Very few people have the willpower and capacity to show up and follow through every single day. Chalk it up to having an off day, being too tired, running out of motivation, you name it. There are limitless personal obstacles that keep us from showing up, and even more that block out good intentions to not only show up but follow through.
The most important thing I’ve learned in running Proof for the past 10 years is in the importance of follow through. Consistently showing up to do what you say you’re going to do. This applies to the process we carry out when working with clients, all the way to keeping things consistent with internal culture, reviews, team lunches, Vision Days, and meetings.
I’m certainly not perfect, but the strongest cultures you see from the companies you love are backed by leaders who show up and follow through, refusing to let things slip because things get too busy or because there’s an easier, albeit sometimes less effective, way to get things done.
When you lose sight of your purpose, your “why,” things start to slip. You become allured by the quick fix and easy way out. For us here at Proof, it would be a heck of a lot easier to grow fast, to churn things out quickly, check the box, and move onto the next one. But our true value as a company lies in taking the time that good, thoughtful creative work demands. We’re selling the value in the process that goes into the final product. And that value demands intentionality in being consistent with follow through, from the top down and from the bottom up. Everyone showing up and following through every day is the only way we grow from where we are today to where we hope to be tomorrow and beyond.
Follow through is the most important thing I look for in anyone who works with Proof, and it’s important for our clients as well. Early and throughout the creative process in each partnership, we emphasize the importance of follow-through to our clients. This keeps us on track with our timeline and deliverables and ensures we maintain positive momentum throughout the project (because no one wants to have multiple “where did we leave things off and how do we get back on track” conversations.)
We don’t always have control of how the process will go, but we do always have control over the choices we make each day to show up, give 110 percent, and consistently follow through.
We choose to show up. We choose to follow through. It makes our internal culture strong, and most importantly, makes our partnerships with clients prosperous.