In entrepreneurial circles, the long game isn’t talked about enough. As young people and young companies start, they need to be thinking about the long game, but it is often overlooked.
Hustle culture is alive and (un)well. Over the years I’ve seen people make short-term choices that have cost them dearly in the long run. If you think short-term only, you might win a battle but lose the war. Or you might lose a battle and then decide to leave the war. As an old hack, I’m here to remind you to remember to consider the long game.
Time is a healer but also a great revealer! If your race is just about you trying to get ahead, that’s a place where many before you have lost their heads completely.
Having worked with clients for 30+ years I’ve recognised that our best clients are the ones that have understood the power of the long game, and that is why we have a longstanding relationship. There have, on the other hand, been occasions when we have had to deal with the “hustle culture club” and for a season allowed it to steal our power, peace and perspective.
The best relationships flow out of adding more value and the best client relationships are where both sides continue to add more value and see the relationship as a long-term investment. We go the extra mile and our clients open more doors for us.
Unfortunately, there is a danger of “hustle culture” creeping in when challenging times hit… but how do you spot ‘hustle culture’ when it comes to invading your space and what do you need to do to guard against it?
Short-term symptoms to spot.
Know your value:
Help your clients and go the extra mile, 100%. We always have and we continue to do so. However, if your client is constantly asking for price discounts when you are already adding value out of scope, you need to respect yourself and hold fast to your price or realise you might not be the right fit for the future.
Spot the steal:
Clients going to your team to do work on the side is bad practice. Thankfully, we have a team that is open and honest and they’ve come to us when this has happened.
Manipulating facts:
In the process of providing a quote, hustle culture is easy to spot! When a potential client says ‘I don’t have a budget’, then, when you name a price and they say it’s too high, that means they did have one! They wanted to hustle you! Serious people have a serious budget because they have an idea of what things cost!
Gossip killers:
When someone has a lot of bad things to say about a previous agency be warned – the agency isn’t there to their side of the story! Some people have played other agencies before coming to you. We see it as a major red flag now and are much better at setting expectations and questions! If you ask the right ones, you get the right clients!
Money moaners:
You can get anything cheaper but you won’t get access to an elite team who’ll support you in your quest to be the best. That has a price.
Home-wreckers:
Some people are even willing to wreck other people’s relationships as the only thing driving them is the advancement of their self-interest. They’ll have you working to crazy deadlines to secure the work without realising the heavier cost to family, friends and finances. If it costs you your peace no client is worth it, they are too expensive.
Delight your tribe, and don’t let anyone in.
Over the years, I’ve lost my peace on several occasions over the “hustle culture” and while it felt like I had lost, I won because I’ve learnt not to let it happen again.
The antidote to the hustle culture is a culture of purpose.
Leaders with purpose act by their vision and recognise people on the same path as them. They see people as a priority and are willing to invest in the right people to join them on their journey. Purposeful people are more focused on alignment for the assignment.
With purposeful people the conversation is different:
Driven by care:
They care about the result and the level of impact they can deliver to the widest amount of people. They see influence as vital to growth and are willing to invest in the best to help them.
Willingness to invest:
They approach the relationship as something they plan to develop and are willing to put more in and keep growing. They see life as a partnership and know that the right partners can be transformative.
Listen hard:
They know you are experts in what you do and will use you as a sounding board to float ideas. They have an aptitude to learn what they don’t know and they are ready to lean in.
Respect the team:
There is nothing like good old-fashioned courtesy and thanking the team when they have nailed it.
Surprising opportunities:
When you are on the same page as a client you’ll find surprising opportunities come. I am well-networked and have been privileged to open doors for many clients. Relationships are a superpower to success. Speaking to each other about vision is a surefire way to open even more doors!
Personal conversations:
Quite close to the previous one but sharing life, love and legacy are all great ingredients to a happier and healthier conversation. When people say business isn’t personal they miss it. The very best business is done out of deeper relationships. We care about the person behind the business and when you’ve been working with people for a length of time, life doesn’t always run smoothly so supporting in any way we can is also part of the journey.
Winning together is better than alone:
Celebrating wins together is very important. Wanting each other to succeed is the opposite of hustle culture. We believe that if both teams succeed, we all flourish and increase our influence and impact.
The long game is ultimately about thinking big and learning to be patient rather than just focusing on the immediate. Sadly, for many, just going for the grab can lead to burnout.
Playing the long game is what secures partnerships, creates legacy and transforms industries with purpose. Switching out of hustle culture and switching on to purposeful partnerships builds generation wealth, health and opportunity.