My Client is the Devil (And Other Myths)

It Feels Like the Client is the Devil. They're Not. Neither Are You.

You're juggling expectations, politics, shifting scope, ghosted emails, and "urgent" everything. On your best days you're a strategist. On your worst, you're a scapegoat with a calendar.

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You're Performing, Not Thriving

You smile on calls, nod in meetings, and mute yourself to swear. Nobody showed you how to manage your own reactions, only the client's.

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Burnout in Slow Motion

You absorb everyone else's stress and still get blamed when the train jumps the tracks. It's exhausting, and you know it's not sustainable.

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Same Fights, Different Week

Scope creep, misaligned expectations, vague feedback, surprise escalations. The patterns repeat because nobody is naming what's really going on.

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Digital, But Still Human

You live in email, chat, and video calls—but the real work is still deeply human. Communication anxiety and awkward client dynamics don't fix themselves.

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Gen Z in the Fire

If you're early in your career, you're expected to be "client ready" on day one. Nobody hands you the rulebook for hard conversations.

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People Skills = Revenue

The account managers who rise fastest aren't the ones who know the most. They're the ones who understand people and run better plays with them.

Three Shifts. One Book. A Different Career.

This isn't a pep talk. It's a field guide you can throw in your bag, mark up, and quietly use to run better client meetings tomorrow morning.

Section I: Manage Yourself

Before you manage clients, you have to manage yourself. See your own patterns under pressure, the stories you tell yourself about "difficult" people, and the emotional loops that keep you stuck. Get language and tools to stay steady when everyone else is spiraling.

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Section II: Work With Others

Learn the plays for having hard conversations. Saying no without blowing things up, pushing back on bad ideas, and resetting expectations after something goes sideways. You'll stop winging it and start using repeatable approaches that build trust instead of drama.

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Section III: Extra Credit

Whether your client is reasonable or not, resilience shows up in how you handle pressure, setbacks, and uncertainty. Learn how to cultivate mindfulness and hardiness, stay grounded when chaos hits, and become the Account Lead who sees opportunity where others see only problems.

What People Actually Say

The book and the workshop behind it have run through agencies, tech companies, and client-service teams who were tired of the same old "client management" clichés.

"What if you could spot client-related problems faster, grow your clients faster, and reduce your churn? If that sounds good, read this book. The practical advice Mark and Steve share will save you time and money and, equally important, you'll find your job more rewarding."

Tom Kerr

Major Accounts, Gartner, Inc.

"Forget managing the client. Start with managing yourself! Packed with challenging situations that you will undoubtedly recognize from your own work with clients, Drs. Fedorko and McKinney share proven skills and techniques that you can start using now to help you succeed."

Tom Pfaff

VP Strategy, Brierley+Partners

"The lessons in this book are pure genius... told through entertaining examples that will strike a chord with anyone who has served in a professional services setting. The practical tips have personally helped me to partner better with clients, deal with challenging situations and enjoy every moment along the way."

Kristi Maynor

Consultant, Egon Zehnder

"The workshop based on My Client is the Devil provided a proven platform to help our employees better understand themselves, each other, and our clients. We saw an immediate impact throughout the organization. This is one of those unique training experiences that is of equal benefit to both the employee and the company."

Heath Wade

Former VP of People, MEplusYOU Agency

Written by People Who Get It

These aren't armchair theorists. Mark and Steve have spent decades in the trenches with account managers, consultants, and teams—watching what works, what fails, and why brilliant people burn out.

Dr. Mark McKinney, Ph.D.

Mark teaches at TCU's Neeley School of Business and consults with executives on hardy living and resilience. His background in experimental psychology informs every principle in this book—it's not theory, it's tested human behavior.

Dr. Steve Fedorko, Ph.D.

Steve founded Fedorko Group and has trained thousands at Fortune 500 companies, medical practices, and non-profits. He's spent 25+ years helping people reach full potential without sacrificing the life that matters.

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Questions?

Who is this book really for?

Account managers, consultants, project leads, and anyone who spends their day talking to customers or clients. If you're early in your career, this is meant to be a field guide you actually use—not something that lives on a shelf.

Is it more story or more tactics?

Both. The stories feel uncomfortably familiar, and each one lands in practical tools you can try on your next call. No filler, no 300-page lecture.

Does it still apply in a remote / hybrid world?

Yes. The problems didn't disappear with Zoom—they got louder. The book focuses on the human side of the work, which travels just fine across email, chat, and video.

What if I don't love it?

Reach out. The authors want this to be the dog-eared, highlighted book you keep close. If it completely misses for you, they'll make it right.

Stop Surviving Client Work. Start Owning It.

The difference between "my client is the devil" and "this is actually working" isn't luck. It's a different way of seeing yourself, your clients, and the game you're in.