Getting fit for purpose - a simple approach

This five-step process, will give you the confidence to create and develop a top-performing team who will help you build the agency that you dream of.

Follow this, build a strong culture with the right people, and the business becomes magnetic – to talent, to clients and ultimately to success.

1. Defining Your Context
As with any journey an understanding of the destination is imperative so start by defining yours.

• What are the core values which determine every aspect of your business?
• What are you trying to achieve commercially and culturally?
• What are the criteria, achievements and markers which will signpost and define your success?

2. Review Your Culture
Now that you have your direction set, next assess your culture to get an understanding of whether you are setting the ground for success or are you hindering your best intentions.

• In what ways are you living and operating by your values (or not)?
• Are your operating procedures using your values to attract, retain and get the most out of your team and ultimately deliver the best for your clients?
• Are you encouraging and embracing the diversity, equality and inclusivity that allows creative businesses to deliver their best?
• Are you creating/ offering a bespoke flexible working environment that balances individual needs with those of the business?
• How are the differing levels of your business supporting others (particularly senior supporting junior members)?

3. Design Your Team
Now you have a blueprint for your culture how can you use this to define the team that will want to deliver for you, and will be capable of achieving this?

• What roles do you need to provide your services?
• What skills are required to deliver on the roles?
• What are the outcome expectations of the roles?

4. Assess
You now have an understanding of the ideal team you need to build and can match this to your current people to bring to life the vision you have created. This won’t be a perfect process so to smooth the transition you are likely to need to bolster the development with training or new heads that reflect your values and bring new skills.

• Do your people have the skills and attitude to contribute to the vision you are building?
• What individual development requirements are needed for your current team?
• What new skills do we need to develop or source?

5. Invest and Action
Now the really important bit. This is no arms-length exercise. To build a culture and team that is fit for purpose, you’ll need to lead from the front investing your heart and soul into the process as well as money.

• How can we find the people with the skills we need?
• How can we train our people to work as we need?
• How can we create a strong employer brand which will attract future talent?
• How can we activate a culture that is built on our values?
• How can we retain our people?
• How can we incentivize the team and our key people?
• How can we create a continuous learning culture?

Putting it into action

During the last two years, perceptions of value, priorities and hierarchies have changed in the employee/ employer relationship making it more fluid than ever before. Attracting and retaining the best people, with the right attitude and skills will drive the quality and growth your business craves. As you undertake this exercise consider how you can learn from others – explore agencies you admire and seek external advice for inspiration and experience.  

Following the process above will enable you to focus on the task ahead preparing and shaping your team for the future.

Delivering this successfully will offer hard dividends in the form of profitability and, as importantly, in terms of pride, satisfaction and contentment from your clients and your team.

This is a beginning of a new chapter so make sure this is top of your to do list.

Enjoy the journey.