How to identify the best in account handler talent…

There’s a great article in this week’s BrandWeek Top of Mind column about the fundamental requirement that agencies field strong talent. This has the feeling of a no-brainer perhaps, but the authors argue there are far too few of the top “15 percenters” as they call them who really “get it.” And getting it can best be described as possessing that uncanny ability to bring creativity to the table combined with an equal helping of business sense that helps meld innovation with bottom line savvy outcomes. The article goes on to suggest ways to observe and identify the gifted brains.

What we don’t want…

Given that talent is the primary product we provide, we seek to avoid fielding a team of so-called “Marketing Valets” — managers who are preoccupied strictly with monitoring the flow of information and material to and from client. These individuals may be more focused on process than the relentless pursuit of big ideas or the real merits of any business outcome. Not that precision and meeting deadlines is unimportant. But the value we add cannot end there. No surprise: it truly requires a unique mélange of talent, creativity and expertise to be successful helping clients grow their business. It is always our intent to add measurable value to the thinking that helps drive successful brands, not just execute tactics.

What we have…

Here is some characteristics we look for – and we keep these top-of-mind in our own recruiting and staff development programs: Strong account people are sponges. They soak up everything occurring around them because they are constantly on the lookout for events and movements of any kind that help supply insight on their client’s categories.

They have a driving need to know more. They will routinely ask clients questions from every angle about their business challenges and opportunities. To this end the remarkable talents in the agency world exude a palpable energy and passion that reveals itself in the knowledge they possess of their client’s business. Ask them anything, anything at all, about the brand, consumer, category and competition – you’ll get a point of view without a lot of verbal detours and ahems.

We think this falls out of an innate, instinctive and insatiable curiosity. Top talent are “non-linear” learners who keep on feeding their heads by consuming the literary work of thought leaders and innovators in our industry, reading trade media, spending time at the store to observe shelf sets, knowing the competitors vulnerabilities, studying the consumer’s lifestyle interests. The career world they live in is by definition an avocation, not just a paycheck.

Makes us happy we have such a solid bunch of “15 percenters” throughout our organization. They are problem solvers. And that would be beautiful.