Fearless Creative Leadership

Edited highlights of our full conversation. How does your leadership make people feel? Ajaz Ahmed is the Founder and CEO of AKQA. They describe themselves as an ideas and innovation company. AKQA employs 6,500 people around the world and receives about 80,000 job applications a year. The most creative and innovative companies in the world thrive when they build environments that their people trust and cultures that absorb new blood of every type, willingly and happily. Developing a truly diverse talent base has been the focus of a great many failed attempts by a great many companies. This is true even of companies otherwise acclaimed as the best of the best. For the amount of time, energy and talent devoted to the effort, diversity and inclusion is still too often a well-intentioned initiative rather than a lived reality. Ajaz’s definition is the first time that I’ve heard a description that made me understand what a truly inclusive company culture would feel like. And I think that matters. Leadership has always been measured by results - usually, the kind you can see on a spreadsheet. That will always be the case. Economics matter. And in the short term, you can move the economic needle of your business through sheer force of leadership will. Which is why we tend to judge our own leadership impact by analyzing what we can get people to do. But, for any company dependent on creativity and innovation for its success, sustained economic performance is the result of how people feel. This is a frightening idea to contemplate, I think. ‘How do I make you feel?’ is perhaps the most vulnerable of human enquiries. But it’s the one that moves the needle, both on your impact as a leader and as a soul on the planet. A win-win.

Do your weaknesses shape you or stop you? James Townsend is the Global CEO of Stagwell Brand X Performance Network and the Global CEO at Assembly. We recorded this conversation in the lobby of the Majestic Hotel during the Cannes Lions Festival. In a week known for its energy, James’s own energy stands out. So does his self awareness. The art of leadership is becoming more nuanced every day. There is no one-size-fits-all approach any more. What is true for one person is anathema to another. Knowing yourself, your strengths and your weaknesses, has never been more critical to your success and to your happiness. But it is also the issue that creates the biggest challenge for leaders today. Some leaders are terrified of their weaknesses and do everything they can to protect themselves from them. They focus on smaller vulnerabilities as a way to convince themselves that they’re self aware, while shoving the real issues into the darkest corners. Others create long lists of perceived weaknesses and much shorter lists of their strengths. Man or woman, they feel like imposters and the lists they create convince them that they are. It is rare, I find, for someone to have the kind of clarity about themselves that James describes. Most of the time, it takes working with a coach or a confidant for people to see themselves accurately and compassionately. Then they gain access to their full capacity for unleashing the potential of others. A client with rare talent once said to me, “I’m scared I might be wrong.” “You’re going to be wrong,” I replied. “But you’re going to be wrong much less often than anyone else.”

Edited highlights of our full conversation. Do your weaknesses shape you or stop you? James Townsend is the Global CEO of Stagwell Brand X Performance Network and the Global CEO at Assembly. We recorded this conversation in the lobby of the Majestic Hotel during the Cannes Lions Festival. In a week known for its energy, James’s own energy stands out. So does his self awareness. The art of leadership is becoming more nuanced every day. There is no one-size-fits-all approach any more. What is true for one person is anathema to another. Knowing yourself, your strengths and your weaknesses, has never been more critical to your success and to your happiness. But it is also the issue that creates the biggest challenge for leaders today. Some leaders are terrified of their weaknesses and do everything they can to protect themselves from them. They focus on smaller vulnerabilities as a way to convince themselves that they’re self aware, while shoving the real issues into the darkest corners. Others create long lists of perceived weaknesses and much shorter lists of their strengths. Man or woman, they feel like imposters and the lists they create convince them that they are. It is rare, I find, for someone to have the kind of clarity about themselves that James describes. Most of the time, it takes working with a coach or a confidant for people to see themselves accurately and compassionately. Then they gain access to their full capacity for unleashing the potential of others. A client with rare talent once said to me, “I’m scared I might be wrong.” “You’re going to be wrong,” I replied. “But you’re going to be wrong much less often than anyone else.”

Edited highlights of our full conversation. Do your weaknesses shape you or stop you? James Townsend is the Global CEO of Stagwell Brand X Performance Network and the Global CEO at Assembly. We recorded this conversation in the lobby of the Majestic Hotel during the Cannes Lions Festival. In a week known for its energy, James’s own energy stands out. So does his self awareness. The art of leadership is becoming more nuanced every day. There is no one-size-fits-all approach any more. What is true for one person is anathema to another. Knowing yourself, your strengths and your weaknesses, has never been more critical to your success and to your happiness. But it is also the issue that creates the biggest challenge for leaders today. Some leaders are terrified of their weaknesses and do everything they can to protect themselves from them. They focus on smaller vulnerabilities as a way to convince themselves that they’re self aware, while shoving the real issues into the darkest corners. Others create long lists of perceived weaknesses and much shorter lists of their strengths. Man or woman, they feel like imposters and the lists they create convince them that they are. It is rare, I find, for someone to have the kind of clarity about themselves that James describes. Most of the time, it takes working with a coach or a confidant for people to see themselves accurately and compassionately. Then they gain access to their full capacity for unleashing the potential of others. A client with rare talent once said to me, “I’m scared I might be wrong.” “You’re going to be wrong,” I replied. “But you’re going to be wrong much less often than anyone else.”

What do you need to know and when do you need to know it? Sir Martin Sorrell first appeared on the show in 2019, and in that conversation, I was struck by his pride in building companies that provide the livelihoods for hundreds of thousands of people. Sir Martin is a polarizing figure. But he is, of course, much more human than his public persona has shown over the years. He is, also, I find, increasingly self-reflective. What do you need to know and when do you need to know it? Those questions sit at the heart of modern leadership. Knowledge is indeed power. Demand too much knowledge too soon, and you can restrict the curiosity and the exploration on which creativity and innovation depend. Ask too few questions and wait too long, and you can expose the business to unsustainable and perhaps even catastrophic risk. The best leaders, I find, have thought through the questions, ‘What do I need to know and when do I need to know it?’ and they put in place a clear set of expectations and practices that create clarity and consistency for the people around them. Sir Martin, famously, held very tight reins on his companies. Tighter than many liked. And perhaps his companies could have achieved even more if he had held those reins a little more loosely. But he has built companies that are undeniably creative and undeniably successful. Creativity requires room to breathe. But it does not require, nor does it expect, chaos in order to thrive. It needs simply a consistent set of conditions. If you are clear and consistent about how you create those conditions, your ability to unlock the potential of others goes up exponentially.

Edited highlights of our full conversation. What do you need to know and when do you need to know it? Sir Martin Sorrell first appeared on the show in 2019, and in that conversation, I was struck by his pride in building companies that provide the livelihoods for hundreds of thousands of people. Sir Martin is a polarizing figure. But he is, of course, much more human than his public persona has shown over the years. He is, also, I find, increasingly self-reflective. What do you need to know and when do you need to know it? Those questions sit at the heart of modern leadership. Knowledge is indeed power. Demand too much knowledge too soon, and you can restrict the curiosity and the exploration on which creativity and innovation depend. Ask too few questions and wait too long, and you can expose the business to unsustainable and perhaps even catastrophic risk. The best leaders, I find, have thought through the questions, ‘What do I need to know and when do I need to know it?’ and they put in place a clear set of expectations and practices that create clarity and consistency for the people around them. Sir Martin, famously, held very tight reins on his companies. Tighter than many liked. And perhaps his companies could have achieved even more if he had held those reins a little more loosely. But he has built companies that are undeniably creative and undeniably successful. Creativity requires room to breathe. But it does not require, nor does it expect, chaos in order to thrive. It needs simply a consistent set of conditions. If you are clear and consistent about how you create those conditions, your ability to unlock the potential of others goes up exponentially.

Edited highlights of our full conversation. What do you need to know and when do you need to know it? Sir Martin Sorrell first appeared on the show in 2019, and in that conversation, I was struck by his pride in building companies that provide the livelihoods for hundreds of thousands of people. Sir Martin is a polarizing figure. But he is, of course, much more human than his public persona has shown over the years. He is, also, I find, increasingly self-reflective. What do you need to know and when do you need to know it? Those questions sit at the heart of modern leadership. Knowledge is indeed power. Demand too much knowledge too soon, and you can restrict the curiosity and the exploration on which creativity and innovation depend. Ask too few questions and wait too long, and you can expose the business to unsustainable and perhaps even catastrophic risk. The best leaders, I find, have thought through the questions, ‘What do I need to know and when do I need to know it?’ and they put in place a clear set of expectations and practices that create clarity and consistency for the people around them. Sir Martin, famously, held very tight reins on his companies. Tighter than many liked. And perhaps his companies could have achieved even more if he had held those reins a little more loosely. But he has built companies that are undeniably creative and undeniably successful. Creativity requires room to breathe. But it does not require, nor does it expect, chaos in order to thrive. It needs simply a consistent set of conditions. If you are clear and consistent about how you create those conditions, your ability to unlock the potential of others goes up exponentially.

If you died today, what would you regret? Jon Cook is the Global Chief Executive Officer of VML, the world's largest advertising agency. Jon died last October. As you’ll hear, the fact he is still here to have this conversation required a set of circumstances so improbable that they would have strained the credibility of your favorite episodic drama. But the fact he is still here, gives him, and those that meet him, a living and breathing teacher of what will really matter to us, when we reach our end. As we age, our priorities and the emphasis of our life changes. We define success in more personal, more human ways. And yet, when we become leaders we are judged - and we judge ourselves - against metrics that have limited shelf lives. That will not change any time soon. If you do not deliver economic performance in a for-profit business, you will not be a leader for long. But, and this is a big but, ask yourself now, what would you would regret if today was your last day on the planet? And then live a life that makes room for the behaviors that would change that answer. Life and leadership are about choices. Don’t wait until you’re dead to make better ones.

Edited highlights of our full conversation. If you died today, what would you regret? Jon Cook is the Global Chief Executive Officer of VML, the world's largest advertising agency. Jon died last October. As you’ll hear, the fact he is still here to have this conversation required a set of circumstances so improbable that they would have strained the credibility of your favorite episodic drama. But the fact he is still here, gives him, and those that meet him, a living and breathing teacher of what will really matter to us, when we reach our end. As we age, our priorities and the emphasis of our life changes. We define success in more personal, more human ways. And yet, when we become leaders we are judged - and we judge ourselves - against metrics that have limited shelf lives. That will not change any time soon. If you do not deliver economic performance in a for-profit business, you will not be a leader for long. But, and this is a big but, ask yourself now, what would you would regret if today was your last day on the planet? And then live a life that makes room for the behaviors that would change that answer. Life and leadership are about choices. Don’t wait until you’re dead to make better ones.

Edited highlights of our full conversation. If you died today, what would you regret? Jon Cook is the Global Chief Executive Officer of VML, the world's largest advertising agency. Jon died last October. As you’ll hear, the fact he is still here to have this conversation required a set of circumstances so improbable that they would have strained the credibility of your favorite episodic drama. But the fact he is still here, gives him, and those that meet him, a living and breathing teacher of what will really matter to us, when we reach our end. As we age, our priorities and the emphasis of our life changes. We define success in more personal, more human ways. And yet, when we become leaders we are judged - and we judge ourselves - against metrics that have limited shelf lives. That will not change any time soon. If you do not deliver economic performance in a for-profit business, you will not be a leader for long. But, and this is a big but, ask yourself now, what would you would regret if today was your last day on the planet? And then live a life that makes room for the behaviors that would change that answer. Life and leadership are about choices. Don’t wait until you’re dead to make better ones.