Integrity and Resilience: How Core Values and Embracing Failure Shape Your Agency's Future
What would change in your agency if every team member not only knew your core values but used them as a compass to navigate crisis or failure?
The integrity and resilience of a creative professional services agency are continually tested by challenges such as economic slowdowns, competitive disruptions, staff exits, and client fluctuations. The response to these tests shapes an agency’s culture and paves the path toward innovation and growth. A conversation with an owner recently shed light on this crucial truth: how your agency engages with its core values and views failure are key to your resilience.
Core values form the bedrock of your agency's identity—they should guide every decision and interaction. They are more than just inspirational quotes but actionable principles that affect daily operations. A successful California-based PR agency owner I recently spoke with illustrated this point effectively. Like many of us, they hold regular meetings to align on client projects and firm health. What sets them apart, however, is how these meetings underscore their commitment to core values. These gatherings ensure every team member actively engages with these principles in their decision-making process by being aligned and using the words and meaning of their core values to problem solve, praise, and determine next steps.
A particularly revealing moment occurred when the agency faced the dilemma of continuing with a high-revenue client who was consistently resistant to recommended strategies. Guided by their core value of 'Radical Candor and Transparency,' the decision to part ways prioritized integrity over short-term gains. This choice was crucial in reaffirming their dedication to their values and the agency's long-term health.
Just as vital to their culture is their perspective on failure. Viewing failures as stepping stones rather than stumbling blocks is a mindset they believe fosters innovation and resilience. The agency’s regular "failure meetings" exemplify this approach. In these sessions, team members openly discuss setbacks, creating an environment of transparency and collaborative problem-solving. This practice keeps the team nimble, enabling quick strategic adjustments and reinforcing their commitment to entrepreneurial thinking and teamwork.
One notable example was a campaign tactic that failed to meet expectations. They dissected this failure in a meeting, extracting valuable lessons crucial for reshaping the strategy. This analysis not only salvaged the campaign but strengthened team cohesion, clarified objectives for the client, and rejuvenated their commitment to innovation and collective problem-solving.
This agency owner's dedication to living by clearly-defined core values and embracing failures as learning opportunities offers a critical lesson for all of us. These practices ensure a robust internal culture and set a standard for managing challenges effectively. Their commitment to transparency and adaptability is a model for how a creative firm can thrive amid the complexities of our industry.
Two Questions to ask yourself:
Reflect on your last major business setback: Did your response align with your core values?
Evaluate your team's approach to discussing failures: How can this practice be enhanced and made healthier?
Three Things to try:
Implement Regular Reflection: Schedule a monthly session to review whether business decisions align with your core values. Bring your team into the conversation–invite them to own the agency's core values.
Establish a 'Learning from Failure' Forum: Initiate regular meetings where failures are openly and safely discussed, ensuring lessons are learned and shared.
Conduct a Core Values Audit: Perform a quarterly audit to ensure core values actively guide your operations.
