Marketing Leadership Is Shifting From Command-And-Control To Cultivate-And-Coach

November 11th, 2008 | Comments | Email This Article

My early marketing leadership experiences included heavy-handed dictation of superlative messaging that the organization was expected to abide by. While this strategy sometimes could achieve alignment and convey strength, it often came across as forced and arrogant. Moreover, it prevented organizational clarity and willingness to confront internal weakness.

But things are changing. I now find marketing leadership to be more an art of humility, affinity and open confrontation of weakness. Instead of instilling forceful brand and messaging guidelines, I find that the most effective marketing leadership comes from instilling strong values and good intentions – up, down and across the organization. Instead of acting the sergeant, I now often find myself inspiring colleagues to search within, and then channel their good intentions through personal and authentic actions and communications. It’s a decentralized model that requires trust and emphasizes visibility and accountability.

I’m sure part of this is my own maturity. But I also think it has a lot to do with a growing hunger among customers to do business with companies that act and talk this way. I also know that my ability to evolve and practice this higher form of marketing is contingent upon the progressive management team I work with. I’m lucky for that.

Marketing leadership is shifting from command-and-control to cultivate-and-coach.

Popularity: 27% [?]

Allan

Could all that you say just be summed up as authenticity?

maxkalehoff

Hi Allan. Authenticity is core, but there really is a shift from command-and-control to coaching and letting go. You can be authentic in either scenario, but the marketing model really is changing. It's more about empowering all other business operations and managers (and employees, for that matter) to have direct influence and stake in the marketing outcome.

bukolae

in the past I think marketing was owned soley by the Marketing Department. It was easier to control messaging and the brand's image. The rise of digital and social communication has thrown the old system out of whack .

Now everyone has to own their piece of the marketing function. Customer service reps should see their interactions with customers as extension of the company's brand. Product managers and engineers have to be cognizant of the customer experience and strive to create remarkable products that are worth talking about.

Now the marketing leaders can help each business function understand how they impact the product's ability to reach more customers.

You hit the nail on the head Max. Its definitely shifting toward a coach and cultivate model.