Fearless Creative Leadership

"The Courageous Conversationalist".  A 15 minute edited highlight of our full-length conversation.  Pam Kaufman is the President of Viacom Nickelodeon Consumer Products. Her job is to lead worldwide licensing and merchandising for Viacom Media Networks and Paramount Pictures. Pam’s job is to expand the relationships that Viacom and Nickelodeon have with their audiences. And she does that by building personal relationships in every part of her work. She also believes in telling the people that work for her what they need to know to get better - and doing that in real time. From a leadership perspective, that makes her rare. This episode is called, “The Courageous Conversationalist”.

"The Existentialist".  Brian Collins is instantly memorable. He’s a designer by profession, practice and passion. He is an original thinker, and a storyteller. He founded and owns an award winning business. And he’s a man of a thousand voices. You’ll hear what I mean.  He also asks compelling questions. This episode is called “The Existentialist”.

"The Existentialist".  A 15 minute edited highlight of our full-length conversation. Brian Collins is instantly memorable. He’s a designer by profession, practice and passion. He is an original thinker, and a storyteller. He founded and owns an award winning business. And he’s a man of a thousand voices. You’ll hear what I mean.  He also asks compelling questions. This episode is called “The Existentialist”.

"The Successor".  It’s hard to follow a legend. Sometimes because they’re unique. Sometimes because history is written by the winners and they write themselves that way. John Hegarty - Sir John Hegarty - is the former. A true original thinker and the creative head of what - for a number of years - was one of the most creative companies of all time. Following a legend is a challenge. Following a legend who is still a powerful presence in your industry requires a strong sense of self. You also need an understanding of what you can bring to the table. Pelle Sjoenell has both. As the worldwide chief creative officer of Bartle Bogle Hegarty his job is to replace a legend.  Doing that, he has learned, is not about taking credit, but about taking responsibility.

"The Successor".  A 15 minute edited highlight of our full-length conversation. It’s hard to follow a legend. Sometimes because they’re unique. Sometimes because history is written by the winners and they write themselves that way. John Hegarty - Sir John Hegarty - is the former. A true original thinker and the creative head of what - for a number of years - was one of the most creative companies of all time. Following a legend is a challenge. Following a legend who is still a powerful presence in your industry requires a strong sense of self. You also need an understanding of what you can bring to the table. Pelle Sjoenell has both. As the worldwide chief creative officer of Bartle Bogle Hegarty his job is to replace a legend.  Doing that, he has learned, is not about taking credit, but about taking responsibility.

"Owned By No One - Part 1". I’m just back from the Cannes Lions festival of creativity and recorded some podcasts while I was there. This is the first of them. The topic is the idea of Nils Leonard - founder of Uncommon and a guest on "Fearless” a couple of years ago. Creativity requires risk and uncertainty. Two attributes that the business world has developed powerful resistance to. Want to try something new? In a publicly traded company, you’ve got to convince the c-suite, the board, the analysts and the shareholders. That’s a lot of institutional antibodies. What then of the flip side of ownership? When you own the company yourself? Does that more easily produce the conditions in which creativity and innovation can thrive? In this conversation I’m joined in the Vice Penthouse overlooking the Croisette in Cannes by three people who have previously been guests on ˜Fearless’ - Nils Leonard of Uncommon, Alex Goat of Livityand Mohan Ramaswamy of Work & Co. And by Spencer Baim, who is the Chief Brand Officer of  Vice Media.      

"Owned By No One - Part 1". A 15 minute edited highlight of our full-length conversation. Creativity requires risk and uncertainty. Two attributes that the business world has developed powerful resistance to. What then of the flip side of ownership? When you own the company yourself? Does that more easily produce the conditions in which creativity and innovation can thrive? In this conversation I’m joined by Nils Leonard of Uncommon, Alex Goat of Livity and Mohan Ramaswamy of Work and Co. And by Spencer Baim, the Chief Brand Officer of Vice.

"The Legacy Builder."  Josh Wyatt is the CEO of Neuehouse. I’ve been producing this podcast for over two years and have interviewed almost a hundred leaders. In my role as a confidant and advisor to some of the most creative leaders in the world, I’ve gotten to know many more.  This conversation with Josh Wyatt has stayed with me in the days since we recorded it, as much as any of them. Josh wants to make a difference, for his family, his friends, his partners and his talent - his description for the people that work for him. Josh’s desire and determination to make a difference are not unique. The circumstances of his life, the environment that created that desire and determination, are. His is an extraordinary story. Of Leadership. Of legacy. And of life.

"The Legacy Builder".  A 15 minute edited highlight of our full-length conversation. Josh Wyatt is the CEO of Neuehouse. He wants to make a difference, for his family, his friends, his partners and his talent - his description for the people that work for him. Josh’s desire and determination to make a difference are not unique. The circumstances of his life, the environment that created that desire and determination, are. His is an extraordinary story. Of Leadership. Of legacy. And of life.

"The Honest CEO". A 15 minute edited highlight of our full-length conversation. Joanne McKinney is the CEO of Burns Group- an advertising brand consultancy and innovation company. She’s worked on the agency and client side. She’s lived and worked in the US and in Europe. She’s started her own company, been named one of 24 global agency innovators by The Internationalist, and has succeeded at every step of her career. And while doing all that she’s been a wife and a mother to two children. She’s a year into being a CEO. She’s smart, self aware and honest.