I have a fancy job title.
Head of planning.
To be honest, just typing it makes me feel weird.
I’m not saying that to be humble, I mean it.
Part of that is because I still think I’m 25 … which is pathetic given I’m 41, but I really do … the other part is that all the heads of planning I know are super smart, unbelievably wise and pretty much all educated to within an inch of their life.
That doesn’t mean I think I’m thick and shit … I think I have some skills … however, compared to the people I look up to and learn from, I feel a total fraud.
But here’s the thing, I think that has helped me be a better planner … not because I’ve learnt to fake it, but because it’s made me think of ways to get around it.
1/ I don’t feel an inherent need to ‘have the answer’ to every question. I probably will have a point of view or a starting point for consideration, but I’m very happy to say “I don’t know, I’ll look into it and get back to you”.
2/ I choose to hear other people’s views before I give my own. Not because I am considerate, but because it helps me define my viewpoint before making a decision.
3/ I actively forge closer relationships with clients – and colleagues – because it helps me understand who they are, what they want and how best to work with them and get the best out of them.
4/ I love to learn from people with different backgrounds. Not because I want to try and look clever, but because I know it might help me in the future.
5/ I look for breadth of information – as well as depth – because I never take it for granted a client will accept my/our viewpoint just because we’re their agency planners.
6/ I read as many ad award books as I can. Not so I can say “that’s been done before”, but so I can use references to help express feelings or moods to my creative colleagues.
7/ I like to hire people who are smarter than me – or with experience, will be smarter than me – because they will teach me stuff and keep me fresh. Or at least fresher.
8/ I started a company. Not just because I needed a job [which I did] but because it helped me understand how to better understand the issues and concerns clients go through when making a decision.
9/ I talk very openly about my fucked-up feelings and thoughts because I know I can never truly capture what I want to say in the written word.
10/ I like to collaborate because – to sort-of quote Nigel Bogle – I know I’m not as good as all of us.
I have no idea if any of these tips will be of any use to you, probably because you’re one of the millions of planners – let alone heads of planning – who are miles better than I could ever hope to be, however if you’re one of those people who live in fear that you might be ‘found out’ for not being as good as you think you should be, then may I suggest you embrace your fears and weaknesses because it will do more for your career than pretending you don’t have them.