A client called, excitedly sharing that a major sponsor for our upcoming event was extremely pleased with “everything so far”. By the tone of voice, you know that feeling when you’re waiting for that one little word to change the course of the conversation. That word is the inevitable “but.” Doesn’t it seem ironic how frequently sentences conclude with that seemingly small yet powerful word, introducing a twist that can throw off a day or a week? This customer delivered “but” would set me back two days of invested work.