Real Power Is Knowing What You Stand For
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About the Leader
Roy Spence
Co-founder and Chairman of GSD&M
- Strategic®
- Arranger®
- Maximizer®
- Relator®
- Responsibility®
Roy Spence is co-founder and chairman of GSD&M, a leading marketing and advertising company, and co-founder and CEO of The Purpose Institute, which helps people and organizations discover and live their purpose. Under Spence’s leadership, GSD&M has helped build iconic brands like Southwest Airlines, Walmart, DreamWorks, BMW, the U.S. Air Force and Hallmark. He has advised leaders such as Sam Walton and Herb Kelleher as well as U.S. presidents and officials in the State Department and Department of Defense. Named Ad Man of the Year and Idea Man of the Century, he has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Fast Company, Fortune and other major media outlets. Spence coauthored the Wall Street Journal bestseller It’s Not What You Sell, It’s What You Stand For. He serves on the board of the Lyndon Baines Johnson Foundation and is a Distinguished Alumnus of the University of Texas.
"You need to think about not the 20 things you need to accomplish but the one thing."
Leaders, according to Spence, could concern themselves with a myriad of details, but not all details are equally worthy of attention. To win as a leader, Spence identifies the single most important issue or detail and centers his efforts, preparation and planning around it.
"You've got to be the conductor."
When leading creative teams, Spence strives to be the person in the room everyone else trusts. He wants to create an environment in which ideas flow freely, and after each creative session, the Arranger in him wants everyone to feel positive and satisfied with the experience and their work.
"We're not trying to burn a bridge. We're trying to build one."
Spence's Relator helps him establish strong connections with people, even when his intention to do so is not immediately apparent. However, over time, he has learned the value of building bridges while "keeping your eyes wide open."
"I don't want to let anybody down."
Spence traces the urge to never let people down from early childhood to the present day, starting with his parents and sister but then developing into the urge to not let down his teams, partners, clients, presidents or country.
"At some point, the idea god will come and say, 'Here's the idea.'"
There's a price to be paid for understanding the problem you're trying to solve, says Spence. And there's a price to be paid for doing something genuinely original. If you're willing to pay the price for both, you'll find the truly insightful idea you're seeking.