Comments on: 18 ways to build morale at a marketing agency (not)

By: Charlie Seymour Jr

Charlie Seymour Jr — Sat, 25 Dec 2010 12:09:59 +0000

Wow… you hit some good ones.
I had a boss once (the wife of the owner and she felt a bit stifled) who loved to scream at me… loud enough that people throughout the office building could hear her. Friends would come up to me asking if I were OK – heck, I just considered the source, knew that she had no knowledge about the area she was screaming about (marketing), and then left after about a year.
The company finally had to sell out to a larger company to get back the investment the boss put in over the years.
Remembering how she treated me doesn’t put me back there in my mind: it helps to keep me focused on those who work with me so that I keep them #1 and treat them not even how I want to be treated (the Golden Rule) but how THEY want to be treated (the Platinum Rule). Things work MUCH better that way – the way that has all of us working as a team.
Charlie Seymour Jr

By: Josef Katz

Josef Katz — Fri, 24 Dec 2010 12:30:25 +0000

As someone who has worked with your team I agree. You have a great team.
Fwiw -Your agency list is not too far from the truth based on some of my experiences.

By: Brian

Brian — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 10:35:54 +0000

Great post!! I have worked at a couple of agencies and unfortunately this is consistent. Training is a bad word and the desire to stick to old ideas and marketing methods primarily because the leadership is not staying knowledgeable is overwhelming. Every bullet point in your post is spot on!

By: Charlene

Charlene — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 06:57:14 +0000

Ian,
I think you followed me around while I worked at my last ad agency. Only instead of throwing staplers he threw chairs, called me a useless idiot and threatened to hit me in front of my team. I can relate to every single line item and I think I am going to send this on to my former boss. Thanks for the laugh!

By: Sky

Sky — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 00:17:57 +0000

ROTFL! Yea, the advert agency I work in looks exactly like what you’ve described. Every single point. Epic. Looks like shit like that is all over the world.

By: Edwin

Edwin — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 16:57:24 +0000

I laughed my head off reading this. It would be wonderful to work with a nice tight team. A rare beast. And I agree with Elliott, I don’t think these issues are just limited to marketing. I suspect most of them go unchecked throughout childhood and blossom in some people’s thirties.

By: Jarrod

Jarrod — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 09:42:40 +0000

Number 6 is hilarious. From now on, instead of celoxis print outs, Elizabeth should hand out pieces of paper with exclamation points on them.

By: Ian

Ian — Mon, 20 Dec 2010 19:57:07 +0000

@sean I have to give a lot of credit to my COO, Tracy, and my Director of Search, Elizabeth. They’ve taken huge responsibility for team fit and human resources, so I can focus on teaching.
Thanks!

By: Elliot Ross

Elliot Ross — Mon, 20 Dec 2010 17:07:43 +0000

Umm, ‘ Scuse me!!!
Why call this for ‘Agency’s’ ??
Most of the business I have either worked for, or know people who worked for experience this daily.
No matter how we think business life has improved – ha.
Daily occurrence IMHO
Heck, I remember when supervisors were chosen by who won all the fist fights.
Save this fancy-pancy whiny bull and G-D well get back to work.
#pleaseNoteLastLineAJoke

By: Sean Maguire

Sean Maguire — Mon, 20 Dec 2010 16:49:31 +0000

As a business owner, I’ve been fortunate to have been where you stand right now. you look at your team and think – I could not every have possibly built this of my own volition. It is TOO right.
It is at times like this that my belief in God was at it’s all time high.
Congratulations on having a great company and for your team on having a great leader. Best wishes to you in 2011.
Sean