The All Blacks rugby team of New Zealand is famous for its unmatched success. At the last Worldwide Partners Inc. Global Summit, former captain Sean Fitzpatrick gave a keynote on why “Winning Matters,” which is also the title of his latest book. Since then, I’ve been considering the importance of a high-performance culture and how it applies to today’s world of advertising.  

The keynote was an inspiring wake-up call on why participation alone isn’t enough, and why failure isn’t an option. Wanting to win — and being expected to win — isn’t just a good thing; it’s crucial to tangible success. This splash of cold water made me wonder: have we started to become too nice? Fitzpatrick’s unapologetically hard-edged philosophy was initially jarring but ultimately makes important points.  

One is the balance between work and sacrifice. Leaders can set world-class expectations without losing their humanity. Honest feedback can be an act of respect, not aggression. The balance of non-negotiable performance in all areas of one’s life can help solidify work and create clear lanes for success personally and professionally.    

Winning (and Humanity) Matters   

When it comes to defining work culture, for good reasons we have become focused on mental health and work-life balance. For too many years, we mixed high performance with toxicity. Long nights and  over-sacrificing well-being and time with loved ones were often the measures of being a high performer. We embraced the “first in, last out” mindset — I personally felt I needed to do this early in my career to prove my value at the big agencies.   

But after years of experience and facing the realities of single motherhood while running an independent agency, I’ve realized I don't have to give up myself, or my family, to perform at a high level.   

Ultimately, we’re all here to win. We want to win new business, we want to make the greatest work, we want to drive results for clients. But we must nurture a culture of winning and still be well-rounded humans. Some of the beliefs Fitzpatrick emphasized that can help us do this were inspired by his high school rugby coach.  

First: Everyone is equal. Second: Show up wanting to be here. Third: Be the most successful person you can be. If these three beliefs are consistently held and reinforced, we can improve as people and in our craft.    

Honest Feedback Builds High Performers   

After some years with the All Blacks, Fitzpatrick almost didn’t get rehired by the team’s new coach after they lost the World Cup of 1991–not because they lost, but because he became arrogant and lost the respect of the jersey. His new coach would only let him trial again if he proved he’d changed. Some of the best players on the team were not rehired because the coach was looking for the best people, not the best players.    

The coach’s feedback was direct, and it highlighted something else important — good people make great teams. His honest feedback was engineered to help the team succeed, not hurt their egos. The takeaway: when we give honest feedback, we give someone an opportunity to grow. It’s up to them to choose the opportunity or pass it by. Feedback isn’t punishment, it’s an open door.   

When agency leaders give honest feedback to our teams, we show that we’re invested in their success. If I’m noticing an area for improvement, calling that out sends a message — I want you to be at your best.  Feedback is a form of care and respect.     

We’re Not A Family   

In an era where agencies often describe themselves as “a family,” if we aren’t specific about what family means to us, this thinking can disrupt high performance. Sometimes the idea of “family” can give way to enabling underperformance or ignoring unhealthy behaviors. But family is also about support…even when there are hard truths to face.   

The truth is that an advertising agency isn’t a family. We’re a business, even if we love and respect each other like family. While we embrace and emulate the supportive values of a family, we are expected to deliver consistent success. Underperformance can’t be quietly normalized because when we prioritize winning, we create a workplace where people thrive.   

The work here is to embrace humanity and kindness, while upholding the standards of high performance. One of Fitzpatrick's tactics is to “play where your feet are.” This means focusing on the moment wherever we are. If we’re at work, give the most to work. If we’re at home, turn work off and focus on your home life. As employers, this means we respect the boundaries of work and home life. Give your all when you’re here, but we don’t expect that to continue once you’ve shifted your focus to your personal life.    

Fitzpatrick teaches us that high performance isn't about the "grind"—it’s about the integrity of the "jersey." To truly thrive in the modern agency landscape, we must redefine winning not as an act of personal sacrifice, but as a commitment to collective excellence and individual growth. By replacing the "first in, last out" martyr complex with the discipline of "playing where your feet are," we create a culture where ambitious standards and human well-being coexist. In this model, honest feedback is the highest form of respect, and clear boundaries are the fuel for creative stamina. Ultimately, when we stop pretending we are a family and start acting like a world-class team, we unlock a sustainable way to win—one where we don’t just hit our targets but remain whole enough to enjoy the victory.