. One of us will hear the bell ring at the school of hard knocks.