Here at Wonderstuff we’re always striving to find ways to improve our work, our world and our selves.
With that as our aim, on Tuesday (28th January) Team Wonderstuff made the journey down to Leeds for an evening entitled, ‘How To Be A World Class Agency Leader’ and what a night it was.
The event, part of The Drum‘s monthly networking events, was held at the head office of international design consultancy Elmwood, and featured talks from leading performance psychologist Simon Hartley, and Owner and Chairman of Elmwood Jonathon Sands OBE.
Simon kicked off the evening with a talk based around his book ‘How to Shine’. Following years of work with some the world’s leading sports men and women, in 2011 he sat down to identify what sets them apart; what makes them world class. The result of this process was the identification of eight key characteristics common in all world class performers, be they swimmers, chefs, baristas or adventure racers. We won’t give the game away, but in short the eight are;
Passion – A genuine love for their work
Focus – A focus on the present moment, whilst aiming for a distant goal
Simplicity – The breaking down of complex tasks into simple steps
Integrity – An unwavering belief in quality over quantity
Ambition – To push themselves until breaking point just to know where it is
Toughness – An ability to know their values and stick to them regardless
Responsibility – An internal focus when times get tough
Authenticity – To stay true to themselves at all times
It was a fascinating talk that really set-up the evenings main event, a talk from a truly world class creative, Elmwood owner, Jonathon Sands.
Before we dive into the depths of his words, let us explain a little about the studio. To put it briefly, Elmwood back up their claim to be ‘the world’s most effective brand design consultancy’ with many dba Design Effectiveness Awards to their name (including a staggering six in 2013). These aren’t given away cheaply and reward proven effectiveness through design and creativity.
Anyway, back to the talk. Starting from 1982, when he was asked to oversee the management buyout of Elmwood from its parent company, Jonathon talked us through the life and times of Elmwood studio. With a focus on the ‘black or red’ moments, he explained the various chances the business had taken along the way and how they have all (this far at least) paid off. He finished his talk with his vision for the future of Elmwood and how they will go on to prove they are,‘the very best branding agency in the world’.
Needless to say, a truly inspirational evening (and some wicked cakes) that we feel will serve as fuel for months to come.
