Tom Byrne’s Cooperative and Collegiate Leadership Style
As VP, global strategic partnerships, Tom Byrne ensures PMG’s capabilities and operating model evolve to meet the needs of its customers and the future demands of the market.
He is instrumental in spotting emerging trends and developing PMG’s capabilities and partnerships to accelerate performance across Europe.
Before this role, Tom was CEO of RocketMill, leading the agency’s growth and strategic direction. Prior to that, he was EVP at both Jellyfish and Merkle. Before joining Merkle, Tom was commercial director at Periscopix, which he joined in 2009.
Under his leadership, the agency grew from 20 to over 300 people, before being acquired by Merkle in 2015.
LBB> What was your first experience of leadership?
Tom> As a little boy, I was forever making games for my family and friends locally; these took the form of missions and challenges. Ultimately, I was leading by galvanising the group to overcome a challenge or obstacle. I suppose for me, leadership has always been the combination of direction and motivation.
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?
Tom> Experiences shape us. Learning from the people who demonstrated what I perceive as good and bad leadership continues to inform me today. I don’t think I have it all figured out; I think that I continue to learn all the time.
For me, leadership is anchored in trust. If the people you lead don’t trust you, then you will fail before you start. Therefore, authenticity and being open and transparent with my teams has always been critical to me. Trust is a two-way street; trust in me is repaid with trust in each other.
I strongly believe in coaching and enablement as well as creating safety for people to grow (which inevitably means space to fail). The role of a leader is to provide the vision that unites a team, an environment that enables and motivates individuals to grow and tackle challenges with care and vigour, and finally, to bring joy and dynamism into the challenge; to not forget that we are human and that ultimately, we love to play.
LBB> What experience or moment gave you your biggest lesson in leadership?
Tom> Some of my biggest leadership lessons actually came from bad leaders. Critical to learning from them is gaining a clear understanding of why you perceive them to be so. For me, it often comes back to motive; are they authentic to their stated values? So much of leadership is very subtle and about the mood and tone that you set. People have the most incredible bullshit filters. If you are not authentic, the tone will be off and so will the motivation. I think, ‘do I want to follow that person?’. The one thing that all good leaders have in common is followers!
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?
Tom> I like to run fast, problem solve, invent things, and challenge the status quo. If you do this very quickly, you realise that there is no one in front of you. In my case, leadership has been a byproduct of character rather than a career aspiration.
LBB> When it comes to ‘leadership’ as a skill, how much do you think is a natural part of personality, and how much can be taught and learned?
Tom> I think there are some personality traits that naturally lend themselves to good leadership. Having said that, there are many leadership skills that can be learned through both lived experiences and books. I’m a voracious reader and feel like applying some of this knowledge to my day-to-day role has helped inform my leadership style and ability.
Ultimately, naturally or learned, what matters is acting with integrity, making the right decision – even if no-one is watching – being public in defence of your values, and treating people with humanity and respect. It’s when acting with integrity is painful, either personally or organisationally, that it becomes real and means something.
LBB> What are the aspects of leadership that you find most personally challenging? And how do you work through them?
Tom> I dislike the politics that often exist within organisations. There are times when we must reconcile the difference between what is right and doing what is right for the organisation.
Ultimately, leadership is about making the best decisions for the business, but in a way that is respectful to its people.
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?
Tom> Ha, yes! There are many times that I feel I could have been a better leader.
I find it essential to reflect and articulate (to myself) how I was, why it happened, what I could have done differently, and to ensure that I actively remind myself of these things.
We are human and we forget lessons; having a simple articulation helps me to remember them.
LBB> In terms of leadership and openness, what’s your approach there? Do you think it’s important to be as transparent as possible in the service of being authentic? Or is there a value in being careful and considered?
Tom> My default is to be very open with individuals. However, there are lots of situations where a single organisational message that is delivered to everyone at the same time would minimise politics and distractions.
Both approaches are necessary at times, and it very much depends on whether the message is organisational or operational.
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?
Tom> I’ve not had a formal mentor. I’ve had executive coaches, but that is a little different. However, I do strongly believe in the value of relationships and kindness. Therefore, I take a lot from the people in leadership roles that I respect. My leadership style is very cooperative and collegiate. I actively try to reduce the power that comes with authority so I can foster the relationship and trust needed to have difficult conversations without them getting in the way of a constructive working relationship.
To that end, I find it is much better to pay forward and build the relationship before you need to lean on it.
LBB> In continually changing market circumstances, how do you cope with the responsibility of leading a team through difficult waters?
Tom> Teams are like twitching deer in a field; their antennae are incredible. In times of volatility, they will feed off a leader’s mood and positivity and look to them for reassurance. In tough times, the distraction caused by anxiety will cost more than anything else. Handled well, it can be an opportunity to galvanise your team behind a shared challenge.
LBB> As a leader, what are some of the ways in which you’ve prioritised diversity and inclusion within your workforce?
Tom> At PMG, we are lucky to have our UK offices in London and Brighton, both wonderfully diverse cities. Leadership can empower the business with focus, time, and the resources required to build a genuinely inclusive environment and team.
Our Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) are employee-led, providing time for community building, knowledge sharing and education to foster a more inclusive and connected workplace.
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?
Tom> Company culture is the single most important thing to a marketing and advertising company where collaboration, creativity and bravery are all required to build something new. This stems from everyone relying and depending on one another, being brave enough to try new things, knowing that many will fail, being strong enough to challenge the status quo, and having a sense of pride in collective achievement.
For me, culture is the personality of the business. This personality is shaped by everyone, however, no one shapes that personality more than the leader. At PMG, we believe we're ‘Better Together’ and that we are at our strongest when our teams spend time together, solving challenges and discussing ways to improve our business as well as those of our customers. We encourage teams to work in the office three days a week (where their home location allows) because we’ve seen how face-to-face interactions drive innovation and strengthen our culture.
As we grow, we remain committed to adapting our culture to evolving ways of working, ensuring it continues to thrive, no matter where or how we work. As part of this, we support employees with commuting costs to ensure in-person connection remains accessible to all. We grow when our people grow and our people grow when we grow.
LBB> What are the most useful resources you’ve found to help you along your leadership journey?
Tom> The other leaders you respect! Foster a community of people you trust. Be open, be vulnerable and invest time in understanding what really matters.
Learning from other leaders will help hone both the understanding of what matters and, crucially, the best way to communicate it.
