Siloed Thinking A "One-Way Street to Ordinary": Magda Triantafyllidis

Magda cares deeply about building organisations and teams in a way that feels human, honest and sustainable. She is driven by purpose and people -- creating environments where accountability, integrity and collaboration genuinely matter.

She does her best work in creative, fast-moving environments where things are constantly evolving and there is room to challenge ideas, grow, and adapt. A big part of Magda's leadership style is doing what she can to help people feel trusted, supported, and empowered to contribute in their own way, while working towards something bigger together.

Throughout her career, Magda has helped shape cultures built on trust, inclusivity, and high standards, while trying to lead with empathy and clarity. She believes strong teams are diverse teams that hold space for each person to be seen, valued, and feel safe to speak openly -- where kindness isn’t viewed as a weakness, but as an essential part of doing great work.

LBB> In one sentence, what’s the issue on your mind right now?

Magda> We need cross-disciplinary thinking. Siloed, blinkered approaches just don’t cut it.

LBB> Now explain any additional context or detail.

Magda> Thinking within your lane means thinking small and relying on a linear process to deliver creativity. That’s a one-way street to ordinary.

Being challenged by those who think differently is where awesome happens.

LBB> Why does it matter to you?

Magda> I’ve been fortunate to have spent most of my senior career years working in a deeply integrated way. In a way that doesn’t weight toward any one discipline over another, where my creative lead, media lead, tech lead and client are my partners, as much as I am theirs.

Where we have a marketing challenge, we look at how that is best solved strategically, holistically, before allocating the form it will take and the way it’s chaperoned in the world. Once you work that way, unhindered by manufactured agency or discipline boundaries, it’s hard to get back into your box – and nor should we.

This way of working is uncomfortable at first. It’s more ambiguous, and requires critical thinking at every turn, as well as time and space. And frankly, patience and respect for each other’s expertise.

LBB> Why does it matter to the wider industry?

Magda> If we keep solving in silos, then we’re not delivering true reinvention for clients.
I liken it to taking on a fight with our dominant hand behind our backs. The tools we can use to solve problems are evolving and new ones are being created every day. It’s impossible to be across everything, but by opening our aperture and leaning on our counterparts, we gain access to how different minds solve a problem, and the tools they use to solve it.

LBB> Why does it remain an issue?

Magda> Because, for an industry built on innovation, collaboration is still seen as an extra step, rather than the way we do our best work.
What should we be doing about it?

From a client perspective, frame problems and discuss them with all of your agencies at the same time before you create a formal brief. For agencies, form strong trusted relationships with people who do different things to what you do. Get comfortable with being uncomfortable. Leverage each other’s smarts and all rise with the tide.

LBB> And what are the first steps?

Magda> For agency folk, don’t assume we alone have the answer. Test it, stretch it, validate it with others. Continue to think ‘how can this be better?’ and include ‘who can help me make this better?’

LBB> Are there any people or businesses leading the way?

Magda> Many are trying.

A big part of why I love where I am is because we have a trusted agency village at Leo. We communicate openly and frequently and collaborate wherever possible. And beyond that agency village, I’m part of Publicis Groupe’s network that makes it seamless and easy to connect with other agencies locally and globally. It is quite literally as simple as picking up a phone, dropping a quick Teams message or stepping off one floor below ours to pick someone’s brain.

LBB> Any parting thoughts?

Magda> Look, I’ve always been a bit kumbaya! What has kept me highly engaged in my career has been the opportunity to work with brilliant minds that are worlds apart from mine. Being challenged, feeling confronted, even exposed. Every time I’ve felt uncomfortable (and don’t get me wrong -- I’ve rarely enjoyed that feeling at the time) it’s been followed by a feeling of growth, broader understanding and respect for different views.