May 16, 2011
DRIVEN
Our business is growing, and our team makeup is changing. Our rate of growth and change is directly related to customer demand for what we are offering – that’s great news.
To illustrate, about one year into having digital marketing services combined with advanced technology and analytics services, our pipeline is now over $30 million for the new work! That, combined with stellar growth in our more mature businesses is creating a wealth of opportunity for each of us.
As our business grows in all directions, the thing that is most critical to our success is not setting good technology, business, and marketing strategies, but delivering on those – on time.
One thing about a DRIVEN firm, we must be driven to ensure our clients succeed, not just ourselves. Recent successes and failures across the company make this a timely topic we need to address.
I’d like to share some observations with you here because all of us play a role in this and can improve. Even as I’m writing this, I’m reminded of times/opportunities where I could have honored schedules better. Please read this the way it is intended – to remind us all of what we are must do in order to thrive together and individually at Crown.
Success, is when we deliver/slightly exceed client expectations for revenue growth with quality work, quality processes, profitably.
It is urgent that we understand the only way to achieve this is to, frankly, plan and talk less, and do more. Clients are feeling our fast-paced growth, yet not all clients are in fact experiencing the revenue growth we expected for them.
Clients are paying for performance yet slowed down by our internal debates and repetitive iterations on work as we get caught up “trying to make the perfect mousetrap.”
What I can tell you is this: the Executive Team (all of us) have a shared value system which is predicated on speed. We collectively expect everyone to operate with a clear bias for action. It is infinitely better to move fast, make mistakes, apply the learnings and improve, than to go slow, test our way into things, and not make deadlines/timelines.
We are in the business of driving significant incremental revenue, profitable growth, and shareholder value for clients. We are not in the business of “perfect code”, “making the most perfect execution of a facebook promotion”, or paralyzing the schedule while over-debating or over-analyzing.
What we celebrate at Crown is individualism – the personality, intellect, and performance of each unique colleague inside a team environment.
Clear challenges arise in this model that we need to acknowledge: sometimes we will disagree. That can last so long then chain of command and schedule will dictate action. We cannot debate past deadlines. We cannot split hairs at levels that don’t matter to the overall program.
The GM team just did the magnificent – they delivered on time when many were worried it wouldn’t happen. MRM/Crown is a role model in this instance of coveting the schedule above all else and delivering.
Remember Artie at Crown Camp: Firms/people don’t get fired for mistakes on big ideas and solutions, the clients want no typos and on time delivery.
When we are delivering strategy, it is undermined when we don’t do the little things well. When we miss a date, forget a key person on an email, hold side meetings and don’t include all colleagues (then repeat the conversation multiple times) we are negatively affecting our trust and credibility with clients and affecting our ability to deliver strategic advice. And we won’t be around long to help them.
What can each of us do:
Or do we want customers for life, who value our opinions, our services, and regard us as integral to their success and therefore indispensable? With a fast-paced, controlled environment where we are serving each other to meet deadlines, trying things faster, learning faster, and growing our skills, careers and enjoyment of our crafts at levels we have not experienced?
We are on the cusp of this choice. The decision lies with each of us. And we are too DRIVEN to choose the former option. We are too talented to allow that to happen. Let’s double-down on “how we do what we do” and deliver, deliver, deliver.
To be clear, we are having success and we are really good. But is good, good enough?!
Here’s a quote from a prospect’s website, 7 Marine. These guys have innovated in the marine engine space, where little innovation exists today:
If "good enough" were good enough there would be no iPad, no Bugatti Veyron, no Burj Khalifa, no F117 stealth fighter, and certainly no Seven Marine.
All, we need to be great. Great for our clients, great for our firm, and great for each and everyone of us individually.
I am amazed when I look across the company at the tremendous effort all of you are putting in everyday. We all see it. What we are asking now is that – in addition to being aligned with one another around our shared values – we all get aligned around on-time delivery through fast iteration, collaboration, and team success.
Thank you for reading and for all that you do. kp
Kyle Priest
To illustrate, about one year into having digital marketing services combined with advanced technology and analytics services, our pipeline is now over $30 million for the new work! That, combined with stellar growth in our more mature businesses is creating a wealth of opportunity for each of us.
As our business grows in all directions, the thing that is most critical to our success is not setting good technology, business, and marketing strategies, but delivering on those – on time.
One thing about a DRIVEN firm, we must be driven to ensure our clients succeed, not just ourselves. Recent successes and failures across the company make this a timely topic we need to address.
I’d like to share some observations with you here because all of us play a role in this and can improve. Even as I’m writing this, I’m reminded of times/opportunities where I could have honored schedules better. Please read this the way it is intended – to remind us all of what we are must do in order to thrive together and individually at Crown.
Success, is when we deliver/slightly exceed client expectations for revenue growth with quality work, quality processes, profitably.
It is urgent that we understand the only way to achieve this is to, frankly, plan and talk less, and do more. Clients are feeling our fast-paced growth, yet not all clients are in fact experiencing the revenue growth we expected for them.
Clients are paying for performance yet slowed down by our internal debates and repetitive iterations on work as we get caught up “trying to make the perfect mousetrap.”
What I can tell you is this: the Executive Team (all of us) have a shared value system which is predicated on speed. We collectively expect everyone to operate with a clear bias for action. It is infinitely better to move fast, make mistakes, apply the learnings and improve, than to go slow, test our way into things, and not make deadlines/timelines.
We are in the business of driving significant incremental revenue, profitable growth, and shareholder value for clients. We are not in the business of “perfect code”, “making the most perfect execution of a facebook promotion”, or paralyzing the schedule while over-debating or over-analyzing.
What we celebrate at Crown is individualism – the personality, intellect, and performance of each unique colleague inside a team environment.
Clear challenges arise in this model that we need to acknowledge: sometimes we will disagree. That can last so long then chain of command and schedule will dictate action. We cannot debate past deadlines. We cannot split hairs at levels that don’t matter to the overall program.
The GM team just did the magnificent – they delivered on time when many were worried it wouldn’t happen. MRM/Crown is a role model in this instance of coveting the schedule above all else and delivering.
Remember Artie at Crown Camp: Firms/people don’t get fired for mistakes on big ideas and solutions, the clients want no typos and on time delivery.
When we are delivering strategy, it is undermined when we don’t do the little things well. When we miss a date, forget a key person on an email, hold side meetings and don’t include all colleagues (then repeat the conversation multiple times) we are negatively affecting our trust and credibility with clients and affecting our ability to deliver strategic advice. And we won’t be around long to help them.
What can each of us do:
- Take responsibility for your deliverables
- Deliver on time, above all else
- Involve others early and iterate, don’t wait to the end to share
- Agree to disagree, escalate disagreements with leaders to have open conversations and commit to a timeframe in which the decision will be resolved (this is healthy debate and will drive our success to new heights)
- Don’t think “try then we’ll see”. We are operating in a digital space. We need to act, measure, reset and act again.
- Trust your instinct – at every level in this organization, we are blessed with amazing talent – your instincts and expertise are no accident. They are yours to use and contribute everyday. Bring it
Or do we want customers for life, who value our opinions, our services, and regard us as integral to their success and therefore indispensable? With a fast-paced, controlled environment where we are serving each other to meet deadlines, trying things faster, learning faster, and growing our skills, careers and enjoyment of our crafts at levels we have not experienced?
We are on the cusp of this choice. The decision lies with each of us. And we are too DRIVEN to choose the former option. We are too talented to allow that to happen. Let’s double-down on “how we do what we do” and deliver, deliver, deliver.
To be clear, we are having success and we are really good. But is good, good enough?!
Here’s a quote from a prospect’s website, 7 Marine. These guys have innovated in the marine engine space, where little innovation exists today:
If "good enough" were good enough there would be no iPad, no Bugatti Veyron, no Burj Khalifa, no F117 stealth fighter, and certainly no Seven Marine.
All, we need to be great. Great for our clients, great for our firm, and great for each and everyone of us individually.
I am amazed when I look across the company at the tremendous effort all of you are putting in everyday. We all see it. What we are asking now is that – in addition to being aligned with one another around our shared values – we all get aligned around on-time delivery through fast iteration, collaboration, and team success.
Thank you for reading and for all that you do. kp
Kyle Priest