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When my partner and I first opened our web agency in 2018, our plan from the start was to run the entire business remotely. We wanted the location and time-independence to work where we wanted, when we wanted, and on what we wanted. While there were many companies working successfully with fully-remote teams at the time, before the pandemic, the whole idea of working only online and not being tied to a specific, physical location was still radical in some spaces.
Building an online agency from scratch
Building a business this way taught me some absolutely invaluable lessons about how I operate, and how to work by myself and others effectively. Being remote by definition, we did not have the “in-office” normalities that many people in the workforce expect – no “break room” chatting, no team meetings, etc. This meant there was less built-in social interactions during our work hours, which encouraged us to engage consistently in “deep work,” rather than distracted or busy work. I often lost myself entirely in flow for hours on end while working, allowing the practice of completing my clients’ projects to help me hone a sense of creative resilience.
And, being entrepreneurs, we got to build everything from scratch, so we didn’t just copy and repeat what was already out there, and instead took time to sense out and test every element of our business and workflow. As we travelled to different environments and managed various projects simultaneously, we built a super keen understanding and inner compass to help direct our action.
To do what we did, you have to be pretty driven and self-motivated. Our gentle discipline, celebrations of little victories, patience in times of problems, constant curiosity for improving systematic efficiencies, and ability to dive into deep, effective work were all muscles that strengthened over the years.
All our clients came to us by reference, with different projects, needs, and technical literacy. Our very first business coach told us that people would pay good money for someone to just sit and talk with them, working through tasks together. I don’t even think I really registered what he said; it was so beyond my little Abigail scope of reality: why in the world would someone pay someone to do that? To me, in the role of project manager, it sounded like babysitting when you’d rather be out on a Friday night, not fun or productive… but I didn’t pay it too much attention.
Being a “real person” in remote work
In running our business, we discovered different types of web agencies, working with some as contractors, or taking over client sites. Some agencies seemed a little ruthless and unforgiving with their clients, while others built unnecessary reliances that required the client to pay them into oblivion. Still some others were ineffective and unknowledgeable, not doing much of a job at all. Over time, I saw a lot of cases where things went wrong in the client-agency relationship, and integrated all of these as lessons.
As someone who had worked previously in the “real world” of hospitality, I was well-acquainted with the importance of being real and “personable,” especially when many people feel disenfranchised, frustrated, or suspicious at tech, remote work, and the online world. Coming from that industry, I viewed the health of my client relationships as the top priority and key indicator of “success.” I worked hard to deliver value and be the caring, organized, competent, upbeat professional I wanted to see in the world. What I didn’t realize, as we continued to sharpen our skills and grow our little agency, was there was an already well-worn groove of personable web support we were slipping into: the “mom-and-pop” web shop, if you will.
Some clients became more invested in me as a person than in the work they were paying me for. Rather than engaging thoughtfully with the services I provided, the project scope and how it enhanced their mission, goals, and success, these clients seemed happy just to have me around. They requested video meetings often, asked me to work with them in real time over calls, and in many instances couldn’t seem to direct themselves to accomplish assigned tasks without guidance. For the sake of maintaining a stable, positive relationship, and in the hope of moving projects forward towards their intended outcomes, I would meet with these clients on video calls almost whenever they requested, and offer video calls and recordings even when it fell outside of a scope of work.
It’s an honor to be enjoyed, but I got frustrated over time at what felt, to me, like aimless time spent on video calls. As my schedule thickened with meetings, the freedom of location, time, and tasks I had set out to create for myself in my business waned. And with it, my joy 😓
Social ties are powerful motivators, but only to an extent
Spoken communication is very powerful for creating a sense of connection, which can be motivating in a project context.
I used to say I never wanted to work with someone I didn’t get along with, or whose mission I didn’t support… I mean, if I’m going to be interacting with someone regularly, why would I make it someone I can’t stand or don’t agree with? In that sense, discovery calls were reliably helpful in evaluating whether or not the client and I would be a good fit working together. The real-time conversation made it easy to feel into and ask questions about someone’s personality, needs, goals, mission and perspective.
While I still stand by that notion, this same connection can sometimes blur the lines between social exchange and project execution. When people feel comfortable, they might express enthusiasm or agreement in the moment, but this doesn’t always translate into action.
I personally am very much interested in big dreams coming to fruition. So it was a wonder to me that no matter how enthusiastically things were discussed on a video call or how well-intentioned they were, time and time again I found some clients failed to send me necessary deliverables, honor their commitments, communicate effectively, participate meaningfully in project management, and generally respect my time, energy, and suggestions. When it came to the project itself, “personal connection” just didn’t seem to take people to the finish line.
Cultivating creative resilience
To be able to follow-through and bring about their stated intentions, desires or goals, someone needs to have a strong connection to what I’m calling “creative resilience.”
It’s creative because that’s how creation works (at least for humans); being “creative” is weaving what currently is with what can be, a practice of holding both to allow for becoming. The now and the future you create are different and separate from each other, like an egg and a sperm or the soil and a seed. I use the word “resilience” because when you decide to make something, naturally, that something is not a Thing that already exists or is currently happening, and therefore other things that are not that Thing have a way of presenting themselves on the way to making the Thing. It’s easy to have an idea, or say you want XYZ, but the process of “making it a reality” on Earth can feel a little tricky – and that’s exactly the beautifully flustering experience we came here for 🌹
Therefore, it’s a person’s ability to show up for the tedious parts of the creative process that determines whether or not something actually comes to fruition. Individuals can have different amounts of resilience available to them in different contexts, but the important thing is that Creative Resilience can be developed and practiced in any situation for any endeavor. Life, after all, is our creation!
The way someone shows up with perseverance, presence and playfulness despite distractions, difficulties and setbacks is also the defining factor in what they can truly offer as a collaborator. If someone has or knows how to grow their own Creative Resilience, especially in the specified setting, they can be a powerful teammate.
Addressing creative resistance is an inside job
Now I’m not emotionally inept, I know there are lots of reasons why people don’t “show up” in a project setting. In short, this is “Resistance,” a term coined by author Steven Pressfield that I discuss in this article. Every human lives through their own perspective and challenges, and getting/returning to a creative, expansive, focused place to do something meaningful (i.e. developing creative resilience) sometimes requires going through emotional upheaval, physical stress and mental gymnastics, which is not always easy.
I’ve made friends with and continue to deepen my own awareness of all of this “darkness,” and I believe creative resistance is what stops people from “doing the thing,” more than anything else. I know for some people with different needs, preferences or neuro-makeups, simply having others around is extremely effective for accountability and taking action, and I love that! It’s just not my cup of tea to serve, and coaching clients through creative resistance is not something I was hired (or desired) to do in my web agency.
In my experience, if you want to create things, relying on social interactions in order to move forward is not the most powerful position – it will always require external motivation, reassurance, or encouragement, which isn’t as dependable as knowing how to converse with your own internal guide, find pleasure in the process, and wiggle through or dissolve the blocks that seem to get in the way. Obviously, nobody works alone in this world (!!!), but it seems like we do need a level of self-governance, inner-awareness and tenacious perseverance to be able to do things that matter in our lives. Hustle culture sucks, but making your dreams come true is freakin rad! So why not skip the video call and do the thing that is asking to be done? What’s the worst that can happen?
Being comfortable working alone is, I believe, a form of creative resilience and a vehicle for flow, not a drudgery. I have found that in learning to cultivate and wield the fuel of my own internal motivation and connection to inspiration, I created one of my greatest allies.
Getting meaningful sh*t done is so hot!
“Getting meaningful sh*t done” is the fruit of nurturing creative resilience within ourselves, which extends out into partnerships and larger groups. As individuals, we must hold ourselves accountable for what is ours, and offer ourselves the support we need in order to grow and rise to the occasion. Then, in collaboration we can blossom fully into our role, sharing the most fragrant expressions of our unique genius 🤩
Meetings are useful in many ways, but in my business, they weren’t effective for managing accountability, accomplishing tasks, or keeping things clear… which are all absolutely essential to achieve a goal in a collaborative setting. Through repeated experiences of clients saying one thing and doing another, the written documentation I had diligently collected along the way consistently proved to be an invaluable “source of truth” and sanity-keeper. In fact, if anything, I’ve learned that in group projects, whether remote or in person, written communication is a much more powerful than spoken communication.
Accomplishing meaningful, exciting and sometimes scary things is part of what makes life worth living. In my experience, that means we need to write it down, schedule out time, and do the inner and outer work to grow what we want to grow… and I mean that in the juiciest, gentlest way possible 🍓 It’s not about forcing, it’s about moving through what might be called “creative resistance” in a space of deep, delicious devotion, both to yourself and to what it is you’re trying to create. Resistance is a friend and mentor, but we can only get the “good stuff” if we know how to be with it and let it show us the way. If you want to read more about that, head over this way.
Shared success through written communication
Why is written communication oftentimes more powerful than spoken communication, especially in a collaborative project setting? The short and sweet is because it enhances precision and clarity, allows for spacious exchanges, and saves time overall. Imagine trying to put on a play without any written lines, schedules, defined roles, or list of tasks. But if you’re not convinced, there’s much more on that here.
If you are someone’s client or someone’s project manager, I would recommend setting the expectation that while meetings are valuable for ABC, all decisions and action items are to be documented in writing. This ensures that all parties are on the same page and that the written record takes precedence.
I would also recommend that if video calls are a tool you decide to use for project or task management, that these are set up within a specified container and optimized for maximum efficacy. That might look like scheduling them at specific intervals based on the project timeline or landmarks, or maybe setting aside a pre-determined number of hours to have live “back-and-forth” when things feel sticky. It’s a great idea for all meetings to have an agenda and be recorded in some way.
With written communication and documentation framed as a key tool for clarity, parties can approach writing as beneficial rather than restrictive. The ability to review and understand what has been agreed upon can give everyone more confidence in their role and responsibilities within a project – and this is ultimately what creates a space where magic can happen ✨
Some people might be resistant to written communication simply because they’re not used to it. Offering tips or defining guidelines on how to communicate effectively in writing can make the process more comfortable. While spoken communication has its place and power, I truly believe written communication is the backbone of successful project collaboration in the modern age.
Less meetings means more flow
Every person, and by extension every team, has their own creative rhythm and beat to follow. Defining a structure for a project that works will look different for every group in every setting. What’s important, though, is to create a structure in the first place… because the less time we spend talking about doing the thing, the more time we get to actually do the thing – which feels AMAZING! There are few things more beautiful, exhilarating and satisfying than watching a well-rehearsed team play the game, the symphony, the show… you get my drift.
For me, the pleasure I once took in video calls with clients has been fully savored, and now it’s time to toss it in the compost to grow something else. It feels delicious to focus on growing what is alive in my web garden, doing the artistic, imaginative, strategic work that is currently feeding me most in my professional and creative trajectory.
Trusting where the life-force leads is an essential part of how I work, and how I structure my workflow. Pleasure, joy and excitement are guides I know and love, just as much other more “creepy crawly” friends that aren’t as “easy” to work with. It’s a dance and a practice to cultivate creative resilience, both in my life and work, and share that dance with others I meet along the way 💐
Dear Reader…
How do you weave the art of doing with the art of connection in projects?
In successful collaborations you’ve experienced, what were some of the key ingredients?
Where are you cultivating creative resilience?
What kinds of collaborators do you work best with?
If it’s in your pleasure, please comment below!
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