Publicis’ Dave Penski’s Six Rules for Leading Human (Video)

There is a reason Dave Penski was at the very top of our list as we shaped the opening season of Lead Human with Jack Myers ampamp Tim Spengler Not because he runs one of the most influential media organizations in the world although he does Not because Publicis Media and its parent Publicis Group outperform competitors in growth integration and talent retention although they have But because in an era obsessed with dashboards automation and scale Dave leads with a clarity of values that never loses sight of the human beings behind the numbers View Lead Human with Dave Penski at YouTube and listen at all podcast platformsFrom the opening moments of our conversation Dave grounded his leadership not in titles or achievements but in identity He described himself first as a family man intentional about presence boundaries and the tradeoffs leadership requires That choice is not incidental It is foundational And it informs every aspect of how he leads at Publicis in close alignment with the leadership philosophy of CEO Arthur SadounWhat emerged from the conversation was not abstract theory but a practical replicable tutorial in how to Lead Human at scale In this and our future episodes Tim and I explore the human qualities that are guiding leaders from a spectrum of organizationsDaveamp8217s Rule 1 Start With the Whole Person Not the Job TitleDaveamp8217s leadership begins with a clear articulation of what actually sustains a life in leadership over time He shared a simple but powerful framework for career decision making compensation matters the work itself matters and personal life mattersEarly in a career those factors may be weighted unevenly Over time wisdom comes from balancing them intentionallyThat balance is not rhetorical Dave made explicit decisions to turn down global roles that would have required constant travel choosing instead to prioritize being present for his family This clarity allows him to lead with integrity rather than resentment and it models permission for others to define success on human termsDaveamp8217s Rule 2 Trust Is Built Through Directness Not DistanceAt the heart of Daveamp8217s leadership is trust and trust at Publicis is built through transparency and direct communication Despite leading an organization of roughly 65000 people Dave described his role as fundamentally unchanged from when he led teams of 1000 His focus is on selecting the right leaders being explicit about expectations and holding honest conversationsOne of the most instructive moments came as he described Publicisamp8217 approach during COVID While many organizations retreated into scripted messaging Publicis committed to frequent regional town halls that answered every question including the hardest ones Returntooffice policies Compensation Benefits Uncertainty Nothing was filteredTrust Dave reminds us does not require perfection It requires honestyDaveamp8217s Rule 3 Decide Quickly When the Data Is IncompleteOne of the defining characteristics Tim highlighted and one clients repeatedly note is Daveamp8217s ability to simplify complexity and move decisively In an industry increasingly paralyzed by data abundance Dave embraces what he called a form of courageous realismDuring the height of the pandemic Publicis faced the same decision as every major organization cut deeply or bet on recovery Dave and Sadoun chose the latter accepting temporary pain at the top to protect the broader workforce The result was not only moral clarity but strategic advantage By retaining talent Publicis emerged stronger when growth returnedThe lesson is clear leadership is not about waiting for certainty It is about choosing courage when certainty is unavailableDaveamp8217s Rule 4 Design Systems That Reward Collaboration Not SilosPerhaps the most actionable tutorial Dave offered was his explanation of how Publicis structurally dismantled silos The amp8220Power of Oneamp8221 model countrybased leadership and shared bonus incentives are not cultural slogans They are operational decisions designed to incentivize collaborationWhen half of a leaderamp8217s compensation depends on the collective success of the country or pillar behavior changes Cooperation becomes rational Competition becomes external rather than internal As Dave put it memorably Publicis operates on a simple rule amp8220no silos no solos no bozosamp8221Culture in this model is not aspirational It is engineeredDaveamp8217s Rule 5 Mentorship Is Not a Program It Is a ResponsibilityOne of the most human moments in the conversation centers on Daveamp8217s longstanding commitment to mentorship and inclusion Long before it was fashionable or politicized he implemented mentorship programs that led to a requirement that every senior leader mentor four individuals from underrepresented backgroundsThis was not symbolic Promotions are the goal Accountability is personal Dave himself meets monthly with his mentees both individually and as a group often working together on real business challenges and collaborative opportunitiesThe impact compounds Leaders grow Trust deepens And the organization becomes more representative at the top where change actually takes holdDaveamp8217s Rule 6 Lead in a Way You Can Live WithAs we closed the conversation Dave reflected on the leadership tradeoffs he continues to navigate He acknowledged that more travel might make him a better global integrator But he has chosen not to sacrifice the family commitments that anchor himThat ultimately is the throughline of this conversation Dave Penski leads with performance but not at the expense of presence With ambition but not at the expense of humanity And in doing so he offers a living example of what it means to Lead Human not just talk about itFor leaders searching for a model that scales without erasing the individual this conversation was not just instructive It was reassuring View it at YouTube and listen at all podcast platforms

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Publicis’ Dave Penski’s Six Rules for Leading Human (Video)

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Jack Myers

Publicis’ Dave Penski’s Six Rules for Leading Human (Video) - By Jack Myers

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