Destiny Man – My Business Journey
From a young age, I have always been creative – from drawing and cartooning, to writing and drama – I loved anything where I could express myself creatively. Towards the end of my school years, I had a teacher who suggested I consider advertising as a career. It married my drive to create with my desire to be part of the hum of an exciting, ever-evolving business. I was hooked.
After school, I completed a diploma in Graphic Design and Art Direction at AAA. While studying, I played cricket and rugby every moment I could. I managed to make the WP Under 21 rugby team, and later played semi-professionally in France.
My cricket and rugby careers taught me more about management and leadership than any studies, courses or seminars could ever hope to. I captained teams for most of my life and always relished the challenge. Dynamics within team environments are so fluid and adrenaline-charged, with each person relying on their teammates to succeed. Sport taught me the importance of culture, trust, accountability, teamwork and passion. Winning teams are brimming with all five ingredients and I believe this translates identically into business.
I also learned the importance of understanding how different personalities react in certain situations, and how each character requires appropriately different feedback. Some people need a stick and others a carrot, but most require a unique combination of the two. To complicate matters further, some are allergic to both…so you have to find something else!
After graduating from AAA, I headed to the UK for a stint and did the usual squatting and working for scraps that was a rite of passage for many young South Africans, doing everything from bar-tendering to nightclub bouncing.
Upon returning to South Africa, I was appointed at Berry Bush, which later became BBDO Cape Town – part of the global advertising network. Over the next 13 years I worked my way through the ranks, progressing from Art Director to Creative Director, and eventually promoted to Head of Retail Advertising.
I fell in love with the pace, intensity, volume, rigor and honesty in retail advertising. My position had evolved from a primarily creative role to a more strategic one, and I enjoyed the new challenges that I was faced with on a daily basis.
After spending over a decade at BBDO, I took leap of faith and decided to go on my own. I realised that there weren’t many agencies that shared my beliefs in how I thought agencies were getting it wrong, nor did I believe many agencies – if any – truly embraced retail advertising as I did…with appropriate respect, care and attention. Retail work is challenging, relentless and honest – there’s nowhere to hide.
I started my agency in 2008 with my mentor Lewin de Villiers and our first pitch resulted in us winning the Checkers account. The rest, as they say, is history
Over the past eight years, I have seen my agency grow from two people to over 270 full-time employees, with a client portfolio that includes Shoprite/Checkers (our largest piece of business), Ackermans, Distell, Spur Group, Cape Union Mart and many others.
Leading a team this size is not easy. It’s impossible to always be able to give the support, input or encouragement required, as you cannot be everywhere all at once.
I have come to realise that this is less important than uniting a team around a shared vision or purpose. Simon Sinek says, “Great leaders truly care about those they are privileged to lead and understand that the true cost of the leadership privilege comes at the expense of self-interest”. This is something that resonates, as it serves as a reminder that personal evolution towards true leadership involves not only hard work and accountability, but more importantly, self-sacrifice.
Lessons in Leadership
Most people are a combination of the High Performer, Solid Worker and in some instances, the Problem Child. An employee could be a High Performer at one task, and a Problem Child in another. Diagnosing the employee’s performance according to the specific task or function will help ascertain the style of leadership applied in that instance.
The High Performer
Highly capable, driven and efficient, they generally don’t like being micromanaged. They usually figure out their own way, learning from mistakes as they go – but be ready to step in with support when they need you as they can often have personal blind spots resulting from overconfidence.
The Solid Worker
Capable and competent, they can generally be relied upon to get the job done, but sometimes require some motivation. Stand back when they’re engaged in a task they do well at, but remain close enough to offer support, guidance and advice as soon as it’s required. Encourage them to solve problems on their own; instead of providing solutions when presented with a problem, challenge them to think of a solution. They will inevitably gain confidence and satisfaction in working it out themselves.
The Problem Child
Although they may be talented, this individual sometimes has a negative attitude or produces inconsistent or poor quality work. It’s important to try understand why they behave or work in that way. Have they got a mental block because they aren’t confident? Are they preoccupied with problems at home? Whatever it may be, it’s important to communicate your expectations kindly yet firmly, while offering ongoing encouragement and guidance. If you do not see an improvement over a certain period of time, they need to be aware of the consequences – but with the right leadership and mentorship the Problem Child often turns into a High Performer in time.
