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Agency Espresso

The founder fortnight

Want to step up from the day to day at ground level to work on higher altitude things?

Here's an exercise that's valuable to do every few months to support that.

You'll review a fortnight of what you do, and act on what you learn to shape your use of time in future.

(I'm aware 'fortnight' is a term that's mainly used in the UK. It means a two week period — 'fourteen nights'. I find two week periods are the ideal period of time for the rhythm of being a founder. Weeks are too short and months are too long.)

Step 1: Build a list

Make a list of the things that have taken your time and attention in the last fortnight...

  • In your calendar: meetings, events, calls etc.

  • On your task list / project tracker.

  • In your email.

  • From your head: what's been occupying your mind most?

Just write repeating things down once. For each time they repeat, add a line underneath.

Step 2: Reflect on the list

Now work your way down the list and make a mark by each item:

  • A '+' if this is the kind of thing you should do more of, as it's what your founder role should be all about or it gives you joy and energy.

  • A '-' if you should do less of this and someone in the agency needs to take it over, or would be better placed to do it.

  • A 'x' if you should stop doing this and nobody in the agency needs to pick it up.

Step 3: Act on the list

  • Look ahead for the next fortnight. What changes are you going to make, right now? Remove the 'x' type things listed above.

  • Schedule talking to others about taking over the things marked '-' on the list.

Doing this exercise once a quarter will keep improving the altitude of your work, rather than keeping you running around down at ground level all the time.

So this week, plan in an hour or two to run through this — and take another step up into your founder role.

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