The job isn’t to impress clients, it’s to move them (and with them)

I was texting ​Alex​ a while ago and this cool analogy came up.

In a mega meta moment, it came up by accident. The pursuit of strategic ideas is indeed a little bit like FOMO. You're always searching, never fully sure if you got there. But it's also a little bit like Doom – specifically, Doomguy. Feeling lost? It's quite simple.

Doom is a video game that rewards you for never standing still. You're in hell, you need to avoid enemies, strike your target, and keep going.

Well, the process of thinking about business problems is the same. Especially when you're doing it at speed, side by side with senior folks. There's less of a perfect reveal, and more like a gradual one.

Where you constantly test unfinished ideas and iterate from there. I dunno about you, but this is increasingly how i like to work. And it's increasingly how i see clients valuing the work we do.

Less like a blockbusting theatrical release where we impress them. And more like a synchronised swim where we both move together.

This is an idea i've explored here before, and recent client experiences have re-injected in me the energy to keep doing it. The importance of sharpening strategy at speed. But without all the smoke and mirrors. The opposite of hell, if you ask me.