• Skip to Content
  • Skip to Main Navigation
  • Skip to Information Links
  • Skip to Site Search
  • Skip to Footer
  • Skip to Accessibility Information
  • Home Page

Information Links

Haymarket Marketing Communications:

  • PRWeek
  • Campaign US
  • MM+M
  • 30-Day Trial
  • Register
  • Sign in
  • Search
  • Menu
  • US|
  • UK|
  • Middle East|
  • Asia

PR Week Global

  • Menu
  • Search

Main Navigation

Menu

Main Navigation

  • US|
  • UK|
  • Middle East|
  • Asia
  • News
      News
    • Agency
    • Breakfast Briefing
    • Consumer
    • Corporate
    • Healthcare
    • Media
    • Public Affairs
    • Technology
    Show
  • In-depth
      In-depth
    • Agency Business Report
    • Power List
    • Crisis Corner
    • Newsmakers
    • Women of Distinction
    • Bellwether Survey 2022
    • Hall of Fame
    • 40 Under 40
    • Salary Survey
    • Health Influencer 30
    • Best Places to Work
    • Career Guide
    Show
  • People in PR
      People in PR
    • Hall of Fame archive
    • Opinion
    • Newsmakers
    • Steve Barrett on PR
    • Don Spetner
    • Dashboard 25
    • Around the office
    • Pride in PR
    • CEO Focus
    • CMO Focus
    • Femme Forward
    • Pets in PR
    Show
  • Resources
      Resources
    • Ebooks
    • Digital Editions
    • Agency Business Report
    • Salary Survey
    • Campaign Case Studies
    • Bellwether Survey 2022
    • Cannes 2022
    • Dashboard
    • Podcasts
    • Webinars
    • Places to Be 2022
    • Contact Directory
    • Jobs
    • Renew
    • Subscribe
    Show
  • Events
      Events
    • Crisis Comms Conference
    • PRWeek US Awards
    • PRWeek 40 Under 40
    • Women of Distinction
    • PRDecoded
    • PRWeek Global Awards
    • PRWeek Purpose Awards
    • Healthcare Conference + Awards
    • Hall of Fame
    • Brand Entertainment Awards
    • Webinars
    Show
  • Jobs
  • Directory
  • Agency
  • Breakfast Briefing
  • Consumer
  • Corporate
  • Healthcare
  • Media
  • Public Affairs
  • Technology

  • Trending :
  • Crisis Comms Conference
  • Best Places to Work
  • PRWeek Awards
  • Healthcare Conference + Awards
  • Women of Distinction

Partner content

In partnership with

FHF London

Why it is cool to be kind

The industry has shifted with pace in the last ten years but one thing that remains is the clique-like behaviour of those that think they are in the gifted minority.

by Lauren Winter, FHF May 02, 2018

  • Share article on Twitter
  • Share article on Facebook
  • Share article on LinkedIn

A couple of months ago, I was sat with my team battling a creative brief and I realised that the entire focus of everyone was on the work. 

We argued, tore up our ideas, but we laughed… a lot.

The industry has shifted with pace in the last ten years but one thing that remains is the clique-like behaviour of those that think they are in the gifted minority. We know them. The ones who won’t look at you when you walk in a room, won't pour you a glass of water in case it undermines their authority or worst of all, they pretend they’ve never met you before.

The problem is these people have confused ‘survival of the fittest’ to be about their own image, totally self-serving in their mission to out-stage and win. The thing is, humans have survived because we are social creatures by nature and our survival has come from partnership.

People operate best when we are shame-free and untethered. That can only happen when you leave the assholes at the door. As Adam Grant in the New York Times said last year: "Disrupters are often disagreeable. But you can be disagreeable without being an asshole." 

Fleishman has often been described as a ‘kind’ company by those within its own four walls but for some reason kindness has also been a dirty word in the underbelly of London’s creative scene. I used to think it too. I used to think ‘kind’ meant ‘slow’, ‘old fashioned’, ‘past it’. I was wrong.

We know that consumers are searching for happiness. Yes, kindness and happiness are inextricably linked, but happiness is passive and kindness is active. To make an active choice daily to be kind takes a strength of character that leaves the ego at the door. My clients get more coming from that starting point, than one coming from creative annihilation.

The tide is turning and seating at the table for these ‘assholes’ is becoming limited. Young people want to go back to doing good, which in turn means they want to work for people who care about them. Clients recognise the need for their brand to weave into culture and not shout through broadcast straplines. Media, in turn, have less and less time for soulless stunts. All of these elements mean better behaviour, to actively care what others are saying, doing and thinking.

As Reed Hastings, Netflix CEO says: "You don’t have to tolerate brilliant jerks." I think my team are brilliant without the jerkiness.

Why can’t you rock the boat but be kind with it? My life’s too short to dance around rudeness any longer. I want to have debate but not exhaustion from constantly battling the elite egos. There are worse things to be known for than being kind… oh and brilliant.

It’s true that kindness is still one of our greatest delights and I’m proud to say, at Fleishman, we sell it for free. 

Lauren Winter is head of brand and consumer marketing EMEA London at FHF


More...

  • PR is in an existential moment

  • How to get your content covered: insights from 72Point

  • Five steps to solving PR's self-esteem issues

  • If you stop moving, you'll fall off - a modern marketer's guide to brand positioning

  • Show us your #LISTENINGFACE

Have you registered with us yet?

Register now to enjoy more articles and free email bulletins

Register
Already registered?
Sign in

Resources

  • The Future of Work

  • Dashboard 25

  • Crisis Comms Conference

  • Best Places to Work

  • PRWeek Awards US

  • Hall of Fame

  • Women of Distinction

  • Salary Survey

  • Health Influencer 30

  • Healthcare Conference + Awards

  • Purpose Awards

  • PRDecoded

  • Bellwether Survey

  • Changemakers

  • 40 Under 40

  • The Power List

  • Pride in PR

  • Brand Film Awards

  • Agency Business Report

  • Webinars

  • Find a Job

  • Podcasts

  • Subscribe to PRWeek

Resources

Up next:

State Farm Stadium will host the Super Bowl in just over a week. (Photo credit: Getty Images).

How PepsiCo is supporting Phoenix’s Hispanic-owned businesses ahead of Super Bowl LVII

Pinterest launches Black travel hub

Pinterest launches Black travel hub

Temple will lead Accenture Song’s metaverse projects.

Accenture brings on Magic Leap chief design officer to help lead its metaverse business

Sadoun is “confident” about 2023 following strong revenue growth in 2021 and 2022.

Arthur Sadoun: Publicis’ ‘profound transformation’ is paying off

Nick Fox

Stagwell and Sloane & Company hire former Virgin Group CCO Nick Fox

Breakfast Briefing: 5 things for PR pros to know on Friday morning

Breakfast Briefing: 5 things for PR pros to know on Friday morning

L-R: Meghann Curtis, John Files and Kate Olsen.

Weber Shandwick appoints North America public affairs, social impact and sustainability leads

(Photo credit: Getty Images).

Microsoft’s Frank Shaw on using Twitter to argue for Activision acquisition

Zuckerberg revealed the company's name change to Meta in October 2021 (Photo credit: Getty Images).

Mark Zuckerberg says 2023 will be ‘year of efficiency’

Publicis takes Working with Cancer pledge to the Super Bowl

Publicis takes Working with Cancer pledge to the Super Bowl


JOIN, SHARE, LIKE, FOLLOW US ON:

  • f
  • t
  • I
  • l
  • yt
About PRWeek
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Advertise
Subscribe
  • Subscribe to PRWeek
  • Newsletters
  • FAQ
Global
  • PRWeek UK
  • Campaign Asia
Haymarket © Haymarket Media Group Ltd. | Terms & Conditions | Cookie Notice | Privacy Notice | Cookie Settings
IPSO