AgileBlog
The Big One
After months of discussions, presentations, informal and formal meetings alike, and a final contest pitting the Cat against another agency, we got ‘em.
”Em” is our largest client to date and what I think is our own tipping point as an agency. After a few pretty lame years that we as an industry have experienced, and frankly suffered through together, it feels good to feel the sea change that surrounds a big win.
Be careful what you wish for, the saying goes. I never pictured any walk through a rose garden, stroll through a park, picnic, or whatever metaphor you’d like to use to indicate an ‘easy’ time. Hell – this is business and bigger business means bigger demands.
I’ve often described my agency as a funky sports car with one hell of an engine – and snow tires to boot. The reality has been though, that where we’ve shown our chops in many circumstances, I’ve never felt what it’s like to drive this Catmobile in a higher gear. What will the response be? How will it handle? How are the “passengers” – the team? Enjoying the ride? Or strapping on a second seatbelt?
I can safely say that after a month of driving at higher speeds, across uncertain terrain, the engine is running as smooth as ever. It seems that the faster we go, the smoother the ride. Though I know we will hit bumps – we are human after all – the beginning stretch of this race is off to a stellar start as we plan for a strong finish. I’ll attribute this to a few factors that I implemented and I hope you take to heart when the Big One comes home to your shop.
1) Prepare for the insanity. I preached for months leading up to this that when the Big One hits, if we’re not bonded as a team, we shall fail.
2) Picture this. I also took plenty of time to get the team to visualize the bigger, badder clients, multiple demands, running at the speed of light, etc. In some ways, I felt that this ‘mental training’ set the foundation for not being caught off guard when things started flying.
3) Gut checking. How we doin’?” I ask daily, as I sync with our Managers on how things are running outside of getting caught up in the details of this job or that job. Instinct rules and will rule in our short-term future related to new hires, new/improved systems to ensure day-to-day success.
4) Candor rules. If anyone I worked with felt a certain way about how to work more effectively, we pride ourselves on an open atmosphere that let’s anyone say ‘this is a way to do better.’ This bears repeating in every agency scenario: candor rules. It is our agency’s strength.
5) Praise, praise, praise. Don’t wait for the agency meeting to shout-out quality work. Whether someone stayed late, made the extra effort, or helped a client see why our way was the right course, let your people know it then and there. Crucial, especially in the early stage.
A famous man once said “luck is when preparation meets opportunity.” We work awfully hard here, and we’re making the most of this opportunity as we look forward to getting lucky again and again. This team deserves it.
