Most agency leaders don’t struggle with diagnosing operational problems. It’s usually clear where bottlenecks and inefficiencies are holding the business back - pricing models that erode margins, resourcing processes that waste time, or systems that don’t talk to each other.
Identifying the gaps is straightforward. It’s closing them that proves difficult.
Entrepreneur and Ex Adobe executive Scott Belsky describes this phase as “the messy middle” - the hardest and most important part of building something. For creative agencies, this is exactly where change efforts tend to stall. Moving from a clear idea to consistent execution means grappling with:
- Old habits and legacy ways of working - Teams naturally revert to what feels comfortable, even when it no longer serves the agency.
- Tool fatigue - New platforms or processes launch with excitement, but enthusiasm fades and adoption drops off.
- Pressure from client work - Delivery always takes priority, so embedding new practices slips to the bottom of the list.
- Slower-than-expected results - Change takes longer to show impact than leadership hopes, leading to frustration and second-guessing.
- Team resistance - Not everyone embraces change at the same pace. Some worry it adds to their workload. Others quietly resist because they don’t see the benefit or fear losing control.
This is why so many agencies end up stuck in a cycle of half-finished initiatives. The vision is there, but the follow-through stalls.
Why the messy middle happens in creative agencies
Every industry has its own challenges when it comes to change, but creative agencies face some unique barriers:
- Agencies are client-first by design - when client demands spike, internal change is the first thing to get dropped.
- Creative cultures favour freedom - new processes can feel restrictive, so teams resist even when the changes make life easier in the long run.
- Agencies are often resource-stretched, so implementation gets squeezed into the gaps, making it inconsistent.
- Leadership enthusiasm outpaces team bandwidth - leaders want to move quickly, but the wider team rarely has the same capacity to adapt.
The result is predictable: strong strategies that never quite get embedded.
A framework for navigating change
To make this more manageable, I break change into three simple stages:
1: Excitement - energy is high, the vision feels fresh, and curiosity fuels early adoption.
2: The messy middle – resistance builds, results lag, and fatigue sets in.
3: Embedding - the new way becomes the normal way, behaviours stick, and results start to compound.
The leadership team’s role is to recognise which stage they’re in and apply the right focus:
- In stage 1, inspire and energise.
- In stage 2, stay disciplined and consistent.
- In stage 3, reinforce and reward.
Tips for getting through the messy middle
If you want the changes you’ve decided on to actually stick, here are a few practical ways to push through the tough part:
- Start smaller than you think - Don’t try to roll out a whole new system overnight. Pilot it with one team, one process, or one client account first.
- Create visible wins early - Share small but concrete improvements to show that the new way works. Early confidence builds momentum.
- Build accountability into the process - Assign clear owners, set check-ins, and make progress visible. Without accountability, change gets lost in the noise of client delivery.
- Expect the dip - Resistance and fatigue are inevitable. Anticipating this makes it easier to keep going when motivation is low.
- Balance patience with persistence - Embedding change properly takes months, not weeks. Stay committed, but keep adjusting how you implement.
Sticking with it and keeping motivation high
Resistance doesn’t mean failure - it’s a natural part of the messy middle. The challenge is keeping your team motivated long enough to move past it.
A few ways to sustain energy:
- Communicate the “why” often - Keep linking the change to agency growth, culture, or winning better work.
- Involve people in shaping the “how” - When teams help decide how change happens, they’re more likely to commit.
- Celebrate progress, not perfection - Acknowledge small wins publicly. Recognition fuels momentum.
- Model the behaviour as leaders - If the leadership team isn’t living the change, no one else will. Consistency from the top is essential.
- Keep the destination visible - Paint a clear picture of what success looks like, so the team can see beyond today’s frustrations.
How I help agencies through the messy middle
After I’ve audited an agency and shared my findings, I don’t just hand over a set of recommendations and walk away. Big shifts can feel overwhelming, so I follow up with a detailed roadmap that breaks the change into manageable steps.
Think of it like changing a car tyre while the car is still moving - that’s what implementing agency change often feels like. The roadmap makes it possible by:
- Laying out clear priorities in the right sequence
- Breaking the work into achievable phases rather than one huge leap
- Setting timings so leadership knows what should happen, when
- Building in accountability so the agency stays on track
This ensures the leadership team doesn’t lose momentum, and the changes don’t just get talked about - they get implemented and embedded into the fabric of the agency.
The messy middle may be where most agencies struggle, but with structure, accountability, and persistence, it’s also where real transformation takes root.
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