Omnicom – “Too focused on firefighting + no real investment = dysfunctional organisation that will never realise it's potential”

Pros

1. Management are generally nice people
2. Everyone works hard
3. My role is very well paid

Cons

1. No unifiying vision - there really isn't an 'Omnicom' beyond managing the financials of the various networks. Each network has it's own way doing things and it's own set of aspirations - which is okay, except that it doesn't roll up to a unifying Corporate vision/ aspiration.
2. Different processes and systems = massive duplication of efforts and an organisation that feels "messy".
3.Organisation is run by finance, with a perpetual focus on meeting short-term targets. A quarter-to-quarter focus is the longest you get.
4. Investments that cannot be recovered within the same year are never made. This is a ridiculous management principle that is ingrained in the culture from the highest to lowest levels throughout the network. And with it, this is an organisation that will never realise it's potential.

Advice to Senior Management

1. Decide and articulate what Omnicom will be and what it won't be vis-a-vis the network (e.g., strategic partner or financial holding company).
2. Deliver a consistent message about Omnicom's role vis-a-vis the networks. There should be no room for local interpretation of this and zero tolerance of markets/ networks that want to morph their local Omnicom (OMG) entities into something that is inconsistent with what Corporate actually is.
3. Put in place the right structures and decision-making authority to support Omnicom's role (e.g., if strategic partner, CEO's must hold more weight than CFO's!).
4. Do a proper competitor and industry analysis to understand current and future trends. You think you do this well but you aren't even close.
5. Have an independent (external) group talk to your top global clients, and top clients by market, to really understand what they think of Omnicom.
6. Develop real leadership capability within senior ranks and develop the mechanisms for it to cascade down throughout the organisation.
7. Realise that good senior leadership is not only about winning and retaining clients - CEO's shouldn't be pitching, they should be cultivating the next generation of leaders and focusing on building organisational capability and sustainability.
8. Drop the arrogance - it has a flow on effect to your people and - whether you believe it or not - your clients.