2016 Resolutions with a Twist: Joseph George

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Joseph George, Regional President, South & Southeast Asia, Group CEO India, MullenLowe Lintas Group gives us 18 resolutions for 2016 but with a twist. From ‘Getting in shape’ translating to cutting down on overstaffing at agencies to ‘Knowing your worth’ being getting over awkwardness and asking clients for money; unlike customary resolutions these unique 2-in-1 resolutions work for agency folks as effectively ‘at home and at work’.

  1. Get in shape: The tantalizing myth of “dad bods” aside, flab is not fab. Cut it. Every agency is 25% over staffed. At least.
  2. Stop procrastinating: You snooze, you lose. “Speed kills”, is true only while driving.
  3. Stop being your biggest fan: However much in love you are with your type, hire different, not your clone.
  4. Know your worth: Get over your awkwardness to ask clients for more money. Even your clients are beginning to wonder by now.
  5. Be more polite: It is easy, it is rewarding. Try it. It runs the risk however, of becoming a habit.
  6. Do good: Working on your client’s CSR initiatives, nor making a moving 4 minute film on a brand you manage will absolve you and your agency from having to make your own contribution.
  7. Sleep better: My undisputed No:1 indicator of success and happiness. Let go, be the bigger person, applaud colleagues and competition – they are all soothing and therapeutic.
  8. Find yourself someone: More than one if need be. Collaborate. We are bang in the middle of a shared world economy.
  9. Face your fears: With delusional egos in agencies, this can be tough. But if there was any time for agencies to be doing this, it is now.
  10. Respect your wins: Give yourself credit – not all success is fluke! So, learn from successes as much as you learn from failures.
  11. Style up: Agency folks have just let themselves go on this. And psssst…. style is not the enemy of casual. Not in any book.
  12. Watch less TV: Your consumers have begun to. Yes, the nation wants to know, but they are today seeking it from everywhere!
  13. Family first: Besides worrying about your client’s fame and his resume, care for your own colleagues’ too. C’mon you can do it.
  14. Learn something new: Interesting people just make for better colleagues, supervisors, subordinates and client partners. Do them and yourself a favour.
  15. Organize your life: Use your IT folks beyond requesting for devices and toners for your printers.
  16. Travel more: The frogs in the well did not get any wiser nor got kissed.
  17. Move on: Don’t stalk, envy or voodoo doll your ex agency or your ex client. They have moved on. May I suggest, you do too. Now.
  18. Un-philistine: Being interested in, and knowing art, music and culture is an agency job requirement. Not an interesting quirk.