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Why we’ll always have a solutions-first mindset.

By John Lloyd
Solutions first

We will say “let me take care of that” and find a solution.

Recently I stumbled across a video of Barack Obama giving advice for people starting out in their careers; it got me thinking. 


It was clear to me that the advice he went on to share is relevant for a business and especially an independent creative agency like Outlook Creative. 


What he said was, “learn how to get stuff done” and that he looks for “somebody who says, ‘Let me take care of that.’” 
My experience shows me he is right.

As I approach my 15th year in this industry, I haven’t yet encountered a client who doesn’t like it when we say, “let me take care of that.”

Reflecting on my interview at what we then called The Outlook Creative Group, way before I moved into the leadership role I hold today, I recall being encouraged by the can-do attitude that existed and how everyone was focused on providing solutions. Not just a solution but multiple solutions, allowing for clients to make informed decisions.

Seemingly, this agency’s leaders before the current team established a great culture in this regard.


Which brings me to my point; sorry it took so long to get here. It is all about solutions first.



Every brief we receive has a challenge for us to overcome, a problem to solve. The journey to finding the optimal solution isn’t always linear or direct and often requires us to lean into many of our specialist capabilities to crack it. But it’s those twists and turns and bumps in the road that can be the catalyst for uncovering some of the most creative ideas.



Mr Obama also says “I’ve seen at every level people who are very good at describing problems, people who are very sophisticated in explaining why something went wrong or why something can’t get fixed.” That has never been us at Outlook Creative and never will be. We will say “let me take care of that” and find a solution.

A solutions-first mindset has served us well for 25+ years and it is here to stay.