Ep 163: Nancy Reyes & Chris Beresford-Hill - In 15

Edited highlights of our full conversation.

Nancy Reyes is the CEO of TBWA\Chiat\Day New York and Chris Beresford-Hill is the agency’s Chief Creative Officer.

None us succeed alone. And the bigger the ambition, the more we need other people to reach it. The age of the iconic, solo, white male leader are almost behind us. Not a moment too soon.

Welcome to the age of leadership partnership. And if you think what came before was challenging, well, as the song goes, you ain’t seen nothing yet.

As humans, we want so badly to belong, that we’re attracted - almost compulsively - by the idea of partnership. It is a light calling us home. Or to the flame.

There are many, many kinds of partnerships. Strategic. Impulsive. Circumstantial. Convenient. And those that are deeply, deeply personal.

Successful and satisfying partnerships are rare. So rare, that when we find them we should take some time to understand why they work.

As you will hear, their relationship embodies two of the most critical elements of any successful and sustainable partnership.

First, you’ve got to like each other. Because you’re going to spend a lot of time having difficult conversations and making hard decisions.

And second, once the decision is made - whether you agreed or not - you’ve got to develop the ability to support each other.

Love and the ability to disagree well.

Sometimes it’s just that simple.

And that complicated.

How well does your partnership work?