8 Essential Leadership Skills Every New Account Handler Needs to Master So You Can Lead Projects with Confidence and Success
Master These Skills, and Watch Your Agency Career Soar
Today, I'm going to teach you the core skills you need to connect professionally and personally with those wonderful people that you create sweet, sweet work with day in, day out in your agency.
Your business thrives (and grows) by creating effective work for clients and to get those results as an account handler or project manager, you need the best from your colleagues.
Having the skills and knowledge to own and drive that work is essential to success.
Lead like it's 2008.
Back in 2008 I was working as an Account Handler in an advertising agency called Bartle Bogle Hegarty (BBH). Hopefully, they need no introduction but, to give you a flavour, check out their website and this fascinating photo of the founders - proper Mad Men vibes!
Whilst there, I was lucky enough to be in a presentation on account management from the quintessential account handler himself - Nigel Bogle.
His tips have stayed with me for my entire career.
Tips that are evergreen and allowed me to lead teams of agency professionals in a way that's been successful AND enjoyable. All the while getting results for my clients.
Now, although I've added my own angle to make them even more relevant for you, the core tenets stay true, and I want to (very graciously) share them now.
#1 - Align on your joint purpose
The ultimate purpose of an agency is to help produce outstanding work. Be that advertising, content, websites, video, applications...the list goes on.
You and your colleagues need to align on that purpose. It's your WHY. And it will help you lead the charge, every day.
It should be the reason you are working in the business, and it should drive you forward and keep you motivated.
#2 - Demonstrate that you're a safe pair of hands
Consistently and relentlessly meeting deadlines whilst delivering on the promises you make is critical at any level.
Even more so when you are starting out. Be proactive, be reliable, and don't be afraid to put in the extra graft when others may shy away, heading off for a night out.
That's relevant toward colleagues, seniors and your clients.
#3 - View everything as your responsibility
With that, treat everything as your responsibility. Although others will have their own tasks and deadlines to meet, you need the mindset that everything is on you to deliver and, you're the last person standing when it comes to completing the work.
Whether that's a copy document for review internally, or a design that needs to go to the client for approval - it's all on you.
#4 - Knowledge is power
Recently, on my Twitter/X account, I posted about being a T-Shaped project manager.
The idea of being T-shaped is that you have one deep skill (or specialism) and a broader set of related skills and knowledge.
So for example, as a project manager your specialism would be (of course) project management and, you may have some more general knowledge of SEO or Analytics. Maybe you enjoy the technical side of web development or perhaps social media and content creation.
With account handling, you could also be a project manager, but lean toward strategy or pitching to clients as your other areas of interest.
Being T-shaped makes you more valuable to your colleagues and helps to give more value during projects to everyone.
#5 - Really listen
I've lost count of how many meetings I've attended where everyone is trying to get across their opinion. Not to mention the chaos that can ensue if that happens on a video call!
Meeting chaos aside, the art of listening and trying to really understand the problem or someone's point of view, instead of jumping to what you think is the answer is always going to get you (and the project) to a better outcome.
This is a core leadership skill that will add on years of perceived experience. Particularly if you're new to the role.
And don't forget to ask great questions too.
#6 - God is in the detail
Picture this.
You work in healthcare advertising. There are lots of rules when it comes to the review and approval of the work your agency has produced.
When it goes to the client, a number of people are specifically looking for how 'medically accurate' your work is.
Before you send it over, your agency copywriter, medical writer and proofreader have all signed off the work.
My question is, should you send the work over to your client now?
The answer is NO.
Going back to tip#3, you need to not only have reviewed the work prior to internal sign off, but you need to understand all the decisions that have been made by your colleagues, checking the work against the brief and the client objectives.
And you better make sure there are no spelling mistakes.
God is in the detail.
#7 - Be a problem solver NOT a problem articulator
As an agency project manager or account handler, you're going to encounter problems regularly. Big or small, they creep up on you unannounced and are ready to destroy that neatly written to-do list.
How you deal with them is what weeds out the wheat from the chaff.
Even more so, the mark of a true problem solver is how you react when the rest of your team are not happy about said challenges.
Stay cool, be the person that calmly sits everyone down and starts the solution train rolling in the right direction.
And, if things do escalate, then don't go to your boss without solutions too.
There is always a way forward, no matter how painful or difficult it might be to get there.
#8 - Relationships, Relationships, Relationships
The best work comes from the strongest relationships.
People prefer to work with others that they know and trust. And by extension, the colleagues they have the best working relationship with.
The same goes for clients. I was once told that the meeting a client has with my agency should be the one they most look forward to in their day.
It's true.
Take the time to understand others. Their perspective.
What they personally want out of the work.
For example, a Designer wants to solve the problem but, they might also want to enter the work into an award or put it into their portfolio.
The Account Director might need to bill the work this month to keep cash flow in check and take away pressure from the agency Financial Director (FD).
Your Data Analyst might be looking to integrate a new reporting tool and be relying on you to deliver a test build on time so they can set it up for launch.
Everyone needs something and if you have a good relationship with them, it's easy to give both good and bad news when deadlines inevitably change.
Your Blueprint for Agency Success Starts Here
In a fast-paced agency, it's easy to get caught up in the chaos. But when you lead with purpose, take ownership, and build strong relationships, you're not just surviving—you’re thriving.
So, take these lessons to heart. Be the person who always delivers, listens intently, solves problems, and knows the details inside out.
Remember, the most successful account handlers and project managers aren't just skilled—they're trusted, respected, and, most importantly, indispensable to their teams and clients.
Now it's your turn. Start applying these principles in your daily work and watch how they transform your projects, your relationships, and your career.
And if you found this guide helpful, share it with a colleague who could use a little boost on their journey. After all, we're all in this together—let's create some sweet, sweet work.
You can learn more by checking out my Substack and follow me on X/Twitter.
Have a good one!
Tim @