Why the next era of client leadership needs to be more human

A few years back, I met a new client and before we talked about work, she took the time to ask about me. Who I was, what I enjoyed in life, about my children, and then she told me all about herself. About moving countries with two boys and about watching them grow into young adults, how she was coping with that and how much she missed her mum because of the distance between them. Something we both had in common. I remember being surprised because at the time, conversations like that rarely happened. 

At every catch-up since, before we get into business, we take a moment to ask each other, “how are you? Actually?” Over time, we have got to really understand one another, professionally and personally. Most importantly, alongside brilliant people around us, we have made work together that is driving her business forward. That should not feel unique, yet I fear that in chasing efficiency, scale and transformation, we’re in danger of making client leadership more transactional. 

That client conversation was an unlock for me. It taught me to build that kind of openness with every client. Not just because it is kind to be curious, but because deep, honest, human partnerships make the work better. And don’t clients need that from us, particularly right now?

It is tough out there. Clients are operating under extraordinary pressure. The cost of living continues to reshape consumer behaviour; global instability can create uncertainty overnight, and technology is advancing quickly. At the same time, marketing leaders are being asked to transform at pace while still delivering short-term growth. They are balancing tighter budgets, shorter timelines, more scrutiny and relentless expectations. 

While agencies have our own challenges too, the reality is that our clients’ worlds are often even harder. Which is exactly why my new role exists. To put more deliberate focus on the long-term health of the partnership and find ways that the agency needs to evolve around what clients actually need. And for me it all starts with championing them. 

Championing their businesses, remembering that clients do not come to agencies with neat “advertising problems”. They come with business pressures, brand challenges, growth targets, internal politics, capability gaps, confidence wobbles and sometimes all of the above. Our job is to understand what sits underneath and that means spotting where business at large might need new thinking, new capabilities or greater clarity. Because when you understand the real pressures behind the brief, you can solve the right problem earlier and not just respond to it.

Another key part is championing our clients as marketers. Our clients are people trying to make good decisions inside often complicated organisations, whilst building their own careers for the long term. They are navigating boards, procurement, finance teams, stakeholders, risk, deadlines, agencies bringing work that needs bravery and the small matter of their future. Sometimes that requires an ally, visibly backing them and helping build their confidence and profile. When clients feel backed, decisions get made faster and with more confidence

Then, of course, there is championing the work. Protecting the ambition of an idea while helping it survive the realities of the client’s business, arming them to help sell it into their stakeholders. It means knowing when to push, when to listen and when to just make it happen. Trust is often the difference between safe work getting approved and brave work making it through

This is not exactly new news. We all know relationships matter. But in the speed of life, work, deadlines, technology and everything else, maybe we have forgotten some of the basics. Especially as we’re all distracted by the possibilities of AI.  The industry is talking itself into a place where AI can think faster, make more, optimise harder and automate huge parts of the process and in many areas, it will. But technology is at its most powerful when it is harnessed by people who understand people. It can help us move faster and smarter, but it cannot replace human connection. 

A few weeks ago, I got an email from a client on a Friday night. Completely out of the blue. She had faced a personal loss recently, but her note simply said: “Charlotte, I just thought of you. You mentioned your mum had been unwell. Just to say I hope she and you are doing OK.” That stayed with me. This was someone I had just made effective work with, against real commercial pressure, and yet there was still space in the relationship for care, honesty and humanity.

That is powerful and I think it matters more than ever. So next time you speak to a client, take a moment and ask them how they are. Listen to the answer and understand what is happening behind the brief and beyond the job title. There is no secret sauce to it. But it is often overlooked and right now, it’s a real competitive advantage. Because deep, trusted relationships create the conditions for better conversations, braver decisions, stronger work and business growth for all.

Charlotte Coughlan is executive client director for Leo UK