Ten Lessons We Learnt In 2020

Business challenges. Family challenges. Personal challenges. 2020 has been a year that has challenged everyone, in a multitude of ways.

With every challenge faced however, there is an opportunity to learn, develop and improve. So what has 2020 taught the Herd?

Here are 10 lessons we’ve learnt over the past twelve months…

1) There are now a lot of extremely bright and talented people out there looking for work. We have been blown away by the CVs we saw for our October recruiting drive. And this talent comes in all shapes and sizes and from all walks of life.

2) This was brilliant… Stay Home > Protect the NHS > Save Lives. It was clear, demanding, motivating and galvanised a nation to action. Hands Face Space was one of the other big successes of period.

3) Businesses that are on the balls of their feet, poised to act… act. Those caught on the back foot, don’t. One large UK-based household brand said to us, after we had suggested a series of ideas in March, ‘Bob, I know you’re right, but we are just not set up to react like this, we would not be able to pull it off.’ Joe Wicks did. Above all, businesses need a streamlined decision-making process and a culture of expecting ideas to enable them to act when situations arise.

4) Know where you get your personal energy from. Be sure to talk to people who boost your energy. “I always come off the call with an extra spring in my step”. Talk to the people who make you feel like this more often in the tough times.

5) Stay connected to your consumers and your clients. Be there for them. Friends are there to help when the chips are down. Agencies need to cut fees and margins when life is tough for everyone. Keep the wheels turning, the grey matter working and the relationships strong. Open doors, don’t batten down hatches.

6) Brands that really care in the good times, know what to do in the tough times. At the peak of Lockdown 1, it was cooler to be helpful than to be cool… and that’s a good thing.

7) Go global. When you are working from home on Zoom, why not talk to clients in Beijing and Brisbane, in addition to those in Basingstoke and Bristol? Take hold of the opportunity.

8) Give more. Be generous with your time, your network, your patience and your ideas. Positivity makes the world go around. Don’t grumble if there’s a knock at your colleagues’ door, or a cat launches into view. Don’t judge, just do better.

9) Ask for help, and be quick to give help when asked.

10) Build back better. Above all else, we must look ahead with more care for our planet and more care for those taking a ride on it, creating less waste and angst. And we can do it. If in doubt, re-read Lesson 1.

The Herd