Building an Emotionally Intelligent Agency Brand

By Janet Northen, Partner, EVP Agency Communications, McKinney

It wasn’t until 1995 that I discovered the wellspring of gifts I have to offer the world. Before that, I told myself early and often that I was not very smart—stupid, even. My school days, from prep to college, left me feeling more like academic wallpaper. But, thanks to science journalist Daniel Goleman, I realized I possessed EQ—emotional intelligence. And I finally uncovered the truth behind that heinous compliment most dreaded by PR pros: “You are so good with people.”

Empathy and a passion to help people feel connected and loved is essential to who I am. Once I realized this, everything started making sense: My school days, my loves lost (and won) and my friends made regardless of their rank, gender, color or sexual preference. And my career as a professional dedicated to the growth and management of the brand reputations of my agencies.

Is that a stretch? I don’t think so. Those of us charged with building awareness of our agencies—our work, our leadership and our culture—know EQ is the most important arrow in our quiver. The four components of emotional intelligence guide my work, my home and my play, and they are how I nurture and grow brands under my wing.

Self-Awareness

Self-awareness is about being present to your most authentic self. An agency brand is a living, breathing thing, and those responsible for its growth and reputation must reflect regularly about who they are and what they value. Would you actually take a stand for what you say you stand for? And how do you communicate that with your most important publics—clients, employees, prospective clients, the industry at large and the press?

Would your CEO step away from his or her partnership with the Children’s Defense Fund when a new client known for “family values”—your biggest yet —asks for the relationship to end? That’s exactly the situation Pat Fallon faced in the 1990s. He told them to put the account somewhere the sun didn’t shine, and told me to kill the release. So, I did. That move was 100-percent totally and authentically Fallon. He used to say, “We’re not for everybody.” Yep, not even close. But we knew who we were. That brand pillar would help define client relationships, recruitment and every way we communicated our brand.

Self-Management

Self-management is the ability to use awareness of your emotions to stay flexible and direct your behavior positively. Written more simply, this means managing your emotional reactions to situations and people.

Jeff King, CEO of Barkley, told a story of the unthinkable: His agency losing their biggest client, Sonic, after a 17-year relationship. For many agencies, this would have meant moving into spin mode—thinking of how many ways to say “no comment” or “a realignment of resources.” But a very self-aware King and his leadership team stayed focused on a clearly outlined strategy they had developed five years earlier. They knew the day would come when they would lose the business; they just weren’t going to wait around for it. Instead of reacting with fear and anxiety, they enacted a plan to deleverage their biggest account and invest in a new business structure.

They shared early on—with the press, their employees and their clients—what they believed: That an event you think is the worst thing that could happen to you turns out to be the best thing. “At the time we had Sonic, we were strategically sick because we were so highly leveraged,” King told the Kansas City Business Journal. “Today, we are fiscally and strategically sound. And we sleep a lot better at night.” By being self-aware and brilliantly self-managed, Barkley protected their brand’s reputation. And growth? The agency grew back the business it lost, and more, in less than three years.

Social Awareness

Social Awareness is actively picking up on emotions in other people to better understand what is going on with them. For your brand to benefit, that means committing to listening and not talking.

How many of us think that agency communications are getting publicity for your brand? That media relations are a strategy? Just pitch, pitch, pitch and push, push, push whatever you think your news is to the media (who don’t have the time, the interest or the resources to cover what we think is so bloody important). When was the last time we actually sat down, one-on-one, with a member of the press and asked what they are interested in? What keeps them up at night? Active listening with reporters means that when you do have something to share, it’s grounded in what makes it unlike any other story or idea on their plate. It answers why they would care enough to share it with their readers. The best stories I’ve ever scored have come when I’ve invited a journalist to peek under the hood. I didn’t pitch them; I asked them to come along for the ride.

Relationship Management

Relationship management is the gold standard of EQ, and it’s how we all thrive—in business, at home and at everything! In a recent story, Chuck Porter told Adweek that all agencies are alike and that it all comes down to the work. Now, I agree that the work is always our North Star. But I also know that there are a lot of great agencies doing great work out there. However, if clients don’t feel connected to their agency team or believe that their agency truly, madly, deeply understands their business, then it’s a vendor relationship and nothing more.

That’s true of all of your agency’s publics. Take a good look at who is in charge of your agency’s brand reputation, and ask these questions:

• Is your brand shepherd a good storyteller? Can and do they tell your agency’s story with passion and love? Are they a bold believer? The best agencies have a pro who lives and breathes your brand. Who makes people fall in love with you and your work again and again.

• Is your brand shepherd brave? This job can be the toughest at the agency, because it’s telling your CEO he made a mess of the interview, or she went off the record when she shouldn’t, or his joke was inappropriate or the email was ill timed. It’s reminding a reporter that while I really love having dinner with her, I work for my agency and not her publication. And that some things just can’t be shared. Relationship management is not about being one of the cool kids at Cannes, it’s about managing interactions successfully and handling conflict.

• Is your brand shepherd empowered with the right amount of resources to grow and maintain the brand? Is there budget against in-person meetings with press? Is there money to invest in meaningful content on your social platforms so they grow and flourish and do a smart job of sharing who you are and what you care about?

• Is your brand shepherd someone you enjoy having dinner with? And if not, why do you think a reporter, a client or an industry influencer would want to if you don’t? Does your brand shepherd report to your CEO, so the media knows there is no one between you and getting the story? No, your brand shepherd does not report to the president of the agency, the chief creative officer or the head of new business, but to the CEO. Repeat after me. All access. 24/7. Your brand deserves just that.

If you are practicing EQ, keep it up. Your IQ isn’t going anywhere. But your EQ knows nothing but potential.

If you’re curious about how EQ can help grow and protect your agency’s brand, do some more exploring. You may not find yourself on the Ad Age A-List or on a yacht at Cannes, but remember, those are some other agency’s dream. EQ will help you create your very own definition of success.