Why Every Leader Should Love the Weeds

 

Those leaders who are tied up in at least some weeds are those who are leading their teams. They’re showing them that they can be successful at the tasks they are asking them to do. It also gives the leader a chance to really understand what is going on both tactically and emotionally among their staff. And ultimately, it can provide a true pulse on the business they represent.

 

Recently, our agency, No Limit Agency*, began time tracking our digital projects. This was done for a few reasons. First, this would help my team become much more conscience of their time, with the hope that it could assist them in becoming more self-sufficient. Secondly, it gave them the opportunity to truly define the “if you only knew how much work I accomplished” statement with real facts and data. Lastly, it gave us a chance to see if we were budgeting our digital projects correctly (that a Website cost was true to the time we spent, for instance). Time tracking gave me a real opportunity to observe their weeds and make sure our expectations were aligned.

 

I like seeing weed work, and I like seeing weed cutting (efficiency improvements). I want my team in the weeds, understanding our clients, their needs, wants and struggles. The weeds are good—at least at my company.

 

Over the last few months, I have been heavily active in the staff recruitment process for our agency. I want to make sure we are finding the best innovative and disruptive talent that I can find. As a part of my phone screening, I have asked about the weeds. Are you someone who wants to be the creative strategy for the team or are you willing to get your hands dirty and play in the sandbox with them? Some of the answers have puzzled me: “At this point in my career, I want to be the one telling the team what to do, not doing it.” That answer is OK for someone who has sweat though a giant, successful career. It’s not OK for someone three years out of college. Er, what?

 

I feel like anything great that has been accomplished, at least recently, has come from being a business gardener. Mark Zuckerberg coded. Steve Jobs built. The guy who has moved his way up the top of your business—he ate weeds for dinner. Even in life, you can’t lose weight unless you exercise (the weeds). And in sports, even the best athletes still practice (unless you are Allen Iverson).

 

Keep me in the weeds—it will always help me understand the business. The day I ask to get out is the day our agency will stop fighting to be the best mid-sized agency, and, frankly, that’s not something I am willing to do.