Girls Just Want To Have Fun

Diane Brady has written a very interesting BusinessWeek article (March 29 issue) about Ann Fudge. Ann recently became the CEO of Young & Rubicam, after spending a couple of years in retirement journaling, cycling, traveling, serving on boards and spending time with her family. What stood out in the article was this: a lot of grumbling and whining from the folks at Y&R that Ann may not be the right person for the job because she retired. She took a few years off, so she must not be relentless enough to run their company. Brady writes that in our culture "... leaving is a sign of weakness, a sometimes unforgivable lack of ambition." She adds that, "A surprising number doubt -- quietly for now, anyway -- that a woman who openly hugs fellow execs and values her life beyond the workplace can raise Y&R to new creative and financial heights. As one senior executive puts it: 'I just don't know if someone who can spend months on a bicycle has the 24/7 drive we need.'"

It seems many marketers still cling to the mindset that the only way to be a great marketer is to show up every morning at 7am, leave no earlier than 7pm, never take vacation and grind oneself into dust. I'm not sure how that would lead to creativity or good ideas, but what do I know? It seems to me that it takes a very old-school masculine view to think that hugs and time off make someone unable to lead a company.

I think being a decent marketer means being a well-rounded person who takes the time to be out of the office in the world with regular people. I've seen people put the work ethic into overdrive and end up coming up with pretty lackluster ideas because they don't do anything that's not work-related anymore. Creativity comes from being open to a wide range of inputs, not from sitting in an office. Ihankfully more and more men and women are no longer buying into these old, narrow-minded ideas. I just hope the people at Y&R will give Ann a chance.

Tag: marketing

Comments

[Michele Miller]

Huggers Unite! Great post, Katherine - I'm in complete agreement. I, too, hope they give Ann a chance - it's increasingly important to have a genuine "world view," and the values to match. If they give her the chance she deserves, she could very well rock their world.

And as for that bicycle comment made by Mr. Suit - do you know how much stamina you have to have to pedal a bicycle around for a couple of hours, let alone MONTHS??!! :-)

[Wayne Hurlbert]

From the tone of the comments about Ann as CEO, Y & R can certainly use a serious influx of new and creative ideas.

Those outdated concepts, that the nose to the 24/7 grindstone equals results, are simply out of touch with the modern world. Ann brings an entirely new world view to a company that appears to really need one.

Notice how the old line thinkers have already written her off without even seeing what she can do? I sense a bit of unease in the ranks. There sounds like some fear that new ideas might displace some old fashioned complacency.

I look for Ann to be a tremendous CEO. Hugs and all!