How the world’s best leaders lead with speed - Sophie Devonshire

Sophie is the CEO of The Marketing Society and the author of Superfast: Lead at Speed, in which she offers insight into energy management, purposeful leadership, and keeping pace with breakneck innovation. She is also a passionate advocate of flex work as the future of effective companies, and regularly speaks about innovative approaches to balance business and family life. Her career began at Procter & Gamble and Coca-Cola Great Britain, Interbrand, and then Leo Burnett Dubai. She went on to become CEO of The Caffeine Partnership, an innovative consultancy helping leaders with purpose and pace. Most recently, in July 2020, Sophie became CEO of The Marketing Society, a global community of progressive senior marketers whose purpose is to empower brave leaders.

What we covered in this episode:

• Why Sophie chose a career in marketing
• The loneliness of the marketing leader
• How the Marketing Society is creating a community
• The importance of celebrating marketing's role in creating change
• What inspired Superfast
• The exhaustion that comes from the speed of information
• How the best leaders manage to set the right pace
• How to write a book and manage the day job
• Which books inspired Sophie the most
• The importance of managing your energy
• The SHED technique to energy management
• Understanding what energises your team
• The times when you shouldn't go fast
• The power of strategic laziness
• How a clear business purpose can drive pace
• How Lucozade Sport created a clear purpose around Made to Move
• How the world's most successful business people make decisions
• Why being too fast and too slow can be dangerous
• Why being closer to your customer makes decision making easier
• The importance of timing
• How Jon failed to kill the QR code
• Sophie's guide to whether the Metaverse will become a success or not
• Why it's what you do with good luck of bad luck that really matters
• What's next for the Marketing Society