YouTube Video aOJg-1yqy4A 🔗 **Source:** [YouTube Video aOJg-1yqy4A](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOJg-1yqy4A) > [!note]+ Document Notes > tags: [agency-management, leadership, hiring, business-growth] > author: Agency Action with Toby and Kurt > source: YouTube > reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOJg-1yqy4A > date created: 2024-10-24 10:00 > > # 🏷️ Title: Agency Action: What Makes a Good Boss - Hiring, Leadership & Business Growth > <!-- deep-read:sections start --> ## 🧰 Action Inbox - [H1] Create video training courses for onboarding processes — 05:23 #training - [H2] Implement agenda requirement for all team meetings — 29:15 #process - [H3] Develop strategic LinkedIn outreach system for lead generation — 38:42 #sales ## 🧭 Table of Contents - [📝 Summary](#-summary) - [📖 Main Content](#-main-content) - [🗒️ Notes](#️-notes) - [📚 References](#-references) - [🗣️ Paraphrase](#️-paraphrase) - [📰 Newsletter](#-newsletter) - [✅ Action Items](#-action-items) - [🧪 Hypotheses](#-hypotheses) - [📊 Methodology](#-methodology) - [❓ Questions](#-questions) - [🔮 Future Research](#-future-research) - [💡 Implications](#-implications) - [🧠 Learning Styles Assessment](#-learning-styles-assessment) - [📊 Accessibility Assessment](#-accessibility-assessment) - [🌍 DEIB Assessment](#-deib-assessment) - [✅ Logical Validity](#-logical-validity) - [🛡️ DARVO Analysis](#-darvo-analysis) - [🎯 Conclusion](#-conclusion) ### 🔗 References - [Mañana No Mas](https://manananomas.com) - [The Mighty Mo](https://themightymo.com) ## 📝 Summary - Agency owners Kurt and Toby discuss leadership evolution, hiring practices, and business growth strategies - Why natural management skills don't always translate to good leadership - Key considerations for hiring: communication over technical skills, work style compatibility - The difference between marketing exposure and actual sales activities - Exit strategy planning requires building sustainable processes beyond individual contributors ## 📖 Main Content Two agency owners explore what makes effective leadership in small businesses. Kurt admits he was initially a "hard-nosed jerk" who focused on management rather than leadership, learning to extend grace and recognize that employees won't have the same ownership mindset as entrepreneurs. The conversation covers hiring for communication skills and work style fit over pure technical ability, the challenge of building sales processes beyond marketing activities, and the importance of creating systems that can operate independently for eventual business exit strategies. ## 🗒️ Notes #### ⏱️ [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOJg-1yqy4A?t=0) — [H1] What Makes a Good Boss - Key idea: Natural high performers often become poor managers initially - Evidence: "By nature, I was not a good boss. By nature, I was a hard-nosed jerk" #### ⏱️ [02:15](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOJg-1yqy4A?t=135) — [H2] Management vs Leadership Evolution - Key idea: Management focuses on commands, leadership focuses on helping people improve - Evidence: "Management would be like, hey, you just need to do better. Leadership is like, hey, there's some gaps in performance here. How can I help you do this better?" #### ⏱️ [05:23](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOJg-1yqy4A?t=323) — [H1] Video-Based Process Training - Key idea: Create reusable training content instead of repetitive one-on-one training - Evidence: "We make video screen shares of our processes and then we save those video screen shares and convert them into lessons for a private course" #### ⏱️ [08:30](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOJg-1yqy4A?t=510) — [H2] The Ownership Misconception - Key idea: Employees cannot truly "take ownership" of projects they don't actually own - Evidence: "They're not going to take ownership of the project. It's not theirs to own. They're just working on it" #### ⏱️ [12:45](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOJg-1yqy4A?t=765) — [H3] Experience Assumptions - Key idea: Years of experience don't automatically equal competence without proper training - Evidence: "How many of you know how many motorcycles you worked on last month? None of the hands go up" #### ⏱️ [18:20](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOJg-1yqy4A?t=1100) — [H2] Diplomatic Feedback Delivery - Key idea: Frame criticism in context of client commitments rather than personal attacks - Evidence: "While I understand that life happens, we also have firm deadlines we have to meet for our clients" #### ⏱️ [22:10](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOJg-1yqy4A?t=1330) — [H3] Growth Opportunities Reality Check - Key idea: Small agencies have limited traditional advancement paths but growth creates opportunities - Evidence: "If you are a go-getter and you bring referrals and you help with sales... there will be plenty of revenue" #### ⏱️ [29:15](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOJg-1yqy4A?t=1755) — [H1] Communication Over Technical Skills - Key idea: Organizational and communication skills matter more than pure technical ability - Evidence: "Where's the agenda?" - requiring structured meeting preparation as baseline competency #### ⏱️ [32:40](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOJg-1yqy4A?t=1960) — [H2] Work Style Assessment - Key idea: Hire for complementary work styles using personality frameworks - Evidence: "There's rulers, there's entertainers, there's analysts, and there's loyalists" #### ⏱️ [36:50](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOJg-1yqy4A?t=2210) — [H3] Mission/Vision Timing - Key idea: Company mission becomes critical when founders step back from daily operations - Evidence: "Mission and vision were not important until he was extracted from the day-to-day operations" #### ⏱️ [38:42](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOJg-1yqy4A?t=2322) — [H1] Sales vs Marketing Distinction - Key idea: Marketing creates awareness, but sales requires direct personal contact - Evidence: "Everything you described isn't sales. You just describe marketing... You need to pick up the phone and call these people" #### ⏱️ [43:15](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOJg-1yqy4A?t=2595) — [H2] LinkedIn Networking Strategy - Key idea: Strategic relationship building through icebreaker conversations and referral networks - Evidence: "I invited all of the new connections to a short icebreaker conversation. And I have spoken to probably 7,000 of the 10,000 people" #### ⏱️ [51:20](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOJg-1yqy4A?t=3080) — [H3] Multiple Revenue Streams - Key idea: Diversifying beyond client services creates stability and freedom - Evidence: "It's nice to have a different vertical creating revenue" - PowerSports Academy doing $60K annually #### ⏱️ [55:30](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOJg-1yqy4A?t=3330) — [H1] Exit Strategy Planning - Key idea: Building processes and systems creates sellable business value beyond client relationships - Evidence: "If I create processes and have a process manual... all of a sudden it becomes viable for other people to run" ## 📚 References - [John Maxwell Leadership Certification](https://johnmaxwell.com) - [Mañana No Mas Agency](https://manananomas.com) - [The Mighty Mo Agency](https://themightymo.com) ## 🗣️ Paraphrase - Good leadership requires shifting from "work harder because I said so" to "how can I help you improve performance" - Hiring should prioritize communication skills and work style compatibility over pure technical expertise - Business growth needs actual sales activities (phone calls, meetings) rather than just marketing content creation - Building sustainable agencies requires documented processes and systems that can operate without the founder ## 📰 Newsletter **Agency Leadership Insights: From Management to True Leadership** Two experienced agency owners share hard-won wisdom about evolving from task-focused managers to people-focused leaders. The key insight? High performers often struggle initially as managers because they expect everyone to match their drive and standards. **Key Takeaways for WordPress Agencies:** - Create video-based training courses for consistent onboarding - Hire for communication skills and work style fit over pure technical ability - Distinguish between marketing activities and actual sales conversations - Build documented processes for eventual business sustainability The discussion highlights how small agencies need different strategies than enterprise companies - focusing on complementary team dynamics rather than hierarchical advancement paths. **Growing Your Practice:** Consider implementing structured meeting agendas, strategic LinkedIn networking, and multiple revenue streams to create business stability and growth options. Resources: [Learn WordPress](https://learn.wordpress.org/), [Developer Docs](https://developer.wordpress.org/), [WP-CLI](https://wp-cli.org/) ## ✅ Action Items #### DevRel - Developer advocacy: Create video training content for technical processes and best practices - Education: Develop structured onboarding curricula using real project examples - Developer experience: Document communication standards and meeting protocols - Developer marketing: Implement strategic LinkedIn networking for developer community building - Community management: Establish feedback systems for performance improvement conversations #### Community - Maintainers: Provide governance templates for team communication standards - Contributors: Create first-issue programs with clear process documentation - Sponsors: Develop transparent progress reporting and milestone tracking - Ecosystem: Facilitate cross-agency knowledge sharing on leadership practices #### WordPress - Community: Develop meetup kits for agency leadership discussions - Training: Create lesson plans on team management for WordPress professionals - Documentation: Improve business development guides in community handbook ## 🧪 Hypotheses - Video-based training systems reduce onboarding time and improve consistency compared to one-on-one training - Hiring for communication skills over technical skills leads to better long-term team performance - Strategic networking through structured conversations generates more qualified leads than content marketing alone - Documented processes and systems significantly increase business valuation and exit options ### 📊 Methodology - Study design: Compare onboarding effectiveness between video training and traditional methods - Data sources: Track lead conversion rates from different networking approaches - Experiments: A/B test hiring criteria focusing on communication vs technical skills ### ❓ Questions - How can small agencies create advancement opportunities without traditional hierarchical structures? - What's the optimal balance between founder involvement and team autonomy for business growth? - How do you measure the ROI of relationship-building activities vs direct marketing spend? ### 🔮 Future Research - Long-term outcomes of communication-focused hiring practices - Scalable leadership development programs for small agency owners - Exit strategy valuations based on process documentation quality ### 💡 Implications - Practice: Shift hiring focus from technical portfolios to communication assessments - Policy: Implement structured meeting and feedback protocols across teams - Security: Document critical business processes to reduce single-point-of-failure risks - Education: Develop leadership training specifically for technical founders - Funding: Build multiple revenue streams to reduce client dependency risks ### 🧠 Learning Styles Assessment Reading level estimate: 10th Grade (conversational podcast format) #### 👀 Visual learners - Present: Discussion format with clear topic transitions - Improve: Add organizational charts, process diagrams, work style assessment visuals #### 🔊 Aural learners - Present: Original audio format ideal for this learning style - Improve: Provide chapter markers and key quote highlights #### 🗣️ Verbal learners - Present: Rich analogies, real-world examples, defined business terms - Improve: Glossary of leadership concepts and business terminology #### 🧩 Kinesthetic learners - Present: Actionable strategies and specific implementation steps - Improve: Checklists for hiring processes, meeting agendas, networking activities #### 🧠 Logical learners - Present: Clear cause-and-effect relationships between leadership actions and outcomes - Improve: Metrics for measuring leadership effectiveness and business growth #### 🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Social learners - Present: Peer-to-peer discussion format between experienced practitioners - Improve: Discussion prompts for agency owner peer groups #### 🧘‍♀️ Solitary learners - Present: Self-reflection opportunities through leadership assessment questions - Improve: Self-evaluation worksheets for management style and business goals #### 🌿 Naturalistic learners - Present: Business ecosystem thinking and growth metaphors - Improve: Lifecycle models for agency development and sustainability ### 📊 Accessibility Assessment #### Screen reader semantics - Present: Clear heading structure and topic transitions - Improve: Add detailed timestamps and topic summaries #### Keyboard navigation - Present: Standard video player controls - Improve: Ensure all interactive elements are keyboard accessible #### Contrast and readability - Present: Audio format eliminates visual contrast issues - Improve: Provide high-contrast transcript formatting options #### Text resizing and reflow - Present: Transcript text can be resized without issues - Improve: Responsive transcript layout for mobile devices #### Media and captions - Present: Full transcript provided - Improve: Add professional captions with speaker identification #### Forms and interactions - Present: Simple video player interface - Improve: Add interactive chapter navigation and note-taking features ### 🌍 DEIB Assessment #### Cultural breadth - Present: US-focused small business perspective - Improve: Include global agency perspectives and cultural considerations #### Inclusive language - Present: Generally professional and inclusive terminology - Improve: Address potential assumptions about business ownership and resources #### Neurodiversity support - Present: Conversational format with natural pacing - Improve: Provide structured summaries and key point highlighting #### Representation - Present: Two white male agency owners' perspectives - Improve: Include diverse voices and leadership styles in future content #### Psychological safety - Present: Honest discussion of leadership failures and growth - Improve: Content warnings for discussions of workplace conflict ### ✅ Logical Validity #### Strong reasoning - Deductive strength: Leadership principles applied to specific agency scenarios - Inductive strength: Personal experiences generalized to broader business practices - Causal reasoning: Clear connections between leadership behaviors and business outcomes - Analogical strength: Effective comparisons between different business situations #### Fallacies - Survivorship bias: Focus on successful strategies without discussing failures - Anecdotal evidence: Heavy reliance on personal experiences vs systematic data - Hasty generalization: Applying small agency lessons to all business contexts #### Tone of voice - Overall tone: Conversational, honest, and reflective with practical focus ### 🛡️ DARVO Analysis - Deny: No defensive patterns detected - Attack: No attacks on critics or other perspectives - Reverse victim/offender: No victim/offender reversals identified - Emotional cues and rhetoric: Honest self-reflection and acknowledgment of past mistakes ## 🎯 Conclusion Effective agency leadership requires evolving from command-and-control management to supportive leadership that helps team members improve. The key is hiring for communication skills and work style compatibility, building documented processes for sustainability, and creating multiple revenue streams for business stability. Success comes from understanding that employees will never have the same ownership mindset as founders, and systems must account for this reality while still maintaining high standards through clear processes and supportive feedback. ## 🧱 Refactor Appendix ### 📚 Literature Split Pad ### [H1] Leadership evolution requires shifting from management to support > [!quote] [Agency Action: What Makes a Good Boss](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOJg-1yqy4A) by Agency Action with Toby and Kurt via YouTube. Published 2024-10-24. Accessed 2024-10-24. > "Management would be like, hey, you just need to do better. Leadership is like, hey, there's some gaps in performance here. How can I help you do this better?" Critical distinction between commanding performance and facilitating improvement through support. 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