Savage counsel – remaining competitive

Chris Savage tackles your career and agency dilemmas in his weekly Encore advice column.

Hi Chris,

The change in our industry is non stop and it’s hard not to find it overwhelming. Tell me, how can agencies get ahead of the game? Is there a simple formula for staying competitive and relevant?
There is no simple formula – just an unrelenting persistence to embrace change. As Macquarie Telecom CEO David Tudehope told me in answer to my question about the secret of his success: “It’s the ability to adapt and change that underpins success.”

To keep ahead of the game, start by adopting and taking to heart the word Edward De Bono invented and told us about at Cannes in 2010 – EBNE. It means Excellent, But Not Enough. Everything we do has to be viewed as EBNE. We need to aggressively look for improvement, everywhere.