Bert Cooper

We adore Mad Men and see it as arguably the most Practica-coded piece of media out there (see our Practica-coded TV & Movies collection for more). So very many of the various leaders highlighted throughout the series speak to us but we'd probably tell you that overall, you have the most to learn about being a leader from none other than the elderly, eccentric, Japanophilic Bertram Cooper.

Bert Cooper is exceptional not because he's modern, inspiring, egalitarian or even morally admirable. He's an exceptional leader because he understands something too few executives do: power is often exercised through timing, restraint, incentives, symbolism, and knowing when not to intervene. Let's get into the specifics.

1. He understands the importance of atmosphere. Bert doesn't manage the agency through constant meetings, declarations, or motivational speeches. He is a vibe king. The shoes-off office, that massive Rothko, the Japanese aesthetics, the odd quips and the overabundance of silence all create a sense that Sterling Cooper is more of a world with its own rules than a typical workplace.

2. He has a remarkable strength in his perception. He clocks Don early and often. He can see Roger’s laziness, Pete’s ambition, Lane’s unique usefulness, Joan’s misunderstood competence, and the agency’s ever shifting power centers. He understands the value of both talent and character.

3. He knows when to let conflict reveal the truth. Bert allows tension to play out rather than rushing to resolve it. He lets Don and Roger, Don and Pete, the partners, the clients, and the firm itself show what they are made of under pressure. Bert understands that premature intervention often hides or at least artificially delays the real issue.

4. He is careful with his words. Bert never over-explains. He says odd, memorable things that function almost like riddles or verdicts. As a result, people listen to every thing that comes out of his mouth.

5. He understands incentives better than ideals. Bert is never naïve about human motivation. He knows people want money, status, ownership, approval, sex, security, legacy, escape, and victory. He doesn't pretend that organizations run on values alone.

6. He respects talent, even when he disapproves of the person behind it.

Bert knows Don is a mystery and a risk. He also knows Don is extraordinary. He responds to Don’s deepest secret by saying... that it does not matter as long as Don keeps performing. This is a ruthless pragmatist at work.

7. He thinks like an owner. More than a mere executive would, Bert thinks in terms of firm value, leverage, succession, risk, and survival. He couldn't care less about appearing busy because owners do not need to perform busyness. They care about the enterprise. The distance gives him a genuine authority that would otherwise be inaccessible.

He is not without his flaws

He can be too detached.
He is comfortable with exclusion.
He overvalues performance.
He avoids what is emotional.

Bert is, of course, flawed. But he is also careful to hire and nurture that which balances out his flaws. And for those who are beyond deep, significant personal growth — that's the best they can do.

If we were going to distill his leadership strategy into a practical framework:

1. Watch before acting.

2. Speak less, mean more.

3. Understand what people want.

4. Use ownership as alignment.

5. Shape the room.

6. Protect the institution from its stars.

7. Know when not to be the main character.