Beaten to Death with a Carrot

Do you work for carrots? You just might. One of the most common refrains heard in the land of client relationships and business development is - "but we're going to get more work out of them." It's used as the proverbial carrot on a stick to justify going out of scope, over budget, and generally not standing up for ourselves. This mindset is quickly related to the feeling that if we push back we will risk "ruining the relationship with the client"...and thereby not get the work. If merely being honest and addressing business or communication issues with a client ruins the relationship, did we really have a...???? You get the idea. Client relationships are critical. New work from them is critical. Just don't let yourself get beat to death by that carrot on the stick.

Why don't you fix the problem, round 3

There's a nasty stereotype out there that software developers are a bunch of uncooperative jerks who seek any opportunity to rain on your parade. Unfortunately, many developers aren't helping break this stereotype.

I see a lot of blog posts out there that can be boiled down to "Management doesn't get it." No, they don't. The reality of the situation is that the popularity of the internet has made demand for developers grow in sectors that are not typically technical.

You might become lethargic, thinking that there's no hope of ever educating them. That might be true, as every situation is different. but reverting to a Nick-Burns-esque character will only make the problem worse. By actively refusing to do your best at educating the people around you, you're fostering the very stereotype that makes your job so difficult. A simple "RTFM" will only hurt you here.

By doing your best to educate your peers on how things work, and factors that make development difficult or easy, you're building a relationship. overtime, management will eventually get it.

Yes, this will require an extraordinary level of patience, but you should be rewarded for your efforts provided you stick with it.