Leaders' Guide: Mastering Collaboration, Communication & Agility

Rose Herceg has a career spanning entrepreneurship, strategy, and leadership at the highest levels of the communication industry. As Australia’s foremost social forecasters and futurists, she was appointed as the Chief Strategy Officer of WPP AUNZ and later chose to lead WPP’s business across Australia and New Zealand as President.

Rose is also the founder of Pophouse, a social media and business strategy agency, which was acquired by STW Group in 2008. Additionally, she is an accomplished author of three books focused on business leadership and innovation.

In a candid conversation with the Global Woman Leader team, Rose shares the lessons learnt along her journey from entrepreneurship to corporate leadership. she touches upon key themes such as building expertise, mindset shifts for leaders, and key for effective collaboration.

With an emphasis on women leaders’ needs, Rose highlights the importance of clear & impactful communication in making one’s voice heard. She also makes the case for mentorship in sharpening skills.

To know more about Rise Herceg’s leadership philosophies for organizational and personal success, read the interview below.

You founded Pophouse early on in your career. How have those early entrepreneurial lessons shaped your leadership style today?

Entrepreneurship is a big word. I started a small business and thankfully, it worked. When you are responsible for your own livelihood and the livelihood of others, you wise up very quickly. You figure out what the marketplace wants. For me in the early 2000s the market wanted trends and how these trends could make Australian businesses money. We worked for banks, telcos, retailers, food businesses, fashion companies, media companies and they all had one thing in common. They wanted an edge. A way to attract new revenue streams and new audiences. It also taught me to keep my skills sharp.

Nothing replaces knowledge and skill like doing the work.

Today, I continue to deliver global trends projects to our WPP clients, just as I did when I was starting out 25 years ago.

Moving from being the founder of a small agency to president of a global network, what mindset shifts did you have to make as a leader stepping into bigger rooms?

I went from running a small business to a business of 2,500 people. I can be impatient. I have learnt to take a breath. Listen. Go home. React the next day.

Once you step onto a larger stage, collaboration became key. What are some crucial aspects of bringing different agencies and people together?

For collaboration to work and flourish, everyone needs to be directed (and sometimes) redirected to a single North Star of the business; the client’s needs. We can have vastly different opinions or even ways of getting there (which we debate robustly) but we can all agree on one thing. Putting the client’s success first.

In moments of collaboration, women leaders often face the challenge of making their ideas heard. How do you personally handle situations where your vision needs stronger advocacy?

I was raised by parents who instilled in me the firm belief that women deserve an equal seat at the table. I understand and recognize that not everyone gets the same confidence and platform as I did. What I can do is invite all our people (women and men) who perhaps are lacking in confidence to share their opinions.

If they feel safe and appreciated for sharing their perspectives, nine times out of ten, they step into the spotlight.

Beyond strengthening your own voice, how have you seen organisations like WPP and others create real space for women leaders to confidently step forward and make their voices heard?

WPP has a community called Stella which operates throughout the world. Stella encourages women to step up and grab their moment. I once heard something that stayed with me. ‘Most people miss the most important moment of their professional life when it is standing right in front of them’. Stella is about getting women at WPP to seize these moments. My father used to say that if you jump off a cliff, a safety net will appear. It’s a great line. I believe it to my core. I say this to women a lot. Jump into an opportunity if it presents itself. Trust your instincts. Be bold.

LAST WORD: Advice For Aspiring Women Leaders Who Dream Big

Dreams are great. Having a plan is better. The world rewards people who do. Write your plan down on paper. Have your own roadmap. Don’t be afraid to seek counsel from wise people who have lived longer. Take action.

Being kind every day also helps.