While I hold a different role now, I do remember being a new manager and making every mistake in the book. What I see today is frustrating: most managers I work with are also repeating those same patterns. Over the next few weeks, I'm writing about what actually changes when you move from individual contributor … Continue reading You’re not paid to execute anymore—and that’s terrifying (What new managers get wrong about delegation)
Leadership
What trust really means in leadership
Trust is one of those words leaders use so often that it starts to lose shape. Everyone agrees it matters. Fewer people talk about what it actually looks like in the mechanics of daily work. I see it most clearly in agency life. We present ideas for a living. Every week involves pitches, proposals, and … Continue reading What trust really means in leadership
The anti-hero approach to effective leadership
Why leadership isn’t about being “nice” The other day, I was in a conversation with several business leaders. We were discussing some of the hardest parts of leadership. These don't include strategy or client work. Instead, they are much closer to home: having difficult conversations with the people we manage. Everyone admitted that our natural … Continue reading The anti-hero approach to effective leadership
The future of marketing is growth
B2B marketing roles are changing fast. Growth sits at the centre, and the skills we need are shifting. This is what it means for us as marketers and leaders. When I first started in marketing more than two decades ago, the role was fairly straightforward. Build campaigns, drive attendance at trade shows, manage press releases, … Continue reading The future of marketing is growth
Thought leadership isn’t a title. It’s how you show up.
The other day, something unexpected happened. A colleague introduced me to his team and said, “You should follow Joyce on LinkedIn. She’s a thought leader.” My first reaction? A mix of surprise and disbelief. Am I? Then, a different colleague told me how much they enjoyed reading my posts. My instinct was to brush it … Continue reading Thought leadership isn’t a title. It’s how you show up.
Crisis in real time: What smart brands do differently
In my last piece, I wrote that being overly reliant on a single playbook—whether for crisis or leadership—is a liability. And that we need to be able to let go of how we think things should go, trust our values and be willing to make bold decisions when the moment calls for it. The more … Continue reading Crisis in real time: What smart brands do differently
No script for crisis. No script for leadership.
There’s a curious thing about crisis training. No matter how many headlines we’ve seen—from data breaches to the Coldplay Astronomer scandal—many leaders still respond with: “That won’t happen to us.” And yet, it does. At our latest FINN Futureproof event, we decided to flip the script. Literally. Instead of putting clients in the shoes of … Continue reading No script for crisis. No script for leadership.
“If it can be solved with money, it’s not a problem.”: The leadership reframe that stuck with me
What’s the best piece of leadership advice you’ve ever received? Mine came wrapped in a line that — at first — didn’t sound like good advice at all. “If it can be solved with money, then it’s not a problem at all.” I still remember the moment a former boss said that to me. My … Continue reading “If it can be solved with money, it’s not a problem.”: The leadership reframe that stuck with me
Leadership as stewardship: From ‘Look at me’ to ‘Look after you’
Last week, I attended “Stewardship in Action: Where Innovation Meets Execution,” organised by RICE, A FINN Partners Company and Deloitte. It opened with a simple but powerful provocation from Agung Ongko: “As marketing and communications practitioners, we often call on others to ‘look at me.’ But true leadership is about ‘looking after one another.’” That … Continue reading Leadership as stewardship: From ‘Look at me’ to ‘Look after you’
What marketing leadership really looks like
Having been a marketing leader for over 25 years, successfully managing teams in both large and small outfits, I’ve seen firsthand the often-overlooked responsibilities that define true leadership. Marketing leaders are often celebrated for big campaigns, viral moments, and revenue-driving strategies. But the true impact of marketing leadership isn’t always found in flashy metrics or … Continue reading What marketing leadership really looks like