Rethinking Big on Madison Avenue

The 14th Floor competes directly with consulting firms. It is a think tank of people drawn from diverse backgrounds -- marketers, social scientists, philosophers, poets, entrepreneurs -- who share one thing: an ability to solve problems. The aim is to be an external consultant to clients on brand strategy and brand vision.

What's the message you're sending with these two new operations?

Agencies should unbundle all their services. They're constantly trying to keep everything bundled up so they can charge a single, unified fee. I say, open everything up, unbundle it, and let every discipline be as good as it can be in a competitive frame.

You're asking people in McCann-Erickson to make a lot of changes. Why should people follow you?

I've always believed there are two reasons why anybody would take a hill with you and risk getting killed. One is that the leader is so valiant that he will be first to take the bullet, therefore his people follow. I've never really bought into that school of leadership. For me, my men and women follow me because they know I won't get them killed. People sense that you're not taking them to some far-out place for the hell of it, that it's for their well being. You will take them there, you will get them there, and, by following you, they will be better off.

What are the chances you'll be fired?

I'm on the verge of being fired every single day, and if I'm not, I'm not doing my job. Because the moment I cease to push the envelope, then I've failed. That's why I've got to have an almost messianic approach to this job.

Greg Farrell (ggfarrell@aol.com) is editor at large for "Adweek."