Firefighting vs forward thinking, why your team can’t seem to get ahead

Written By Sally Stevens

The real stories behind the chaos; why your team’s struggling, how it’s impacting your agency, and what to do about it. Spoiler: It’s not just about working harder.

If you’ve ever asked, “Why can’t they just get on with it?”—this one’s for you.

One of the biggest challenges your account handlers are facing right now?

They’re stuck in firefighting mode and they can’t get out of it.

Here’s what that looks like on the ground:

  • Constant context switching between clients, projects, and problems.

  • A never-ending to-do list of “urgent” tasks—chasing feedback, fixing issues, responding to last-minute requests.

  • No time to plan ahead, think strategically, or identify opportunities.

They’re reacting. All day, every day.

And when you’re always reacting, you’re not leading. You’re not guiding clients, spotting risks early, or driving projects forward with confidence.

The cost to your agency? Let’s break it down:

  • Culture takes a hit: Stress becomes the norm, motivation dips, and your team feels like they’re failing, despite running flat out.

  • Quality slips: There’s no time to think deeply or creatively, and rushed work leads to rework.

  • Profitability suffers: Constant firefighting = over-servicing, missed upsell opportunities, and inefficiency baked into every project.

And here’s the kicker: your team wants to do better. They want to lead, not lag behind. But right now, they simply don’t have the time, tools, or headspace to do it.

What can you do about it?

Start by protecting thinking time. Encourage your team to block time for forward-planning, proactive client thinking, or tackling root causes, not just reacting to symptoms.

And then ask: What’s one thing we could do to reduce the firefighting?

The answers might surprise you, and the payoff? Happier clients, a calmer team, and more profitable projects.

Sally Stevens