NORTHERN PLANNER

One of my favourite sporting books is this biography of John McEnroe.

I love the writing. I love the insight into the golden age of tennis- from the late seventies to the early eighties. Mostly, I love the insight into the man. If there was ever a flawed genius, it was this one.

Anyway. I particularly love the description of why he was only an average amateur. In part, because it was fun at this point and only part of a much wider sporting repertoire that included 'soccer'. Mostly because he has a big problem with making other people look like an idiot.

He had all the tools, but just couldn't bring himself to make the other guy look so bad. One exception was an opponent who kept on cheating on line calls (amateurs called their own lines). He have the guy one more chance and asked him if he was sure it was out and then, when he still didn't play fair, McEnroe cut him to ribbons with sheer brilliance.

While that approach obviously doesn't work in sport too well, it does if you work in an agency. Especially if you're a planner. Next time you're in a meeting with a really good account handler, see how they handle debate and negotiation. You'll notice that they're always at pains for nobady to feel like they've 'lost'. Everybody feels like they've come away with something. They never make anyone look like an idiot in public, never set out to show someone how wrong they are in front of everybody else. Because they know that the secret to any negotiation -and planning life is full of negotiation, from agreeing how to develop a route in a creative route in a review to carefully changing bits on the brief so the CD will sign it off – is making sure nobody feels like they've lost. No one should feel they've lost 'face'.

Leave winning to professional sport.

But you'll also notice there are moments when the same suit proceeds to 'cut the opposition to ribbons'. They know they've given someone every chance, but eventually it's time to demonstrate a little authority. And it's so much more powerful when you don't use it very often. And even then, they'll try to do it in private rather than humiliate someone in public.

So for a planner, yes, you can probably cut someone else's argument to ribbons any time you want. But that won't really get you anywhere. You have to take people with you. But occasionally, showing a little steel can work too.