Bossing It: Why You Can Do Anything You Put Your Mind To with Francesca de Lacey

Francesca is the managing director and now co-owner of JMS Group Ltd, a 40 year old production agency specialising in commercials, based in Norwich, UK. In her almost 20 years at JMS she’s worked with brands including Anglian Home Improvements, Lotus Cars, Shearings, Renault, Step One and most recently delivery app Foodhub. Starting out as the junior admin assistant in 2004, she became a director in 2014 and co-owner in 2022.

LBB> What was your first experience of leadership?

Francesca> I went to an all-girls’ school so I saw the opportunity to lead from an early age. I remember listening to Dame Stella Rimmington give a talk on our Speech Day (yes it was that posh) and I was amazed by this woman being in charge of an organisation like MI5 – it made me appreciate we really could do anything when we put our mind to it – barriers to leadership were broken, we had these incredible role models.

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?

Francesca> I was offered a Directorship at JMS when I had my first baby – it was a big incentive to return to my career and I loved it. I understood I was on the path to potentially leading the business in the future and it was very exciting. I’m quite different to the founder of JMS though, and so I knew the pyramid hierarchy wasn’t for me. I can take responsibility for my team; I can instil enthusiasm and give people room to experiment and make mistakes (and hit upon brilliant solutions) but I know that we’re very much a team and I’m far from the only one that makes JMS what it is.

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

Francesca> Covid was a wakeup call for many long-established businesses, forcing action on issues that had perhaps been awkwardly kicked down the road to ‘another day’. We had an awareness there were senior staff who – despite decades of tremendous loyalty and contributions – were no longer driving the business forward. Painful decisions had to be made as to who would be taking JMS on its new path. I had a lot of support externally, and from the founder John (the ‘J’ in JMS) but it was a hideously stressful time, and I was in danger of falling apart from the fear of changes that I knew needed to happen.

Bringing a leaner, fitter, more energetic business out the other side of a crisis was a confidence boost, I could put on my ‘big girl pants’ and make the tough calls. Ripping the plaster off, letting people go, hurt for sure – but counterintuitively it made the remaining team far stronger. Having pruned misaligned staff, the ‘survivors’ became greatly more invested in the future growth and our shared goals. Covid was a reassurance that I can trust my decision-making.

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?

Francesca> I didn’t set out to become a leader, I just took on roles and responsibilities that I enjoyed with the knowledge that I could potentially go as far as I liked. When you take on extra duties and perform them well, and your colleagues respect your work, you gain confidence. I was in the situation of leap-frogging people who had recruited me to be their assistant, but we maintained a good working relationship and that’s testament to their professionalism and dedication to their work, and the business as a whole.

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?

Francesca> I think everyone leads differently and a lot can be taught to be at your best, but I think nature plays its part as to whether you make a success of it, or indeed enjoy it – which is key. 

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

Francesca> I’m a team player at heart and I inherited the leadership role I now have, so my biggest challenge is fighting my nature to share everything with the team and make all decisions collectively. It has been hard not to overshare, and to make some decisions alone. I now have a fellow Director – Tom – and he takes responsibility for the creative, production, and technical aspects of our operations. We can jointly reach decisions with the benefit of two perspectives on the business, then relay this to the rest of the team. Some elements (new business ventures, marketing strategies, working methods) are still discussed openly with the team as their input can bring more to the table than my insights alone.

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?

Francesca> In the early years of being MD I did fall back on the experience of the founders and was slow to insist on changes that I knew deep down needed to happen. I wasn’t brave enough and questioned myself a lot (imposter syndrome, I believe it’s called). Now I’m well into my 40s I’m more assertive and will try new things – even if we occasionally do venture into ‘squeaky bum’ territory.

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?

Francesca> I can be very transparent now and I prefer that – but only because the team have all been together for more than a decade, so we trust each other implicitly and can have frank conversations about numerous things. I don’t tell everyone everything – they are my worries after all – but I manage expectations and if there is something that needs to be shared for the good of the business or the team members, then I will do it.

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?

Francesca> My mentor was the original founder of JMS, he’s now retired but still loves to hear all about the business. As a sounding board he’s been magnificent, and I suspect without his encouragement I may well have taken a different path – especially after having children. I don’t do any official mentoring as I feel too ‘new’ still to it all, but I’d welcome the opportunity to support anyone who felt I could help them.

LBB> In continually changing market circumstances, how do you cope with the responsibility of leading a team through difficult waters?

Francesca> I’m an optimist and a believer in our work – we really are a fantastic bunch, and our clients and work are testament to that. Every day we must go out and win business – as a production agency we don’t have a single client on retainer – we keep them through doing our best work for them. Some of our clients have been with us for 40 years, I think that says a lot. I trust the process and my team, and I’m pretty good at flying by the seat of my pants.

LBB> As a leader, what are some of the ways in which you’ve prioritised diversity and inclusion within your workforce?

Francesca> I’m interested in diversity of thought above all else – if you’ve got some great ideas/talent, are a nice person to work with, and put others before yourself, you’d make a good team member. Our team are a real mixed bunch when it comes to our views, politics, relationships, and backgrounds, and I love that. We are a pretty straight-talking bunch.

LBB> How important is your company culture to the success of your business? And how have you managed to keep it alive with increases in remote and hybrid working patterns?

Francesca> Critical. We’ve no space for inflated egos. If a team doesn’t energise one another, not only will the best work evade them, but clients will pick up the vibes too. We’ve a large client roster, and those seeing the most success (and so working with us almost daily) also share our positive, open, and plain-speaking culture.

After covid I agreed long-term hybrid working – honestly expecting to see everyone a lot less in person – but it’s not had the take-up I’d anticipated. One of the team is at home most of the week, one works a couple of days a week from home, but the rest of us have drifted back to the office full-time. It might be the camaraderie, or the free heating, or the complimentary cookie jar – but whatever it is, the team don’t seem to like being apart for too long! Everything’s cloud based and available anywhere the team might want to work, but most often they’ll congregate in the office.

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

Francesca> I’ve belonged to a few professional groups and at times they’ve proved useful to discuss issues or potential improvements, but I don’t belong to any right now. I value meeting other business leaders at regular but informal get-togethers. Having a mentor / mate /family member to sound off to is also invaluable.