4 Seconds to Save the World

Mike, I am just about to take up a post as head of the account handling resource in a small integrated agency. Having worked with you, I wondered whether you had advice for what I should be doing in my first month. I want to make a difference quickly.

Oh yes. “New girl” syndrome at a more senior level is a bit more difficult. Remember those more junior halcyon days when nobody expected you to prove yourself in the first week because you were just learning the ropes in the new account manager role. Now you are faced with everybody trying to work out on the first day whether you are any good, what your appointment means for them and whether you are going to fire them or give them that pay rise they have been expecting for the last 6 months.

I remember in my first job that we had a new marketing manager start and at the end of the first day he very gracefully shouted across the small office thanks to people for making his first day so easy. Having gained the attention of the whole office, he then proceeded to exit into the fuse cupboard rather than the main door.

It is an enduring image of minor embarrassment but it has always stayed with me showing me that your first days can be fraught with the tension of such potential traps. So when you arrive at a new agency at a senior level with a certain amount of expectation, you have to be ready to hit the ground running very quickly to secure the confidence of your colleagues and clients.

Here would be my 5 point plan as a rough guide to the terrain:

1. Look at the data
The best source of info which is going to tell you more about the state of play of your team is the income, utilisation and profitability figures. They will, in association with any client account plans and customer satisfaction surveys, give you invaluable pointers on your some of your future priorities. Have you got the right shape of team on the business? Where should you directing your efforts? Are there some major issues around the corner?

2. Talk to the clients
In your first few days you are going to have a lot of staff giving you their opinions about the clients, the work and the agency. I personally would go straight to the clients and get their views as their opinions – albeit just as subjective – are definitely more defining. What do they think of the agency as a business partner? Who do they rate on the team? What do they think of the work, process, agency costs etc? Where are the opportunities, issues etc?

3. Identify the players
No doubt you will be spending some time with the creative director to understand the work? But who else is key? Planning Director? Financial Director? Head of Project Management? And who are the less obvious influential characters – the receptionist, the CEO’s PA, Head of HR, the social secretary?

4. Understand what makes the agency tick
An agency is an organism made up of an internal culture of values, personalities and practices. Get to grips with this quickly. Where does information exchange really go on? Down the pub at Friday lunchtime? In the kitchen? Who are the real opinion formers in your department? Is the culture determined by a few personalities?

5. Set out your stall
Your client services guys may be looking for the leadership you will provide. They may however be very cynical about your role - as the last person who they really liked got fired. They need to know who you are and what you are going to do for them. Meet them individually so you can get up to speed with them and their accounts. But then convene a departmental meeting and in brief terms give them your view and what your plan is going to be. Knowing you, you will get them on your side every easily. So don’t take too long in doing this as the waiting and uncertainty can cause inertia and ructions which can be very counter-productive.