Five Agency Resolutions for 2026 Growth and Resilience

The year 2026 is poised to be a "watershed year" for agencies, demanding a proactive and intentional approach to growth and stability. This conversation with Drew McLellan reveals that simply surviving isn't enough; agencies must actively prepare for increased pressure and market shifts. The hidden consequence for those who don't adapt is not just falling behind, but potentially becoming irrelevant. Agency owners and leaders who embrace these five resolutions will gain a significant advantage by building deeper internal resilience, a more robust new business pipeline, and a clearer strategic direction, all while fostering a culture that can navigate the complexities of AI and human connection. This advice is crucial for anyone looking to not just weather the coming challenges but to thrive.

Carving Out Sacred Space: The Unseen Power of Unavailability

The immediate impulse for agency leaders is often to be accessible, to solve problems as they arise. However, McLellan argues that this constant availability is a significant impediment to true progress. The "deep work" required for strategic thinking, new business development, and long-term planning is systematically eroded by the relentless ping of emails and messages. The consequence of this constant connectivity is that the most important, yet often least urgent, tasks are perpetually deferred, leading to a reactive rather than proactive stance.

"One of two things happens either the deep work doesn't happen or you do it at night or on the weekends and i want you to have time during your work week to do the deep work that is super important to you."

By scheduling four to eight hours of unavailability each week, agency owners create protected time. This isn't time off; it's dedicated, focused work time that cannot be interrupted. The downstream effect of this discipline is a tangible increase in strategic output and progress on critical initiatives. Those who resist this, clinging to the illusion of productivity through constant busyness, will find their agencies adrift, lacking the strategic direction needed to navigate market shifts. The competitive advantage lies in the delayed payoff of this intentional solitude, building a foundation of foresight that others neglect. This approach directly challenges the conventional wisdom that equates availability with effectiveness, revealing that true effectiveness often requires deliberate disengagement from the immediate fray.

The Two-Hour New Business Engine: Fueling Future Growth

While deep work addresses internal strategy, a consistent focus on new business is the lifeblood of agency survival and growth. McLellan identifies a common pitfall: new business activities are often sporadic, driven by immediate need rather than consistent cultivation. This leads to feast-or-famine cycles, creating instability. The hidden consequence of neglecting consistent new business development is a shrinking pipeline, making the agency vulnerable to economic downturns and client attrition.

"Two hours a week to do new business this is different than the four hours a week so really what i'm asking you for is a total of 10 hours a week four to eight hours carved out for your quiet deep thinking time and two hours a week to focus on new business."

By dedicating just two hours per week to focused new business activities--whether it's list building, outreach, or reconnecting with past clients--agencies can build a reliable engine for growth. This consistent, albeit small, investment compounds over time. The advantage here is the creation of a predictable pipeline, reducing the anxiety associated with client wins and losses. Conventional wisdom might suggest dedicating larger blocks of time, but McLellan’s approach highlights how consistent, smaller efforts can be more sustainable and effective, especially when integrated into a leader's weekly routine. The delayed payoff is a stable, growing client base, a stark contrast to agencies that scramble for work only when necessary.

The All-Agency Huddle: Transparency as a Competitive Moat

In an era of increasing uncertainty, maintaining team alignment and transparency is paramount. McLellan proposes a structured monthly all-agency meeting, complete with a specific agenda. The immediate benefit of such meetings is improved communication. However, the deeper, non-obvious consequence is the creation of a shared understanding of the agency's health, strategic direction, and successes. This fosters a sense of collective ownership and accountability that is difficult to replicate.

The agenda--including new business activity, client wins, work to be proud of, values recognition, AI wins, and Q&A--actively combats the fear and speculation that can plague agencies, especially during challenging times. When leaders are transparent about new business efforts, clients are more likely to trust the agency's future prospects. Celebrating client wins reinforces the agency's value proposition. Recognizing values and AI wins demonstrates a commitment to culture and future-readiness. The Q&A, in particular, serves as a critical feedback loop, allowing concerns to be aired and addressed, preventing the formation of damaging internal narratives.

"The reality is when you don't tell them the truth then they make up their own truth and i promise you their own truth is way worse than your truth."

The competitive advantage here is a highly engaged, informed, and aligned team that is less susceptible to external market fears or internal rumors. This transparency builds a moat around the agency's talent, making it more resilient to poaching and more effective in its execution. Conventional approaches often relegate such updates to sporadic emails or informal chats, failing to create the consistent reinforcement and psychological safety that a structured meeting provides.

Embracing AI: A Policy-Driven Leap Forward

The rapid advancement of Artificial Intelligence presents both an opportunity and a threat. McLellan stresses that simply experimenting with AI is insufficient; agencies must establish clear policies and communicate their approach transparently. The hidden cost of inaction or ambiguity around AI is not just missed efficiencies, but a potential erosion of client trust and a loss of competitive relevance. Clients are increasingly aware of AI's capabilities and expect their agencies to be knowledgeable and ethical in its application.

"Agencies that are not embracing ai agencies aren't talking about ai agencies that are not leading the way with ai are going to fall behind if they're not already behind."

By developing internal and external AI policies, including how AI is used, disclosed to clients, and integrated into contracts, agencies create a framework for responsible innovation. This proactive stance allows agencies to leverage AI for efficiency, deeper insights, and enhanced client deliverables, positioning them as forward-thinking partners. The advantage lies in being perceived as a leader, not a laggard, in a transformative technology. Conventional wisdom might suggest waiting to see how AI evolves, but McLellan's analysis points to the immediate need for policy and strategy, highlighting that the "doomsday reports" about agencies disappearing are only true for those who fail to adapt. The delayed payoff is sustained relevance and a stronger client value proposition in an AI-augmented future.

Deepening Human Connections: The Unseen Retention Strategy

In an increasingly digital and automated world, the human element becomes a critical differentiator. McLellan emphasizes the importance of deepening personal connections with team members, moving beyond transactional supervisor-employee relationships. The consequence of neglecting this is higher employee turnover, decreased morale, and a less cohesive team culture.

"This is not a substitute for a one on one meeting this is a human to human connection not a boss to employee connection this is talking about whatever they want to talk about this is about getting to know them better it's about letting them get to know you better."

Initiatives like "Dinners with Drew," coffee chats, or even walking and talking remotely, foster genuine human-to-human connections. This goes beyond professional development; it's about acknowledging and valuing team members as whole individuals. The competitive advantage derived from this is profound: increased loyalty, better retention, and a more engaged workforce. When employees feel seen and valued as people, their commitment to the agency's success deepens. This strategy directly counters the trend of treating employees as mere resources, highlighting that investing in personal connection yields significant long-term returns in talent retention and overall team performance, a payoff that is often overlooked in favor of more tangible, immediate metrics.

Key Action Items:

• Immediate Actions (First Quarter 2026):

  • Schedule 4 hours per week of "deep work" time, making yourself unavailable for meetings or interruptions. Aim to increase this to 8 hours (two half-days) by the end of the first quarter.
  • Dedicate a minimum of 2 hours per week specifically to new business development activities. Develop a clear plan for how this time will be used.
  • Schedule all 12 monthly all-agency meetings for the year and integrate the proposed agenda (new business, client wins, work to be proud of, values recognition, AI win, Q&A, upcoming items).
  • Begin developing or refining your agency's AI policies, including internal usage guidelines and client communication strategies. If you have existing policies, review and accelerate your AI adoption and integration.
  • Initiate or deepen personal connection rituals with direct reports or a select group of team members (e.g., coffee chats, informal calls, shared meals).

• Longer-Term Investments (6-18 Months):

  • Consistently execute the scheduled deep work and new business hours, making them non-negotiable habits. This investment will yield strategic clarity and a robust pipeline over time.
  • Regularly review and refine your AI policies and implementation strategy based on evolving technology and client needs, ensuring your agency remains at the forefront. This pays off in sustained competitive advantage and client trust.
  • Expand personal connection initiatives to a wider circle of team members, fostering a deeply loyal and engaged workforce. This investment in culture directly impacts retention and morale over the long term.
  • Ensure your all-agency meeting agenda evolves to reflect ongoing strategic priorities and team feedback, maintaining transparency and accountability. This builds enduring organizational strength.

• Items Requiring Present Discomfort for Future Advantage:

  • The act of scheduling and enforcing "unavailability" for deep work will likely face initial resistance or perceived difficulty, but it creates lasting strategic advantage.
  • Consistently dedicating time to new business, even when current workloads are high, requires discipline but builds future stability.
  • Implementing transparent communication around agency performance and AI, especially during potentially uncertain times, may feel uncomfortable but builds crucial trust and team cohesion.
  • Initiating deeper personal connections requires vulnerability and time, which can feel like a departure from "business as usual," but it is essential for long-term employee retention and morale.