Underestimating clients
How the “Us vs.Them” stigma is muffling creativity, and creating strained relationships.
If — like me — you have ever worked at an agency, you have most likely also heard statements along the line of “He/she is a project manager at a telco. What does he/she know about creativity?” or “Leave it to the client to ruin a great concept” or maybe even “Clients. Can’t live with them. Period.”
While it is tempting to mock the clients, or harness frustrations when they challenge the concept or solution, it is also a tremendously toxic practice, and we all need to make an effort to steer clear of it.
So how do we do this?
Walk a mile in their shoes
If it were up to me, every young buck starting out at an agency, should be placed in a mandatory internship on the client side. Having to juggle budgets, battle middle management (or even worse be middle management), meet arbitrary KPIs from overseas headquarters and other super fun aspects of life on the client side. I have been there a couple of times. I have left as soon as possible every single time. But I have learned from it. And I do believe it serves me well, when facing clients and listening to their feedback and challenges.
Invite them in
On more than one occasion, I have been part of communities of interest, all with the purpose of heightening the level of creativity and the solutions in the business. Every time, I have been puzzled and amazed that no one thought to actually invite clients. As if they couldn’t possibly pitch in with anything constructive.
Agencies need to face the fact that clients are growing smarter and more creative by the minute. And that there is tons to learn by inviting them in. Let them take part in the creative process. Let them take part in discussions of where the industry is going. And let them talk to each other and share knowledge and challenges. Transparency is key here.
Educate the juniors
But most of all, make sure not to pass on latent frustrations and the mocking jargon to junior employees.
My kid just started school, and one of the most valuable messages from his teacher was that his view of the educational system that he is part of for the next ten to fifteen years is primarily established at home. If we talk respectfully about his school and his teachers, he is likely to approach them with the same respect. Now, I don’t mean to compare junior employees to school children, but I do believe that you can draw an important parallel here. If all you ever hear is your CD, PM or CEO bad mouthing clients, you grow up in the business thinking that that is how things are supposed to be. And it doesn’t have to be that way.
So should we always all just get along?
No! By no means. This is not a question of not arguing. One of the most important roles on the agency side is to push back, challenge and try to move the boundaries. But we need to figure out how to do it without establishing an unhealthy “Us vs. Them” discourse.
There are probably tons of other ways to go about it, but the common denominator here is mutual respect and an understanding that most people are really just trying to do their very best. Agree?
