“ABC. Always Be Closing.” – Blake, Glengarry Glen Ross (1992)
The quote’s iconic. The delivery? Unhinged. Alec Baldwin storms into that sales office like a caffeinated thunderstorm and roasts a room full of real estate agents for eight uninterrupted minutes.
It’s become a corporate mantra. A meme. A badge of hustle.
But here’s the thing:
Most people yelling “Always Be Closing” aren’t closing anything.
They’re just performing.
The Glengarry Problem
Baldwin’s Blake isn’t a leader. He’s a hired gun with a Rolex. Yet somehow, this got mistaken for motivation.
Let’s clear it up:
- Intimidation isn’t inspiration
- Shouting numbers isn’t setting direction
- Berating people isn’t building trust
Still, beneath the venom, there’s a signal.
What It Could Mean in Agile
Strip out the toxic sales energy, and “Always Be Closing” starts to sound… Agile.
- Always be delivering value
- Always be completing work
- Always be making decisions
In Scrum terms:
- Every sprint ends with something Done
- Every user story closes a loop
- Every iteration moves us somewhere real
Closing isn’t about deals. It’s about direction.
Not spinning. Not circling.
Progress. On purpose.
If That’s Too Sleazy, Try A.B.L.E.
If “Always Be Closing” makes you itch, remix it:
- Always
- Building
- Learning
- Evolving
That’s the game.
We close feedback loops, not leads.
We drive change, not leased Ferraris.
We don’t sell steak knives. We build better systems.
Let’s Land This
The quote stuck around for a reason: forward motion matters.
So sure, quote Blake. Just don’t throw coffee at your team.
Instead, ask:
What’s one thing we’re actually closing today?
A story? A decision? A habit?
Close it. Ship it. Move on.
And then grab your coffee.
You earned it.