Navigating Growing Pains: Transforming Craftspeople into Effective Leaders
Insights from Leadership Coach Brad Farris on the Schmidt List Podcast
When it comes to growing a business, particularly in the creative and digital agency world, the shift from being a craftsperson to a leader can be both challenging and perplexing. Recently, Brad Farris, a seasoned leadership and business growth coach, sat down with Kurt Schmidt on the Schmidt List Podcast to unravel this transformative journey. Here’s a comprehensive look at their discussion, filled with insights, practical advice, and the roadmap to becoming an effective leader as your business scales.
Recognizing the Shift in Role and Responsibilities
As Kurt Schmidt recounted his own transition from a craftsperson to a leader, Brad Farris highlighted that founders often find themselves at a crossroads during their agency’s growth stages. Initially, the joy comes from creating tangible work—be it coding, designing, or writing. However, as the business expands, the role shifts towards managing people and processes, an adjustment that founders often resist.
Embracing the New Identity
Farris pointed out, “When you’re leading, other people have artifacts of their work out in the world, and your job is to make it possible for them to do their job.” This requires a significant shift in identity, moving from individual contributions to facilitating the productivity of others—a transition that many find uncomfortable but essential for continued growth.
Building Accountability and Culture
A recurring theme in the conversation was the evolving expectation of employees as the business grows. Early stage businesses thrive on flexibility and multi-tasking, but as they expand, specialized roles with clear accountability become crucial.
Navigating Internal Clashes
Kurt shared a scenario familiar to many growing agencies: the clash between old-timers who are used to a flexible, ‘all hands on deck’ approach, and newer employees who might have more defined expectations like strict work hours. Farris noted, “Accountability is what allows us to grow the business further,” emphasizing that while flexibility is valuable initially, accountability is necessary for sustainable growth.
Creating a Cohesive Leadership Approach
Brad touched on the essence of leadership within growing agencies. He suggested that one of the first steps for founders is understanding and formalizing their own role as the CEO.
Establishing Job Descriptions
“Having a job description for the CEO is crucial,” Farris remarked. This helps in setting clear expectations for what the leader’s job entails, from financial oversight to team development, and carving out time for these tasks is imperative.
Leveraging Personality Typing Tools
Both Schmidt and Farris discussed the value of traditional frameworks like Myers-Briggs and DISC in understanding leadership styles. While some of these tools may seem like “horoscopes for people with PhDs,” as Brad humorously put it, they can offer profound insights into personal strengths and communication styles.
The Power of Strength-Based Leadership
The core idea is to position leaders and team members alike to play to their strengths. Knowing and leveraging individual’s natural tendencies can significantly enhance team dynamics and performance.
The Dynamics of Partnership
For those running their agencies in partnership, the challenges are uniquely complex. Farris noted that while partnerships might offer a diverse skill set that propels growth initially, they can become fraught with ambiguity and tension as the business grows.
Clarifying Roles and Responsibilities
To mitigate these issues, Brad advised, “One of the things that I’m doing is establishing clear roles for each of the partners with measurements.” This helps prevent the toxic comparison of contributions and ensures each partner knows their specific responsibilities.
Preparing for Continued Growth
Towards the end of their discussion, Kurt and Brad reflected on the necessity of growth—not just for the business, but for the personal evolution of its leaders. Kurt shared a pivotal moment where a CFO linked business growth to employees’ opportunities, emphasizing that stagnation simply wasn’t an option.
Planning the Road Ahead
“Growth is a beautiful thing. Our desire for growth and opportunity has created almost all the good things we have in the world,” Brad concluded. Whether it’s personal growth as a leader or business growth for more opportunities, planning and intentionality are key.
Final Thoughts: The Impact of Effective Leadership
As Brad Farris and Kurt Schmidt highlighted, transitioning from a craftsperson to an effective leader is laden with challenges but is imperative for agency growth. Leaders who embrace their new roles, leverage their strengths, and foster accountability and transparent communication are better equipped to navigate these growing pains. Ultimately, the investment in leadership development not only benefits the business but also leaves a lasting legacy and reputation that enhances future opportunities.
For more insights and personalized advice, check out Brad Farris’s resources at Anchor Advisors or take his growth phase assessment to understand where your agency stands and what steps to take next.
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