Bossing It: Having Tough Conversations with Nikki McKelvie

Nikki McKelvie is managing director at DDB Aotearoa. Previously managing partner at DDB, Nikki joined the business ten years ago and has played a key role in leading the business management team, fostering a high performing culture within the agency. Prior to joining DDB, Nikki was client service director at Ogilvy, where she led a large brand/FMCG portfolio. She has also held account service roles at Saatchi & Saatchi and M&C Saatchi.

LBB> What was your first experience of leadership?

Nikki> Probably when I was five years old. Apparently if the teacher was late to class, I would sit up front and read everyone a story. Yep, taking charge from a young age!

LBB> How did you figure out what kind of leader you wanted to be – or what kind of leader you didn’t want to be?

Nikki> I always thought there was this secret ingredient that you needed to be a good leader. But then I worked out that the secret is just to be yourself. The main influence has been the people around me. I saw what I didn’t like in other leaders and made sure I didn’t repeat it.  

I am very honest, straight-up, clear and I always try to be fair. Some people find straight-upness hard, and I am conscious of that, but I always think it’s better to be transparent. 

LBB> What experience or moment gave you your biggest lesson in leadership?

Nikki> When I was 15 and at high school I really wanted to learn how to ski. My family couldn’t afford it, so I took things into my own hands. I raised the money myself, got a teacher involved and drove a van full of kids to the school Ski Championships. Our one rule was that you had to practice enough on the fake ski field so you could get from the top to the bottom without falling over. We had a blast! It was at this point I realised if I wanted something bad enough, I just had to go and get it.

LBB> Did you know you always wanted to take on a leadership role? If so, how did you work towards it and if not, when did you start realising that you had it in you?

Nikki> Looking back, I think I always had leadership qualities, but a leadership role wasn’t something I intrinsically knew I wanted to take on. I have always enjoyed trying new things and taking on new challenges, this led me down the career path towards a leadership role. When I was offered this position, I still had to give myself a little pep talk – ‘you can do this sister, back yourself and tell people you can do it!’.

LBB> When it comes to 'leadership' as a skill, how much do you think is a natural part of personality, how much can be taught and learned?  

Nikki> I have been lucky to have had both. My mother was told by her parents that she could be a secretary, a nurse or a teacher when all she really wanted to do was take over the family business. She didn’t listen and achieved huge things in her career, but because of this, she always led me to believe that I could do whatever I wanted. It’s fair to say I was born with a bit of ‘bossing it’ in me naturally as well!

LBB> What are the aspects of leadership that you find most personally challenging? And how do you work through them?

Nikki> Tough conversations. I am happy to have a tough conversation, yet many people shy away from it. I have had to learn to be patient, listen more and not just go in and start the chat but work through an approach that is going to help the other person.

LBB> Have you ever felt like you've failed whilst in charge? How did you address the issue and what did you learn from it?

Nikki> Of course. If you don’t make mistakes, you don’t learn. But if you are paralysed by fear you won’t achieve anything great, and you won’t move forward. My approach is to be honest when you have made a mistake, own it, work out a solution and keep going.

LBB> In terms of leadership and openness, what’s your approach there? Do you think it’s important to be transparent as possible in the service of being authentic? Or is there a value in being careful and considered?

Nikki> These all go together. You have to be transparent, careful and considered all in one. Being empathetic to someone else’s situation is incredibly important and mandatory in my job. We are all human, and all one team.

LBB> As you developed your leadership skills did you have a mentor, if so who were/are they and what have you learned? And on the flip side, do you mentor any aspiring leaders and how do you approach that relationship?

Nikki> The best mentors for me, have been the ones that have given me the confidence to back myself. Self-belief backed by hard work has been the key. In mentoring others, I really try and give people the ability to understand their strengths, what they are good at, and to back themselves. When people feel like they are supported, and someone has their back they can fly. It’s exciting to watch.  

LBB> It's been a really challenging year - and that's an understatement. How do you cope with the responsibility of leading a team through such difficult waters?

Nikki> The most important thing for me is sleep and exercise. I’m lucky I am a really good sleeper and I always feel better after a good nights’ sleep. The exercise is harder, I have to really push myself to get it done. I’m working on it!

LBB> This year has seen the industry confronted with its lack of action/progress on diversity and inclusion. As a leader how have you dealt with this?

Nikki> When I was working on the initial Inclusion and Diversity strategy for DDB Aotearoa, an amazing woman Fonteyn Moses - Te Kani who is Head of Maori, Iwi, Diversity & Inclusion at Westpac, gave me a sound piece of advice. She talked about it being a journey: “It didn’t matter where you were on the journey as long as you were on it.”  The job at hand is to continually drive the change. There is no excuse for a lack of progress in this area, it has to be at the top of the list.

LBB> How important is your company culture to the success of your business? And how have you managed to keep it alive with staff working remotely in 2020?

Nikki> The people are the most important part of our business. If we keep looking after our people, they will continue to deliver great work. We had a great culture going into the pandemic and that held us in good stead. I am not sure there is a silver bullet, other than being respectful and understanding what your people are going through and making sure they get the support they need, professionally and personally. 

LBB> What are the most useful resources you’ve found to help you along your leadership journey?

Nikki> The most amazing clever people we have in our industry. We have incredible talent, and I never feel alone. We are a small community in New Zealand and at DDB Aotearoa we always help each other out. If I didn’t have this, I couldn’t do my job.