Agency Conversations—The Long-Term Impact of Short-Term Decisions

Borrowed

“Always remember that who you’re becoming is far more important than what you’re doing, and yet it is what you’re doing that is determining who you’re becoming.”

From "The Miracle Morning" by Hal Elrod and Robert Kiyosaki [Book]

Learned

CEO: Hey, congrats on the ABC launch this morning! How are you feeling? I know it wasn’t the smoothest road to get here.

Team Leader: Honestly, I’m just relieved it’s done. It took way more effort than expected, and as you know, we’re way over budget. I just don’t feel great about it.

CEO: I hear you. I've been reflecting on this one... ABC came through a referral, and the ask seemed simple enough given the budget. They’re not our target client, but they serve some brands we’d love to work with, so it felt like a good relationship to build. All said though, I let the slowness of new business convince me it was a good move and would be a quick, easy win. We can't go back but if we could, we'd probably pass on this or refer it to someone in our network.

Team Leader: Appreciate you sharing that. And yeah, I remember now... Can’t believe it’s been almost four months. We were planning to be done in 5 or 6 weeks, but it became way more involved than anyone realized. The client even gave feedback on the SOW, but we were moving so fast we didn’t dig deeper—and definitely missed some key requirements. By the time we realized how much was actually involved, we had no choice but to see it through.

CEO: Yeah, and at that point, asking for more budget wasn’t really an option. We weren’t about to walk away and leave them stuck.

Team Leader: Makes sense. I’m not complaining—I just felt it was worth talking about instead of letting it go unspoken.

CEO: I appreciate that. And I appreciate everything you and the team did to make it happen.

Team Leader: Sure. It was a lot.

CEO: I get it. It’s a tough spot—on one hand, we don’t want to burn bridges. On the other, these kinds of projects pull focus from our core clients. Worst case, we have to bring in extra help, which isn’t ideal when there’s no budget left. Luckily, that didn’t happen here, but it’s a good reminder of why we have to stay disciplined about what we take on.

Team Leader: Yeah, totally. It’s kind of like the habit-building chat we had—focusing on the daily, weekly, and monthly actions that actually create results instead of just setting arbitrary goals with no plan.

CEO: 100%. The choices we make every day define who we become—both personally and as an agency. Discipline isn’t about one big decision; it’s about the small ones we stick to over time.

Team Leader: I feel a running metaphor coming on…

CEO: (laughs) You know me too well. But hear me out—it is like training for a marathon. It’s not just about pushing hard on the good days. It’s about showing up when it’s the last thing you feel like doing, pacing yourself so you don’t burn out, and knowing when to push and when to rest. Discipline is kind of like endurance in disguise—staying consistent even when it’s uncomfortable.

Team Leader: So, in our case, showing up means what—sticking to our processes even when under pressure or… things feel chaotic?

CEO: Exactly. That’s why we have rituals like our weekly all-hands brainstorms, account check-ins, and leadership meetings. They’re what keep us focused so we don’t drift off course.

Team Leader: I see that. I think it also applies when things are going well. Like right now, we’re signing new clients and expanding work with existing ones, but I can feel the team getting stretched. At the same time, if we rush hiring, we risk bringing in the wrong people, which could hurt us more in the long run.

CEO: That’s where endurance really comes in. In slower times, endurance means staying nimble, refining what and how we sell, and not taking the wrong deals just to fill the pipeline. In busier times, it’s about resisting the pressure to move too fast—hiring carefully, maintaining standards, and growing the right way. Either way, there’s a level of discomfort to endure. It’s not just about being able to push through, but building the systems and habits to act smart in the moment.

Team Leader: Okay, I like this running thing. So, what’s next?

CEO: In our weekly leadership meeting tomorrow, let's discuss the team’s bandwidth and whether we need to start hiring, even if part-time or contract. I also want to talk about how we can be better about regularly connecting with talented folks so we have options when we need them.

As for ABC, we should debrief with the team and share some of what we talked about today.

Team Leader: That all sounds good. No point going through this if we don’t come out smarter.

CEO: Exactly. Every project, every challenge—it all shapes how we operate. Even when we get off track, what matters is taking the time to reflect and learn. It’s these small decisions, the daily discipline—that’s what defines who we become as a team.

Team Leader: Alright, I’ll set up the debrief. Cool? And thanks for the chat.

CEO: Of course. And thank you for bringing this up. I know it wasn’t easy and took a lot out of you, but you made sure we delivered, even when the path wasn’t ideal.

Team Leader: Appreciate that. Let’s hold each other accountable if we catch ourselves heading down this path again.

CEO: Absolutely.

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Back in 2021, I read The Courage to Be Disliked by Ichiro Kishimi and Fumitake Koga. I not only fell in love with the whole concept of the book but also how it was written in dialogue. I finished it reflecting on the many conversations I've had over the years—with clients, team members, and even family, and friends.

I had written some “agency fiction” before, like When Praise Leads to Pressure, but I wondered what it might be like to bring similar lessons to life through dialogue, inspired by my own experiences. I revisited the idea last week on LinkedIn with a client/agency conversation on website traffic and when writing this week's newsletter, I decided I’d give it a go, too. It's been fun changing it up.

Hope you enjoyed reading.

Thought

When have I let short-term pressures dictate a decision that had long-term consequences?