Show Notes
Karen Blackett is one of the most respected leaders in marketing and media. As the former UK President of WPP and former CEO of GroupM UK, she has led through industry change, crisis and growth at the highest level. In this marketing leadership masterclass, Karen shares the principles that have shaped her career: why great teams need diverse perspectives and healthy tension; why leaders must say what they really think; and how to make better decisions without mistaking consensus for alignment. She reflects on leading GroupM UK through COVID, how she approaches recruitment, and the small meeting habit that helps ensure the most important conversations actually happen. Karen also discusses the evolving client-agency relationship, what the future holds for the creative industry, and the challenge of rebranding Barbados.
Timestamps 00:00 - Start 00:51 - Karen’s new leadership podcast 02:03 - The surprising thing about leadership 05:25 - Why we need to change our view of leadership 05:58 - The standout leaders from Karen’s career 11:20 - Karen’s leadership lessons from running WPP 15:55 - The importance of diverse perspectives 17:34 - The importance of saying what you really think 20:28 - How to approach decision making 22:53 - How to approach recruitment 25:34 - Why you need healthy tension in a team 28:46 - Should we banish the voice note? 30:32 - Karen’s big covid turnaround story 34:57 - Why Karen never does “AOB” at the end of meetings 37:25 - The positive side of COVID for Jon 40:06 - How to foster a strong client agency relationship 44:59 - The future of the creative industry 48:42 - Rebranding Barbados 50:51 - What is the freedom of the city 51:48 - The best advice Karen has ever received
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