Here's mine from the 209 pearls of wisdom of Saatchi & Saatchi: 1. Nothing is impossible. 4. Remember good manners. Treat everyone with respect. 5. Think Big - big ideas lead to big results. 6. Admit your mistakes, learn from them, move on. 9. Never be afraid to ask -- an inquiring mind is an asset. 10. Search for solutions, not the problems. 14. Don't pull off the hard calls. Deal with bad news immediately. 15. Details make the difference between an excellent result and an acceptable one. 17. Celebrate success. Make it fun to be part of a winning team. 25. Put yourself in the other person's shoes. 26. Don't forget the client as a job to do as well. 27. Work hard. Harder than you expect others to work. 31. Great ideas come from anywhere and anyone. 34. Know more about your clients' products or services than they do. 35. Become the recognised "keeper of the brand." 37. Make the client feel good. 38. Look at your colleagues. Help them out. 42. Introduce the members of your team. 44. Avoid assumptions when facts are available. 45. Trust your instinct. 53. Practice the art of inclusion. Spread ownership of success. 61. Take a helicopter view. See the big picture. 63. Prima Donnas are ballet dancers. 64. Keep the end goal in sight. 66. Make the client a member of the team -- and a team player. 68. Watch for body language -- including your own. 69. Create energy, don't drain it. 70. Follow up, follow through. 72. Pull rabbits out of the hat. 73. Use your clients' products. 74. Over deliver. 77. Take copious notes -- it's flattering and useful. 81. Be careful about presenting more than one idea - it usually indicates untidy thinking. 83. Take your time to answer - give the question the consideration it deserves. 91. The best ideas are original. They're usually the hardest to research. 96. Create a sense of action, excitement. 97. Never be asked twice. 99. Don't be scared to serve the coffee yourself. 103. Treat your client's money as your own. 105. Be confident - and have reason to be. 108. Treat every brief as an opportunity. 109. Understand the difference between objectives and strategies. 114. Be a perfectionist. Don't settle for second best. 121. Demonstrate you've listened and taken notes. Feed quotes back during your presentation. 123. Always look for a big idea. 125. The best way to win a big victory is to win small ones along the way. 127. Because something can't be proven to work, doesn't mean it won't. 135. Take pride in your honesty. 138. Fortune favors the bold. 148. Always fight for great creative. 149. Thank the client for buying the big idea. 153. Treat briefs like gold, the creatives will give you gold in return. 154. Treat other people the way you want to be treated yourself. 159. Aim to win at least one international award (Creative or Marketing) a year for one of your clients. 206. Beware the Abominable 'No' man. 209. Nothing is impossible.
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When I was the Regional Creative Director of Saatchi & Saatchi, I stumbled across this poster in our Auckland Office. It was a wonderful instruction guide for every account service executive in the agency. These principles are what made Saatchi one of the greatest advertising agencies in the world in its heyday. Here are some of my favourite nuggets from the 209 pearls of wisdom. 1. Nothing is impossible. 5. Think Big - big ideas lead to big results. 28. Progress, not process. 34. Know more about your clients' products or services than they do. 65. There are those who listen and those who wait to speak - the latter work for the other agencies. 69. Create energy, don't drain it. 82. Clever questions are usually better than smart answers. 97. Never be asked twice. 122. When was the last time you met a successful cynic? 125. The best way to win a big victory is to win small ones along the way. 135. Take pride in your honesty. 161. Perception is reality. 167. Failure to communicate creates a vacuum that is filled by poison, misinformation and drivel. 206. Beware the Abominable 'No' man. 209. Nothing is impossible.