194. James Rooke - The Power of Small Acts

“Generous leadership is standing up for what is right.”

Chapters:

• 00:00  Introduction of James Rooke
• 03:53  Background and Influences
• 08:19  Lessons from Father's Leadership Style
• 12:08  Simplifying Decision-Making Filters
• 26:21  Staying Close to the Front Lines
• 31:15  Creating a Culture of Generosity
• 36:25  Humility and Vulnerability in Leadership
• 41:06  The Power of Small Acts
• 45:06 Creating Experiences that Shape Beliefs
• 48:59 Being Present and Engaged with Employees
• 52:55 Walking the Talk: Authenticity and Integrity

Episode Summary:

James Rooke, President of Comcast Advertising, shares insights on leadership and decision-making. He emphasizes the importance of recognizing patterns and investing in talent. James learned valuable lessons from his father, who taught him the significance of generous leadership and standing up for what is right. He also gained insights from his early career experiences, which highlighted the common root causes of organizational challenges. James recommends leaders stay close to the front lines and have simple filters to guide decision-making. He also discusses the need to balance a high-level view with deep dives into specific areas. In this conversation, James shares his approach to leadership and the importance of generosity in the workplace. He emphasizes the value of being present and engaged with employees at all levels, and the power of small acts of recognition and appreciation. James also discusses the need for leaders to have humility and vulnerability, and the importance of making quick decisions and being adaptable. He highlights the impact of creating experiences that shape beliefs and change culture, and the role of authenticity and integrity in leadership. James provides valuable insights and practical advice for cultivating a generous leadership style.

R.O.G. Takeaway Tips:

• Recognizing patterns and investing in talent are key to leadership success.
• Generous leadership involves standing up for what is right and acting with integrity.
• Common root causes exist across industries, and focusing on human beings is crucial.
• Leaders should stay close to the front lines and have simple filters for decision-making.
• Balancing a high-level view with deep dives into specific areas is essential for effective leadership. 
• Generous leadership is about the culmination of small acts that have a lasting impact.
• Recognition and appreciation, even in small gestures, can have a profound effect on employees.
• Leaders should prioritize humility and vulnerability, as well as authenticity and integrity.
• Quick decision-making and adaptability are crucial in a fast-paced and uncertain environment.
• Creating experiences that shape beliefs and change culture is a powerful way to lead.
• Being present and engaged with employees at all levels fosters a sense of connection and belonging.

Guest Bio:

James Rooke is president of Comcast Advertising, the advertising division of Comcast Cable that fosters powerful connections between brands and their audiences as well as among publishers, distributors, MVPDs, agencies and other industry players. In this role, James oversees the operation of the company, which includes Effectv, FreeWheel and AudienceXpress.

Most recently, James was general manager of Effectv, where he led a nationwide team across sales, product, engineering, data and operations focused on enabling marketers to reach their target audiences across TV and video streaming platforms. Since adopting the role in January 2020, he successfully led Effectv’s transformation to a multi-screen, audience delivery company including bringing the more widespread use of data to TV advertising strategies, as well as driving addressable advertising and programmatic Capabilities.

Prior to leading Effectv, James oversaw FreeWheel’s global publisher business unit responsible for providing TV programmers and distributors with advertising technology to manage the monetization of their video content. During his eight-year tenure at FreeWheel, he also helped design, launch and scale FreeWheel’s first video marketplace; led the Advisory Services practice, a consulting business unit; and served as the company’s chief revenue officer.

Earlier in his career, James worked in the media business at Time Warner Cable (now Charter Communications) as vice president of strategy and execution. He was also a principal in the media and entertainment practice at Capgemini, a consulting and technology company. He began his career as an associate consultant at EY (then known as Ernst & Young) in London.

James speaks at many major industry conferences including Cannes Lions, Advertising Week and IAB and is often featured in leading business and industry media, including Business Insider, Advertising Age, Adweek, AdExchanger, Broadcasting & Cable, The Drum and more. Additionally, James is focused on moving the industry forward, sitting on the board of the Video Advertising Bureau (VAB) and Ampersand and acting as a board advisor to TVision.

James earned a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Birmingham in the U.K. He resides with his wife and two daughters in New York.

Resources:

• Comcast Advertising 
• James Rooke

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How diverse is your network? 
N.D.I. Network Diversity Index

What is your Generosity Style? 
Generosity Quiz

Credits:

James Rooke, Sheep Jam Productions, Host Shannon Cassidy, Bridge Between, Inc.

Coming Next: Please join us next week, Episode 195, with special guest Yvette Kanouff.