The one thing we know is that Ad Agencies that don’t reinvent themselves won’t survive.  In fact that’s been the industry mantra for several years now.  I read at least two articles a week on this topic covering anything from what services should be offered and how they should be marketed to what we should call ourselves.  But the one thing that I haven’t read yet is any viewpoint on how management should be structured in the new world.  As one of those evolving agencies we have arrived at our own management solution and we find that it fits the entrepreneurial, forward thinking culture that defines who we are right now and helps shape where we plan on going.  What works for us is quite simple – we embrace a flat rather than a hierarchical organization.  We don’t have a President or CEO – we have equal partners.

I know some of you are laughing right now.  How can you possibly get anything done with multiple decision makers?  It is unquestionably challenging – especially on some days.  But our decisions are never knee-jerk – a common affliction of the independent agency ruled by one sovereign (and often highly emotive) leader.  And frankly the hierarchically structured public agencies are no better.

Our structure ensures a multi-dimensional view of any major issue and leads us to solutions that are often inspired and sometimes quite surprising.  We challenge and support each other every step of the way.  We force each other to think in ways we normally wouldn’t.   It gets bloody, but as brilliant as I’m sure I am – my partners constantly blow me away with their impressive thinking

Let’s face it, as a group agencies tend to attract more emotive and expressive souls than many industries.  Yet we need our leaders to make the cool rational decisions that are so critical to our very survival these days.  How’s that gonna work?  You do the math.  The days of the maverick celebrity agency head superstars are over.

But when you take three or four talented and intelligent albeit emotive individuals with some hefty – and equal – skin in the game, an enormous diversity of experience and knowledge and focus them on growing a business that instills pride – what ensues is likely to be inspiring.  It will never be boring.

One Comment