Today we were given free passes to the AdNews event Lessons in Leadership.
The event consisted of guest speakers who are leading names within the industry - mostly CEO's. All the speakers were selected at random from the AdNews Power 50 list and Emerging Leaders list to give advice on what to do - and what not to do - to succeed, including the importance of networking and how to manage a team. The event also had recruiters speak on what employers look for in a future employee.
The event was in partnership with MediaCom and supported by both TVSquared and Commtract.
Here are some of the key lessons I learnt from each speaker/board:
1. Janine Garner
- Get curious about peoples behaviour
- 75% of CEOs say that skills of working together are vital
- The future needs us to do better collaboratively and see agencies develop a stronger "we" mindset
- The Power of looking in; we need to stop just looking at the competition and start looking at what makes your business unique and better
- Get curious about things outside your industry; makes for great creative inspiration and thus great creative work
- Your network matters
- To be a leader you have to be clear on who you are, your strengths and weaknesses, and admit when you don't know
2. Three CEOS: Three Paths to Success
(Speakers: Melinda Geertz, CEO, Leo Burnett & Jaimes Leggett, CEO, M&C Saatchi &Willie Pang, CEO, MediaCom)
- All roles in business involve sacrifice, both personal and profession, however you must ensure you are sacrificing with a clear purpose
- Collective leadership is important; understanding and utilising available talent
- Routine is incredibly important
- Must find a happy medium between a democratic and autocratic agency culture
- Leaders are learning how to lead every single day
- Being able to be a good leader of people is an essential skill to being CEO
- Leadership isn't about being an expert on something; it is about overcoming the fear of what is unknown and trusting your team
- Do not mould yourself on past leaders; recognise that change is often a good thing in a leadership role
- Transitioning into a leadership role is harder when trying to move up within a company ad you would need to articulate your vision and demonstrate/provide a prototype of change in order to get your peers to adapt their perception of you as a leader
3. What Headhunters and Recruiters Look for in a Leader
(Speakers: Luke Achterstraat, CEO, Commtract & Patrick Flaherty, Managing Director, Scout & Simon Hadfield, Leadership Consultant, Hourigan International & Courtney Robertson, Talent Acquisition Director, Publicis Communications & Sheryn Small, Lead Consultant, iknowho)
- There is a future-thinking shift if hiring people that will resonate with existing staff and the established workplace culture; looking at who they are as an individual rather than merely on experience
- Push for building a workplace culture where people want to come and contribute; flexible work-life balance, an agile workforce and authenticity
- Diversity of experience
- 80% employers are thinking what you can offer the business in the future rather than in the present
- Staying up-to-date, no longer set job descriptions; roles are adapted around a specific person and their skill set
- Putting yourself out there and developing your personal brand is important
- Emotional intelligence; recognition of who you are
- Honest about your weaknesses; identify areas of self-development
- Company dedication is recognised
- Back your strengths and neutralise your weaknesses
- Relevance of university degrees depend on roles, however demonstration of learning is important
4. What a Future Leader Looks Like
(Speakers: John Dawson, Communications Design Director, Initiative & Olivia Warren, Head of Brand Experience, Initiative & Michael Wretham, Communications Director, Match & Wood)
- The future will see flexible work skills required, technological knowledge, broader teams and locations
- Momentum is important and maintaining a good relationship with your team
- Opportunities to demonstrate potential without having to do long-term lower jobs is something that motivates young advertisers
- Recognising and embracing who people are outside of work leads to better work and stronger creative as businesses celebrate diversity
- No fear of failure
- Taking time to review and reflect in order to grow and learn from experiences
- Our industry is in the biggest state of flux; it needs to address the issue of young talent burn-out by supporting better work-life balance
- Needs to prioritise building links and relationships with universities
- Excited about the changing industry as creatives are no longer tied to the old "rules' and the limit of old ways of Advertising
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