“Lead with love,” Beth Ann Kaminkow from Dentsu

Meet Beth Ann Kaminkow, CEO North America, at dentsu, where she oversees the Americas Executive Leadership Team and sits as a member of the dentsu Group Executive Management Team. In her role, Beth Ann guides business and growth strategy across dentsu’s six go-to-market brands, leading transformative creativity, media, data, and technology. 

Beth Ann sat down with Jocelyn Hudak, Senior Director, Content and Digital Marketing, at SiriusXM Media in our Pass the Mic booth at CES. They discussed how love, instinct, and ambition change the trajectory of your career. 

Listen to the full interview below. When you’re done, check out some important takeaways from the conversation.

Open the door for respect.

Highlight: “One thing that we always joke about is open door.. What I mean by open door is that sense of absolute approachability and accessibility…I really believe in leading with love. Just creating the conditions and an environment where people feel respected and feel that you're genuinely looking out for their best interests and you want to grow and develop them, and that they're not just a means to an end.” - Beth Ann Kaminkow

Don’t build a transactional network.

Highlight: “I can definitely tell you from where I am now, many decades into my career, that it's a small industry, even if it feels really big. Over time, you just see and say hi to so many different people that you know from different stages of your career—that’s incredible, especially if there are positive memories and moments that you shared. So I think that was one: going in with a desire to not want to build a network transactionally, but [instead] build connections with people who broadened me.” - Beth Ann Kaminkow

Follow your own instinct.

Highlight: “That was a big part of my lived experience over the years: getting more and more confident and comfortable in really being myself, and just following my own instinct and desires about work and how I want to work… Just getting to a place where I trust myself and my own leadership style—and also trusting that if it's not going to work, then there's probably not a fit for me, and it's not the place or the right environment for me to be in anymore.” - Beth Ann Kaminkow

Set yourself up for success.

Highlight: “You have to set yourself up for success. One thing I learned over the years—I think the hardest thing, especially earlier in my career—was managing up… And what I learned over time was, that is my job, that is my responsibility. I can't expect people below me to be managing two levels up or three levels up… That is my job. I'm doing that for them. I'm taking care of the company by doing what's right by having those conversations and having them be effective.” - Beth Ann Kaminkow

Stay ambitious.

Highlight: “You've gotta stay ambitious. Don't let people somehow dampen the fire. Find the people and the ways to keep it ignited. And especially right now with the industry changing yet again so fast—and it's such an incredible time—but I think these times allow for that entrepreneurial spirit to come through for people to be pioneers, for people to architect their next roles.” - Beth Ann Kaminkow

Keep your connections strong and let love lead the way. Ready for more inspiring conversations? Check out the Pass the Mic page.

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