When a House of Cards Collapses: Why Radical Honesty Is a PreSales Superpower

There are projects that teach us something.
And then there are projects that change us.

Recently, I was part of a project that failed. Spectacularly. The kind where budgets explode, responsibilities vanish, and you’re left standing in the ruins, with all eyes on you.

Two companies were involved.
Neither aligned.
Neither takes responsibility.

And here I am. Left with the consequences, the pressure, and the fallout. If you’ve ever felt this, you know the weight it brings.

But here’s the part that gets me most:
Not the money lost. Not the damaged timelines.
It’s the silence. The dodging. The blame games.

If something goes wrong, or if you don’t know something, say it. Own it. Fix it. That is what real professionals do.

Why this matters in PreSales

In our world, honesty is not just a virtue. It is a strategic advantage.

As the PreSales Handbook highlights, the strongest PreSales professionals act as trusted advisors. That does not come from having all the answers. It comes from having the courage to admit when you do not, and the discipline to go and find them.

We operate in a space full of pressure: client needs, product constraints, tight deadlines, and competing internal priorities. The temptation to overpromise or stay quiet is real.

But honesty is the only foundation that holds under pressure.

When you are honest:

  • You build trust with your clients, even when things go wrong
  • You protect your internal teams from misalignment
  • You maintain your credibility in every interaction

When you are not:

  • You might win in the short term but lose in the long term
  • You create confusion, missed expectations, and damaged trust

What I wish more people understood

Owning a mistake does not make you weak.
Blaming others does not make you strong.
And silence in the face of failure? That is the fastest way to lose trust.

So here’s my takeaway:
Stop pretending to know everything.
Stop hiding behind silos and roles.
Start leading with honesty in every demo, discussion, and decision.

Because when everything falls apart, it is the truth that will hold.

Let’s open this up

Have you been in a similar situation where nobody took responsibility?
How did you respond and what would you do differently today?

 

If you want to learn more about PreSales, please visit www.presales-handbook.com, buy the PreSales Handbook, or take the PreSales Mastery Course. And remember to check out the PreSales GPT.