The Agency New Business “Busy Paradox”
"Busy-ness" abounds in good times and bad...
Not long ago I had to let someone go who was always the first to arrive and last to leave. She willingly put in time on the weekends without complaint. And when she was at work, she worked;
The Comments of Others
I think you have the wrong person doing the job. New Business is “sales” and building a network of prospects. It is a long term commitment for an agency and the new biz team.
The “unproductive” overly busy person is in the wrong job. Its up to agency management to get the right fit and set the objectives.
I agree that business development can be thankless when others don’t understand the process involved or have unrealistic expectations. I also agree that it’s “sales” in its simplest form, though ongoing research helps identify new and qualified leads to add to your network of prospects.
I’ve learned, though, that each individual deserves unique consideration of whether they’re reaching their potential from a productivity or efficiency perspective. Attitude counts for a lot in my book, along with initiative and a demonstrated willingness to take on responsibility and accountability.
For example, I’ve known adults with ADHD, who even while on medication, find it challenging to work in a hectic environment with multiple distractions built into a typical day. These individuals find they’re able to focus best either very early or very late in the day for tasks requiring undivided attention.
I’ll always invest in someone with a great attitude and the desire to excel, and I’ll spend the time determining where they should be applied or are the best fit to help advance my business or client project(s). It goes back to that concept of “having people in the right seats” on the bus. If you get that right, these problems are more easily avoided.
I can see why you chose to dismiss this employee who seemed to have all there energy focused in the incorrect direction. At the end of the day as a manager you must ask yourself whether this employee is best suited for this job from both perspectives, his and yours. Will they excel here? Will your company excel with them in that position? As a manager I would guide them in the correct direction until it is determined that they were simply unfit for the position. If they were such a hard working employee then there is some value in them and aparently so since we are blogging about it. Perhaps it would have been feesible to transfer this person to another department that complimented their attributes?? Either way unproductiveness is unproductive and sales is is all about numbers as we all know! Whether your setting the prospects up or making the less valuable sale. I think it would be best to make sure you are well rounded to avoid this situation.
Speaking from the perspective of a career new business development director who was laid off six months ago, I take issue with the comments in this post. Business development for an ad agency is a very difficult and thankless job, even in a good economy. What may seem unproductive time spent is actually critical to maintaining a viable new biz process that eventually yields revenue-generating results. My experience has been that agency management, for the most part, is in denial. I’m not sure I’ve met one yet that understands the perseverance required to convert prospects to clients - the right clients. Anyone can reel in an assortment of less than desirable clients just to keep the boss off their back, but a true business development professional will endure tough times - seemingly unproductive - to keep the pipeline of worthy client relationships flowing. Really, who doesn’t like to win?
Would better communications between agency management and new biz lead to understanding of the path to success and eliminate “slot machine management” practices?