Integral Ad Science (IAS) EMEA managing director Csaba Szabo is in the hot seat this week for The Media Leader‘s Leading Questions.
Szabo has spent the past 17 years working in an industry defined by rapid change and increasing complexity. He believes good leadership starts with clarity, while integrity and empathy are essential to helping people do their best work.
In this edition of Leading Questions, he discusses the principles behind his leadership approach, why taking responsibility for failure creates trust within a team and the qualities future media leaders will need as the pace of change accelerates.
Szabo also shares his admiration for Roger Federer and explains why his daughter gives him the best inspiration.
Leadership style and approach
What are the principles that guide your leadership approach?
For me, it’s clarity, integrity and empathy.
Clarity is really important because our industry is always moving fast. The pace is only getting faster with technological innovation, the increasing complexity of the ecosystem and everything that’s happening in the world. As a leader, you need to be able to clearly articulate where the organisation is going, but also make sure people understand where they fit into that.
Whether you’re an account manager, a salesperson or a people manager, do you know what your role is? Do you know what’s expected of you? Do you understand how you contribute to the bigger picture for the company? I think that clarity is really important.
Integrity is one of the reasons I joined IAS nearly five years ago. I wanted to be part of a company that does the right thing and doesn’t take shortcuts. There are a lot of black boxes and ambiguity in our industry, and IAS has always had this DNA of bringing trust and transparency to it, which really aligned with my own values.
There’s also a lot of competition for clients’, prospects’ and partners’ attention, but you have to win in the right way.
And then there’s empathy. There are a billion things competing for people’s attention, both at work and outside of work. I think you need to be curious about people and understand that their whole world isn’t necessarily about closing the next pitch. You need to empower them, put them in a position where they can succeed and make sure they enjoy the work they’re doing.
We’ve participated in Best Place to Work competitions for years and won in the small business category last year. I think the phrase “best place to work” goes both ways, because I see it as a two-way relationship. We need to create the conditions for people to do the best work of their lives and we also expect people to bring their best selves.
As leaders, we look after people and give them the empathy and clarity they need, and in return we expect creativity and high performance.
People and culture
How do you handle failure, both personally and within your teams?
I don’t like losing. I’m very competitive, probably because I played a lot of sports earlier in my life. But I’ve definitely learned to deal with failure better than I did five or 10 years ago.
As the leader of a team, I believe we are all on the journey together. If we all know our roles and objectives, and bring our best selves to work to aim for those goals together, we will all share in the success. I also recognise that if the strategy isn’t right, as leaders we have to accept responsibility when things don’t go right despite people’s best efforts.
When failures inevitably happen, you have to look in the mirror, understand what went wrong, learn the lessons together and make the right changes so you don’t make the same mistake again.
AI, innovation and skills
What skills will define successful media leaders in the next decade?
I believe clarity, empathy and integrity will continue to be important for successful leaders in the next decade, if not even more essential. In our industry, it’s hard to know what next year is going to look like, let alone the next decade. But I think having a growth mindset, being curious and being able to adapt will also be really important.
The pace of change will only accelerate, so you need to keep learning and stay open to what’s happening around you.
I’d also say it’s important to keep understanding what your company exists for and connect that back to your customers. It’s not really about how you change. It’s about how clients’ worlds are changing, what their expectations and pain points are, and how we can best support them.
If the world around your clients is changing quickly, I think a good leader should be able to give them clarity, some certainty and assurance. That’s where curiosity, adaptability and staying close to the customer become essential.
Quick-fire media round
Which book would you make required reading for all media leaders?
Not the End of the World by Hannah Ritchie. I really like the positive outlook on sustainability. It’s focused on solutions rather than doom and gloom, and I’m quite an optimistic person.
Which leader from TV, film or literature most inspires you?
I would have to go for Roger Federer. He’s obviously a sportsman, but I really admire the balance he’s managed between being at the top of his game and also being present for his wife and children. That balance is something I really value.
What’s your go-to source for inspiration when you need it, work or otherwise?
Kids, especially my seven-year-old daughter. They don’t care about DSPs and SSPs, but are always happy to figure out answers to questions, even if they’re unrealistic. They’re thinking about things like: “How do we get to the moon?”
That positive energy really recharges me and I bring that energy back to work.
Media lunch or media breakfast meeting and why?
Breakfast definitely. I’m a morning person. I’m at my most productive and creative early in the day, and getting things done early puts me in a good mood and sets me up well for the rest of the day.
Which media leader would you like to answer Leading Questions next?
Josh Partridge, head of sales enterprise, EMEA, at Spotify. We used to work together at Yahoo. I value his perspectives and he’s a great person to talk to.
Leading Questions is published by The Media Leader every Friday
