Client Listening: Why Culture is the Missing Piece

Client Talk
1 day ago
4 min read

In the professional services sector, client listening is often an initiative led by business and client development teams. It is something that is visible which involves surveys, interviews, and feedback reports. However, beneath the surface of these activities lies a deeper, more influential force: organisational culture. Without addressing this cultural foundation, even the most sophisticated client listening programmes risk becoming superficial exercises.

Our Director, Claire Rason, a former solicitor turned business development expert and systemic coach, recently delivered a compelling session on this very topic. Drawing on her diverse career and extensive experience working with law firms and other professional services firms, she argued that the success of client listening initiatives depends not just on what firms do, but on who they are, and how they behave.

Understanding Culture: More Than Just Behaviour

Culture is often described as “the way we do things around here.” But Claire encouraged a more nuanced view, drawing on two influential models to illustrate the complexity of organisational culture.

The first, Edward T. Hall’s “Cultural Iceberg,” highlights that most cultural elements are hidden beneath the surface. Observable behaviours and practices are just the tip of the iceberg. Below the waterline lie values, beliefs, and assumptions, many of which are unconscious and invisible even to those within the organisation.

The second model, developed by organisational theorist Edgar Schein, breaks culture into three layers:

Artifacts: Visible elements such as dress codes, office layout, and formal programmes.
Espoused Values: Stated principles and strategies, such as being “client-centric” or “trusted advisors.”
Underlying Assumptions: Deep-rooted beliefs that shape how people think and act, often without realising it.

These assumptions are particularly important in the context of client listening. For example, if a firm unconsciously believes that “clients only complain when something is seriously wrong,” it may dismiss valuable feedback or avoid seeking it altogether.

The Spectrum of Client Listening Cultures

Claire described a spectrum of client listening cultures, ranging from closed to open:

Closed cultures operate on the belief that they already know what clients think. Feedback is rarely sought, and when it is, it may be filtered or ignored.
Open cultures actively seek feedback, embrace challenge, and use insights to drive continuous improvement.
Most firms fall somewhere in between. They may support client listening in principle but place restrictions on who can be contacted, when, and how.

Interestingly, different departments within the same firm can exhibit different cultures. One team may be open and receptive to feedback, while another remains guarded and resistant. This inconsistency often reflects the influence of individual leaders and the psychological safety they foster.

Psychological Safety: The Foundation for Feedback

A key theme in Rason’s session was the concept of psychological safety; the belief that individuals can speak up, make mistakes, and challenge authority without fear of negative consequences. This concept, popularised by Harvard professor Amy Edmondson, is essential for fostering a culture of feedback.

Psychological safety is not about being agreeable or avoiding conflict. Rather, it enables healthy disagreement, encourages learning from mistakes, and supports innovation. In firms where psychological safety is low, feedback is often seen as criticism or a threat. In contrast, high-safety environments treat feedback as an opportunity for growth.

Leaders play a pivotal role in modelling psychological safety. Their willingness to admit mistakes, invite challenge, and act on feedback sets the tone for the rest of the organisation.

From Theory to Practice: Creating Cultural Change

Understanding culture is one thing; changing it is another. Rason introduced Kurt Lewin’s three-stage model of change (unfreeze, change, refreeze) as a useful framework for shifting organisational culture:

Unfreeze: Create a compelling reason for change by surfacing hidden assumptions and highlighting the limitations of the current approach.
Change: Introduce new behaviours, mindsets, and practices that support the desired culture.
Refreeze: Reinforce these changes until they become embedded in the organisation’s DNA.

In the context of client listening, this might involve:

Challenging assumptions about who should be contacted and what feedback is valuable.
Encouraging leaders to model openness and vulnerability.
Aligning internal feedback practices with external listening efforts.
Using client insights to inform strategic decisions, not just marketing materials.

The Commercial Case for Culture

While much of the discussion focused on theory, Claire also emphasised the commercial benefits of a strong client listening culture. Firms that listen well tend to retain clients, build trust, and uncover opportunities for growth. One participant shared how their firm uses client recommendation rates as a key performance metric, recognising that a client’s willingness to recommend is a powerful indicator of loyalty and satisfaction.

Moreover, when feedback is treated as a tool for improvement rather than a threat, firms can address issues proactively, strengthen relationships, and differentiate themselves in a competitive market.

Listening Starts Within

Client listening is not just about gathering data it’s about creating a culture where feedback is welcomed, acted upon, and used to drive meaningful change. This requires more than a well-designed survey or a slick interview process. It demands a shift in mindset, a commitment to openness, and a willingness to look beneath the surface.

For firms serious about becoming truly client-centric, the journey begins not with the client, but within the firm itself.