Change for Sake of Change Is Dangerous for Your Agency

Meredith VaughanThe only constant is change, continuing change, inevitable change that is the dominant factor in society today. No sensible decision can be made any longer without taking into account not only the world as it is, but the world as it will be. -- Isaac Asimov Agencies are like fish -- if we're not constantly in motion, we die. Often, this "motion" is not necessarily the productive forward momentum that small agencies need to survive, but rather, it's motion that is based on the fear that we are missing some essential strategy, positioning or concept. So the logical answer always seems to be that we must institute change so that we don't get left behind in the competitive agency world. And while small agencies are well-suited to make changes (often more so than the larger agencies) because we can be nimble, it's not always in our best interest to change just for change's sake. Change for change's sake is dangerous to any organization -- but especially in agencies like ours, where constant change can trigger confusion, resistance and unnecessary learning curves -- all of which can lead to poor results for our clients. The fear that causes this "forced" change is counterproductive -- and, ultimately, can lead to a small agency landscape littered with a bunch of dead fish. Change that comes from an internally identified need, versus an externally realized pressure, should ultimately lead to stronger client relationships, better work and better results for both the client and the agency. Here's an example of how the work we do for our clients is better after a change we made to our creative development process. About 18 months ago, we realized that we needed to better engage and involve clients in our creative development work. We wanted to make tangible the work that goes into "the work," not only to demonstrate the value of the hours that go into that part of our business, but also to increase the level of buy-in by our direct clients to the final outcome of that smart, strategic thinking. We completely changed the way we approached creative development to accomplish this task -- essentially, turning the model we had previously used on its ear to see what the outcome would be. This process -- which we lovingly call the "Chaos Cotillion" -- gave us a totally new perspective. And it has also yielded a totally different way of engaging with clients throughout the creative development process. Ultimately, it's made us better partners and resulted in better creative work emerging from the agency -- something that both our clients and our teams are proud of. If you are thinking about instituting broad -- or even small changes -- at your agency, think first about what's behind the motivation to change. Is this change a necessary one that will help enhance the work that you do in even the smallest ways? Then do it. But keep in mind a few guidelines: With my agency, we have had changes that have led to great creativity and growth, and we have had changes that are now agency folklore -- "remember the time that... ." But at the end of the day, each was a learning experience that has shaped who we are today. And I can guarantee that a year from now, we will look a little different. So, what changes have you made recently that have shaped your agency? Were they successes or failures? Did your changes meet the above criteria or do you have a set of your own you like to use? I'd love to hear some stories and thoughts about the state of change at your agency. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Meredith Vaughan is president of Vladimir Jones, Colorado Springs, Colo. .

Change for Sake of Change Is Dangerous for Your Agency

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