Agency Leadership – 10 Lessons from 25 years Experience
Agency leadership in challenging times
Thankfully we appear to have light at the end of the tunnel with regards to controlling the spread of COVID-19 here in the UK. The last 12 months have been a battle for all of us on so many levels. Running any type of business has been a huge challenge. Agencies have struggled, but unlike people in hospitality, at least we’ve been able to trade during the lockdowns (albeit in very challenging circumstances). The impact of Coronavirus has tested our agency leadership abilities to their limits.
Throughout the pandemic I’ve seen so many examples of agency owners stepping up and leading their business through the dark times. Not all have succeeded of course, but I know plenty of agencies that have not only survived but thrived. Regardless of their performance, all agency leaders have my admiration for the way they’ve stepped up.
Sadly, the tough times are not over. As yesterday’s budget illustrated, the post COVID-19 economy will take years to repair. It’s not politicians that will do this of course, it’s business people and their staff that will fuel the recovery. Many skills will be required to make it happen, but leadership will be paramount in getting agencies, and the country as a whole, back on its feet.
Agencies need leading more (not less)
Despite their increasing utilisation of technology, agencies are people businesses. The business model relies on the talent of its staff. The expertise and ability of its people is vital to the success of any agency.
Regardless of how talented they are individually, all successful groups of people need great leadership. Lack of effective leadership is one of the major reasons why agencies fail to achieve their potential.
Some people would have you believe that modern business with its digital technology, flat organisation structures, agile methodologies and the attitudes of the younger workforce, means that leadership is not as important as it once was. I fundamentally disagree. Leadership remains a critical success factor for any organisation. It will be paramount in surviving and thriving commercially in the years to come.
Leadership can be learned
Leadership is not for everyone of course. Many believe leaders are born not made. I certainly think that it helps if you have a natural aptitude and desire for leadership, but leadership skills can be developed over time if the desire and need exists.
Some agency owners find they reach a ceiling when their business grows to a certain level. They started their agency for different reasons than to lead a group of people. Many never aspired to be the leader of an organisation at all. Success has forced them into that position.
Whilst natural talent is important, leadership skills can be learned. Expensive courses are not necessarily required for this to happen either. Experience counts for a lot, but I always think the catalyst for great leadership is self-awareness.
If you understand and appreciate your own strengths and weaknesses you can improve, compensate and utilise other people to support you in leading a business. Developing self-awareness as a leader will strengthen not only your individual performance but your agency performance as well. Self-awareness is a journey that doesn’t have a finish line. It’s an ongoing process of learning and adapting.
Top 10 Agency Leadership Lessons
In my 25 years of working in and leading agencies, I’ve certainly become more self-aware. I’ve also learnt a few things about leadership over the years (mostly from observing other people and their leadership qualities). I’ve taken my leadership lessons from all sorts of sources both inside and outside of agencies. I’ve even looked to people like Sir Alex Ferguson, who, as an ardent Manchester City fan I struggle to like, but can’t help but admire.
I’ve excelled at some aspects of leadership (and struggled with others). In a time when effective leadership is more important than ever, I’ve listed my Top 10 leadership lessons below. They’re in no particular order of importance, but they’re ALL important:
1 – BE CONSISTENT – Agency leaders are bright people who are full of ideas. This can mean they’re often flying around in all different directions. Unfortunately, this can lead to inconsistent working and decision-making. Consistency builds trust and trust in any leader is vital. Develop what I call a leadership rhythm. Weekly and monthly habits where your people can expect to hear, see or interact with you.
2 – REMAIN FOCUSED – Working “on” the business is important, but there’s a fine balance here. Don’t get bogged down in the detail, but don’t expect what you don’t inspect. Make it your business to periodically look under the bonnet of the agency to make sure you like what you see.
3 – RETAIN OWNERSHIP – The people that own the client relationships own the agency. Delegation and empowerment of the team are vital (as are contractual agreements), but don’t remove yourself too far from the client base that you become invisible. You never know when you might need to step back in.
4 – STAY ACCESSIBLE – Don’t distance yourself from your people. Even if you have an effective management team, don’t build barriers between yourself and the people in the agency. “Come to me with solutions not problems” is an overused phrase in my opinion. The day that people stop coming to you with their problems is the day you’re no longer an effective leader.
5 – COMMUNICATE (LIVE) – Always communicate in person whenever you can. Don’t hide behind email, Zoom or Slack. Technology cannot beat getting the agency all together in a room and speaking to them (when that’s possible of course). Do this regularly, even if it’s not in your comfort zone or something you enjoy.
6 – INSPIRE DON’T CLONE – Diversity in all its forms is a wonderful thing. Be clear on what attributes and personalities work best in your agency, but don’t try and recruit everybody in your own image. The values need to be more or less aligned, but not everybody needs to be the same type of personality. You’re amazing, but your way is not the ONLY way. Inspire don’t dictate the agenda.
7 – RESIST COMPLEXITY – Great leaders are great simplifiers. Your team will get frustrated with the added complexity of constant shifts in direction. They’ll thank you for making their lives simpler and easier.
8 – EMBRACE CHANGE – As your agency grows your leadership style must grow with it. Some tried and trusted methods and approaches must remain, but you must adapt. As your agency gets bigger and more complex, you can’t lead it in the same way you did when there was a handful of you sat around a few desks.
9 – EXPECT LONELINESS – The responsibility of leadership is often hard to bear and a lonely occupation. Try and surround yourself with trusted partners or advisors to help share the burden and allow you to discuss your ideas and vent your frustrations in a safe space away from the wider team.
10 – ENJOY YOURSELF – Have fun. Don’t always try and run at breakneck speed or take it too seriously. Don’t always be chasing the next client or looking to the future. Relish what you have and enjoy the people and business you have around you.
What have you learned about agency leadership?
So there you have it, my Top 10 agency leadership lessons. It’s not an exhaustive list and I’m sure I’ll have missed some important factors.
If you can think of any glaring omissions, let me know at gareth.healey@beyond-noise.com. I’d love to hear about them.
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Agency Coaching – making and breaking habits
Running habits...
Through the wonders of modern technology, I’ve been able to deliver my agency coaching throughout the recent lockdowns. In fact I’m pleased to say I’ve been busier than ever.
When I’ve not been on the end of a Zoom call, I’ve tried to do my best to keep up with some form of exercise. My local gym has been closed of course, so this digital agency coach has become something of a runner.
I can’t say I like running. Those that know me well will know that I’m not exactly built for it. I do however, like the buzz and satisfaction you get after a run. I also appreciate the opportunity it gives me to clear my mind and focus on something very simple; just putting one foot in front of the other. I guess I’m not alone in gaining satisfaction from either of these things, but one aspect of my running does appear to be a little unusual. I like to run the same route every time I go out.
My determination to stick to the same routine surprises and infuriates every other runner I know. My wife for one is incredulous that I don’t want more variety in my running repertoire. “I just don’t know how you run the same route day in day out!”, she says. Maybe it’s because I’m a creature of habit? Maybe it’s because I’m too focussed on just getting it over with?
Whatever the reason, I’m guessing you’re asking yourself what this has to do with digital agency coaching and running agencies? Well, read on, I’ll try and pick up the pace a little.
Good habits...
As a digital agency coach, the people I work with people are not only marketing experts, they’re also entrepreneurs. There are many positive qualities of being an entrepreneur, but one thing that can hold them back is an over active mind. Like most business owners, agency founders are often excited and stimulated by new ideas and new thinking. This is drives them to take risks and innovate. It’s crucial to success. But this mindset also comes with drawbacks. I’m often forced to confront my clients with the fact that being a “magpie” and always looking for shiny new things, is not the key to running a successful digital agency.
The key to running a successful agency is not constantly coming up with new things and changing direction. It’s having a plan and executing it consistently. Setting a running route and putting in the miles day after day if you like. Running a set route keeps you on the right path. It keeps you focused and stops you getting distracted. Equally importantly, is putting in the miles day after day. It’s habit forming and brings consistency. It enables you to constantly learn and improve on what you do (and how you do it).
Not everybody welcomes this news, but as James Clear puts it in his excellent book Atomic Habits, “The greatest threat to success is not failure…but boredom”.
Breaking habits...
A key part of my agency coaching then is helping my clients establish clear goals, plan a route and, crucially, help them to stay focused and on track. My task is to help them avoid the stresses and distractions of the day-to-day agency obstacle course and keep them focused on grinding out those daily miles and improving their technique and performance.
Is this the end of the running cliches then? I’m afraid not.
You see my lockdown running experience has taught me something new. Its taught me that developing good habits is important. Its taught me that having a goal and a route to achieve it is vital. But its also taught me that occasionally you need to break things up a little. You have to avoid stagnation.
During my running I’ve noticed that as happy as I am to run the same route day after day, after a period of time, rather than become easier, it starts to get harder. The daily route seems longer. The hills seem a little steeper than usual.
I’m not sure what causes this, but I do know how to stop it. Whenever I start to feel like my running is becoming difficult, I make a change. Even running the same route the opposite way around a couple of times, helps to break the cycle and reinvigorate my tired muscles (and mind). I get even greater results from running a slightly different route and pushing myself a little further or higher.
In short, I’ve learned that a change is as good as a rest. After making a change, when you then get back on the tried and trusted path you feel stronger, both mentally and physically.
Agency Coaching
Unfortunately, its not always possible to spot when you need to make a change. When you’re running for exercise its easy to spot when you’re feeling fatigued. When you’re running an agency, it’s not always as easy to identify when you’re stuck in a rut or have reached a plateau. Sometimes you need some help to spot the symptoms. Sometimes you need some encouragement to make that change. That’s where my agency coaching comes in.
My primary role is still to enable my clients to focus on an objective, develop a strategy and keep them accountable for delivering to a plan. This won’t change, even if it means encouraging and pushing them to do some of the dull and boring stuff exceptionally well week in week out.
My secondary role is to challenge them when the time is right. To not allow fatigue to set in and to help them switch gears now and again.
When people ask me what I do I usually say “agency coaching”. But you could say that I’m in the business of making – and breaking – habits for people that run agencies.
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Interview with Gareth Healey
Robin Williams of Data Hive recently did an interview with Gareth Healey. Here are some of the highlights:
What point in your career led you to do what you do now?
I’ve been involved in agencies for nearly 25 years. For 15 years I was CEO and joint equity partner of my own £12.5M agency. I successfully exited that business in 2017. It was a tough decision as it was a great agency and naturally a big part of my life. I guess the main reason was a desire for change and to experience something different. I thought at one stage I would leave the agency sector for good, but I’ve found my passion for agency life still burns too brightly. I’m now helping other agency owners grow their businesses. The variety of work, people and being able to have a direct impact on my clients all make my current role very fulfilling.
What do you love most about the digital agency industry?
I started my career in below-the-line Sales Promotion agencies (the term has largely disappeared, think Sales Activation or Shopper agencies). Whilst I’ve always acknowledged the importance of brand building, it was the ability to quickly influence sales through marketing that first got me excited. Digital agencies remind me of the earlier part of my career which, despite the absence of technology, was more measurable and focused on ROI than other marketing disciplines.
In your own business development, what’s been the game changer for your success?
In both my agency and consultancy career, I’d say that focus has been my game changer. For a time we had a niche focus in my agency and I would say it was the period when we were most successful. When I started my consultancy I left the target audience undefined. This was a mistake. As soon as I clarified that I wanted to work with agencies, the opportunities opened up. People want to work with you because of your specific experience and expertise.
What technology or product could you not live without for your business?
The short answer is a mobile phone of course. In terms of software and tech, as a former agency owner used to having a 40+ design person studio at my disposal, it took me a while to come to terms with being out on my own. I’ve found Canva a great tool for easily creating simple pieces of design for blogs etc. It also gives me some perspective, as it reminds me of the challenges that some designers and small agencies face from this sort of DIY solution.
With hindsight, is there anything you’d go back and do differently for you own business growth?
Hindsight is a wonderful thing. There’s many things I’d do differently. That said, I have few regrets. If you’re not making mistakes, you’re not trying hard enough. One of the key things I would do more of us networking. I used to hate it but I’ve come to love it and its opened so many doors for me in my new venture.
So far, what’s been a highlight of your career?
The messages of support and gratitude I received when I exited my agency were quite overwhelming. I’m not somebody that likes to make a fuss, so I left the business in quite a low key way, but I’ll remember the kind words I received forever. Very humbling.
So far, what’s been a highlight of your career?
The messages of support and gratitude I received when I exited my agency were quite overwhelming. I’m not somebody that likes to make a fuss, so I left the business in quite a low key way, but I’ll remember the kind words I received forever. Very humbling.
What book are you reading at the moment, and why?
I’m not reading any books at the moment, I’m writing one(!) I love reading and learning from others, but there is an incredible power in writing to clarify and develop your own thoughts and ideas. I learned this from a friend of mine, Daniel Priestley. He’s written 4 books. They’re all brilliant.
In your opinion, what needs to change most in the agency industry?
I think ambition needs to change. The game has changed. Most clients no longer need to engage agencies in the way that they used to. Those that do struggle to navigate their way through the vast options they have. I still see too many agencies thinking they can just take part. They need to have the ambition to be the best. It’s a very competitive sector and you need to have the desire to stand out and deliver for your clients. Winning new business is not good enough, you need to have the mindset that you’re going to create something so special, people will be queuing up to work with you.
Who do you look to in the industry as an example of someone who’s doing things right?
A friend of mine, David Gilroy, runs an agency in Bristol called Contagious. He helps law firms market their businesses. David and his team have great digital marketing expertise, but they also have massive credibility and expertise in the legal sector. A great example of how focus and a niche can give you the competitive edge.
What's the best piece of advice you could offer an agency starting out?
Don’t start an “agency”(!) There are thousands of agencies in the UK. Start a business that has expertise that can solve the problems and grow the business of clients in a defined sector. If you want to call it an agency then fine, but it needs to be a solutions business. Think outputs not inputs.
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