LeaderTalks@Acxiom

In this episode, Amy continues taking a deeper dive into Acxiom's leader expectation of Lead by Example with a focus on Excellence.

At Acxiom, our goal is to have an unwavering commitment to excellence in everything we do. Excellence means exceeding expectations, for each other and for our clients; striving to be better today than we were yesterday; and going above and beyond what’s asked of us.

This episode features two guests who model excellence to both our external and internal clients. Sheryl Sample, a VP of Sales Operations and Enablement, shares her experience working with teams across Acxiom to enable our client-facing teams to be excellent throughout the sales process. Dave Warfield, a VP of Sales, discusses how he and his team strive for excellence in building new client relationships.

LeaderTalks@Acxiom is edited by Levi Gilbert.

In this episode, Amy continues taking a deeper dive into Acxiom's leader expectation of Lead by Example. This time, the focus is on Collaboration. Collaboration can be a multiplier because more can be accomplished when we work together than when we work alone. Working together maximizes our diverse skills, experience, background and ways of thinking. Collaboration doesn't just happen within our immediate team — it can happen across teams at Acxiom, with the broader IPG network, our partners and our clients. The challenge, though, is that collaboration can sometimes be very difficult for a variety of reasons. Maybe our goals aren't aligned. Maybe our personalities just clash. Regardless, it's important to find common ground to work through to great outcomes for our clients and for ourselves.

This episode's guests boast 50 combined years of experience collaborating at Acxiom — sometimes even with each other! Sonny Bradley recently joined our Acxiom Executive Leadership team to lead our Solutions Development and Services Tower, and Tim Ward is our VP of Delivery over the newly formed Industry and Tower Optimization group.

LeaderTalks@Acxiom is edited by Levi Gilbert.

In this episode, Amy starts a series of deeper dives into the leader expectation of Lead by Example. This episode focuses on the first Value of Associates. Our people are our biggest driver of success. Simply put, if we take care of our people, they will take care of our clients, which ultimately leads to success for all of us. 

This discussion features Crystal Floyd, who leads our Engagement and DEI efforts, and Brandy Day, who leads our Financial Planning and Analysis group. In their roles, these two fantastic leaders have the opportunity every day to make a positive impact on our associates and live out our Value of Associates. 

LeaderTalks@Acxiom is edited by Levi Gilbert.

In this episode, Amy chats with Janet Cinfio, Chief Information Officer; Stefana Rusu, Senior Vice President of Marketing; and Kyle Hollaway, Senior Vice President of Products; to wrap up our series on Lead for the Future with a discussion on the competency of Hiring and Staffing for the Future. To successfully achieve our goals and strategies for the future, we have to have the right team in place to turn that vision into reality. 

Hiring and staffing for the future means that we intentionally build a diverse and inclusive team and invest in their development to ensure future success. To be able to hire effectively, you need to build a strong network to help you identify and recruit great talent, but also keep a balance of focusing on your current team while looking to future. 

LeaderTalks@Acxiom is edited by Levi Gilbert.

In this episode, Amy chats with Joyce Turner, VP Industry Managing Director, and Jason Brown, SVP Industry Managing Director, to continue a series of episodes on the leader expectation of Lead for the Future. This episode focuses on the competency of Strategic Agility.

Leading well requires the ability to look beyond the challenges of today to see and understand future challenges and opportunities. A future mindset is necessary. Leaders who do this well can anticipate future trends in our industry and opportunities, which enables them to develop a compelling strategic plan, all while balancing the future and present with adaptability. 

LeaderTalks@Acxiom is edited by Levi Gilbert.

In this special episode, Amy chats with CEO Chad Engelgau and SVP of Culture and Inclusion Dr. Femi Olu-Lafe about a topic that is vital to our ability to be successful in the future — psychological safety.

Psychological safety means that people feel comfortable speaking up on their teams and sharing new ideas, taking risks, admitting when they don’t know something — all without the fear of some kind of retaliation. Without psychological safety, innovation, engagement, and growth all suffer, so it is critical to our success both now and in the future. Plainly said, without psychological safety, we can’t achieve our goals. Leaders have a huge impact on team culture, but everyone has a role to play in creating an environment where everyone can be heard and can be their best selves at work, so this special episode is for leaders and individual contributors.

LeaderTalks@Acxiom is edited by Levi Gilbert.

In this episode, Amy chats with Jordan Abbott, Chief Privacy Officer, to continue a series of episodes on the leader expectation of Lead for the Future. This episode focuses on the competency of Dealing with Ambiguity.

To be effective at leading for the future, leaders have to be adept at handling the unknowns without always having the full picture, and then being nimble enough to adjust strategy as needed when new information becomes available or the situation changes. Coping with uncertainty and change and handling risks as they arrive is crucial. While it can be extremely difficult at times, effective leaders push themselves to make the best decision they can in the moment with the information at hand to keep their business, teams and themselves moving in the right direction. 

LeaderTalks@Acxiom is edited by Levi Gilbert.

In this episode, Amy chats with Mike Menzer, General Manager, International, to kick off a series of episodes on the leader expectation of Lead for the Future. Achieving results with your team can't always just be about the now. We need the right balance of getting results today while still setting ourselves and our teams up to get great results in the future. Lead for the Future requires being proactive by building a strong and diverse team, investing in your team's development, and staying ahead of industry trends and your client's needs. Lead for the Future also demands being able to deal with ambiguity while designing strategies with the information we have today and adjusting as needed. 

LeaderTalks@Acxiom is edited by Levi Gilbert.

In this episode, Amy chats with Angie Graves, Senior Director of Data and Identity, and Cherrylyn McCastle, Vice President of Acxiom Workplace Experience, to close out a series of episodes on the leader expectation of Lead For Results. This episode focuses on the competencies of Managing and Measuring Work and Motivating Others.

Getting great results requires knowing what you're working towards and keeping an eye on that progress along the way. Managing and Measuring Work means that you are setting clear priorities for your team, monitoring and communicating progress toward your team's goals, and adjusting as needed to ensure key business outcomes are met. Motivating Others is about inspiring others to work to their fullest potential by empowering them, clearing the path, giving coaching and feedback, and celebrating your team's great work. 

LeaderTalks@Acxiom is edited by Levi Gilbert.

In this episode, Amy chats with Laura Murphy, Vice President of IT Operations, and Chris Donaldson, Vice President of Cloud Engineering, to continue a series of episodes on the leader expectation of Lead For Results. This episode focuses on the competencies of Inspirational Leadership and Decision Quality. 

Many times, leaders are personally responsible for specific results. Occasionally, though, to achiever certain outcomes, we have to be able to inspire others to act. Inspirational Leadership is all about being able to cast a compelling vision and to get others to work towards it. It's crucial to be able to articulate the right path for moving forward, and why it's the right path, so that others will follow. 

Getting results ultimately comes down to our ability to make high quality decisions. Some of us are more decisive than others. Some of us are less decisive than others. It's important to know when to push forward or when to hold back on making a decision. It's also critical to recognize that, often, your associates who are closer to the work may know more about a situation than you do, and seeking their input is vital.

LeaderTalks@Acxiom is edited by Levi Gilbert.