Leading Questions with Rob Gold – Trilliad
Leading Questions
Trilliad’s EMEA president, Rob Gold, is in the hot seat for our probing and quick-fire Leading Questions.
Rob Gold joined the Maryland-headquartered B2B growth services provider in April, after seven years as president of Dentsu B2B. Before that, he was UK managing director at DWA, becoming UK CEO when the agency was integrated into Merkle B2B.
Now charged with expanding Trilliad’s footprint across the region, he talks leadership principles that wouldn’t look out of place on a running vest (“Confusion is a choice” among them), why mistakes are the foundation of empathic leadership and why Josh Kerr is his idea of a leader worth watching.
Leadership
What principles guide your leadership approach?
Be human, be open, be invested. Always look down, up, and out in equal measure. Move as a team, but make the decision when it’s required. I constantly ask myself, “Is there another way?”
How do you define success as a leader in today’s media landscape?
If I left the business, would it carry on and thrive? If the answer is yes, that’s success. A strong, united team drives a company’s success.
How do you personally stay ahead of industry disruption?
Talk to as many people as possible from as many different sectors as I can. Make notes, take action. At Trilliad, we have a core set of leadership principles. Two that I particularly love are “Confusion is a choice” and “The journey matters.” Both of these are core to how I navigate our evolving industry.
People and Culture
How do you build and maintain a strong company culture during rapid change?
Build a vision that’s inspirational and ambitious. Work as a team to turn the strategy into execution. Find as many moments as possible to show momentum toward that vision, and celebrate together. Do all of this with as many personal touches as possible.
What’s your approach to developing future leaders within your organisation?
Create the conditions to thrive. Give teammates opportunities to step into scenarios that build resilience. Provide the safety to try, to fail, to learn. Always be available for those who want to grow. Remember that winners win.
How do you handle failure, both personally and within your teams?
Another Trilliad leadership principle is “Run toward problems.” As someone who has failed many times, I firmly believe mistakes are the foundation of strong, empathic leadership.
AI, Innovation and Skills
How is AI changing the way you lead and make decisions?
AI is fantastic at many things, but critical thinking, empathic leadership, and human context are core to my leadership and decision-making. These things will always remain part of my leadership style.
What’s your advice for aspiring media leaders?
Get in front of your clients, teammates, partners, and industry advocates as much as possible. Put your hand up for every opportunity you can. Have a point of view. Take advantage of the relentless pace of change in our wonderful industry. Remember you’re at the heart of popular culture, and that it’s a privilege to impact the world around us through communications, technology, and relationships. Make time for yourself and to switch off; tomorrow is another chance to go again.
The Quick-fire Round
Which book would you make required reading for all media leaders?
Good to Great; a friend gave this to me years ago, and I always think about “getting the good people on the bus.”
Which leader from TV, film, or literature inspires you most?
I love watching people achieve their ambitions. Recently, I watched Josh Kerr break the mile world record. He set a vision, put the plan into action, didn’t shy away from the goal, and executed it perfectly when it mattered most. That was pretty special.
What’s your go-to source for inspiration when you need it — work or otherwise?
Running. It clears my headspace, provides fresh air, and increases blood flow.
Media lunch or media breakfast meeting, and why?
Breakfast every time. Start the day with new thinking. Pimlico Fresh has the best eggs, as Yianni Papadopoulos can attest.
Which media leader would you like to answer Leading Questions next?
Mark Sadler at MIQ. Sharp practitioner, swift runner.
Leading Questions is published by The Media Leader every Friday.