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 & 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. ViewLead Human with Dave Penski at YouTube and listen at all podcast platforms.

From 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 Sadoun.

What 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 organizations.

Dave’s Rule #1: Start With the Whole Person, Not the Job Title

Dave’s 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 matters.

Early in a career, those factors may be weighted unevenly. Over time, wisdom comes from balancing them intentionally.

That 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 terms.

Dave’s Rule #2: Trust Is Built Through Directness, Not Distance

At the heart of Dave’s leadership is trust, and trust at Publicis is built through transparency and direct communication. Despite leading an organization of roughly 65,000 people, Dave described his role as fundamentally unchanged from when he led teams of 1,000. His focus is on selecting the right leaders, being explicit about expectations, and holding honest conversations.

One of the most instructive moments came as he described Publicis’ 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. Return-to-office policies. Compensation. Benefits. Uncertainty. Nothing was filtered.

Trust, Dave reminds us, does not require perfection. It requires honesty.

Dave’s Rule #3: Decide Quickly When the Data Is Incomplete

One of the defining characteristics Tim highlighted, and one clients repeatedly note, is Dave’s ability to simplify complexity and move decisively. In an industry increasingly paralyzed by data abundance, Dave embraces what he called a form of courageous realism.

During 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 returned.

The lesson is clear: leadership is not about waiting for certainty. It is about choosing courage when certainty is unavailable.

Dave’s Rule #4: Design Systems That Reward Collaboration, Not Silos

Perhaps the most actionable tutorial Dave offered was his explanation of how Publicis structurally dismantled silos. The “Power of One” model, country-based leadership, and shared bonus incentives are not cultural slogans. They are operational decisions designed to incentivize collaboration.

When half of a leader’s 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: “no silos, no solos, no bozos.”

Culture, in this model, is not aspirational. It is engineered.

Dave’s Rule #5: Mentorship Is Not a Program. It Is a Responsibility

One of the most human moments in the conversation centers on Dave’s long-standing 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 backgrounds.

This 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 opportunities.

The impact compounds. Leaders grow. Trust deepens. And the organization becomes more representative at the top, where change actually takes hold.

Dave’s Rule #6: Lead in a Way You Can Live With

As 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 him.

That, ultimately, is the through-line 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 it.

For 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.