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rainmaker Definition

☆ rain·maker (rān′māk′ər)

noun

  1. a person who tries to make rain fall; specif.,
    1. a North American Indian medicine man using rituals to influence the rain gods
    2. Informal a meteorologist or aircraft pilot involved in seeding clouds or the like
  2. ☆ Slang
    1. an influential person who can bring success or new vigor to an enterprise
    2. a person, esp. an attorney, who attracts new clients or business to a firm, practice, etc.

rainmaker Related Forms

rain′·mak′ing noun

rainmaker Usage Examples

Possessives

  • capability: Changing unacceptable behaviors Changing unacceptable behaviors starts with a focus on the rainmaker's positive capabilities.
  • strength: Respect also comes from playing to the rainmaker's strengths.
  • response: Above all, encourage and then listen to your rainmaker's response.
  • experience: Over time, these firms have been able to draw on the rainmakers ' invaluable experience to develop others ' success in the firm.

Adjective modifier

  • prima: Prima donna rainmakers The potential 'prima donna ' tendencies that these small number of rainmakers display can be very damaging to the recruiting firm.
  • old: An old rainmaker comes through town, but he is through with that trade, can Pete convince him to do his stuff?
  • such: We have worked with many such rainmakers who genuinely did not realize the effect their behavior was having.
  • many: We have worked with many such rainmakers who genuinely did not realize the effect their behavior was having.
  • good: As true business stars, the best rainmakers are excellent performers in the context of the firm's values.

Modifies a noun

  • resistance: This is not always the case, and often is at the heart of rainmaker resistance.
  • recruitment: Just like a corporate acquisition, rainmaker recruitment and integration has to be handled carefully.
  • expertise: Bringing in rainmaker expertise is similar to making an acquisition.

Noun used with modifier

donna: Prima donna rainmakers The potential 'prima donna ' tendencies that these small number of rainmakers display can be very damaging to the recruiting firm.