Why Marketers are in the leadership business..

….and how to lead for the future (6 minute read)

Allow me to explain the context. The Marketing Academy provides free but highly selective development programs to talent in Marketing, Media and Advertising. Perhaps surprising, given our name, professional ‘skill’ development as in ‘how to be an exceptional marketer’ is only around 25% of our curriculums. We don’t provide ‘training’, there is no course work, and no exams. The curriculum isn’t delivered in classrooms or lecture halls and our cohorts are small – a maximum of 30 per year per country.

Our programs really focus on People Development ‘how to become an inspirational leader’, Personal Development ‘how to be an extraordinary human being’ and Purpose ‘what are you on the planet to do and what legacy will you leave’.

We do this because of our firm belief that if you have influence over anyone in your life – you’re already a leader. And the industry of media & advertising and the function of marketing has the means to influence the choices, decisions, beliefs, and behaviour of every citizen on the planet. The power to influence political outcomes, corporate success or failure or galvanise people behind causes of any kind.

Therefore, the talent within marketing, media and advertising are in the ‘leadership’ business with an unsurpassed privilege that is not to be underestimated. This kind of power has the potential to be harmful unless wielded with the ‘right’ moral intent, finely tuned capability, deep wisdom, and ethical awareness.

We also believe that every person is born a potential leader, hardwired to rely both psychologically and physiologically on other human beings. Born sociable, no baby is a loner. We are not born haters – or racist, homophobic or misogynistic, sadly we learn that stuff. We’re all born Leaders, with the ability to influence those around us. who doesn’t automatically smile at a smiling baby? Or laugh when you hear them giggle? That’s influence, right there. 

Leadership is not a position of authority, or a job title which begins with Chief or ends with Director, or a place in the hierarchy. True leadership is very simple…it’s the process of empowering, enabling and inspiring others to be their best selves. It’s about influencing those around you to be better, feel safer, become stronger, think more clearly, take informed decisions, make good choices.

Good leadership principles have withstood decades, maybe even centuries, and are broadly unchanged – however, given the shit storm the world has gone through in recent months we’re seeing more leaders in ‘push’ mode, directive, controlling, putting in tough rules and guidelines. And they need to, the world is in crisis. But we can’t continue leading like this. It will cause long term damage, resentment, exhaustion and frustration if kept up for too long. 

Into the future, and through the predicted challenges of the next few years, GREAT leadership will be our only salvation. The good news is that we all have the ability to be great leaders if we focus on just a few things;

Its ok to push, just don’t push for too long

Many leaders recognise when there is a need for firm and direct communication. In a crisis and only when the time required to take critical and immediate action is short and the likelihood of rejection or resistance is low, its perfectly ok to become more commanding – even unilaterally setting firm objectives, directives and boundaries. No one needed to debate the lock down rules when they were first announced, we just wanted to be told what to do! But too much of this style of autocratic leadership for too long, delivered without empathy, compassion and total transparency and you get…well, riots.

The absolute best leaders know when the time is right to shift style, to consult more than dictate, to reveal more about their reasons, to invite input of ideas and balanced viewpoints, to really listen to the people and empower them to begin to take responsibility for their own actions. That’s when great leadership becomes the mechanism to transform countries, businesses and people.

Stop paying ear service and listen 

The sheer volume of data and insight at marketers’ fingertips is a formidable thing. Marketers can hold the customers heartbeat in the palm of their hand and have the ability to predict when their blood pressure is going up or down.

But only if we LISTEN. And who was ever taught how to listen? We’re all really good at paying ear service (the art of being seen to listen, whilst simultaneously reading an email, sending a text and thinking about next doors cat) and then choosing to hear only the things that fit our own narrative (which we’re extremely skilled at listening to).. If you don’t seek to truly HEAR what is being said right now - then you’ll fill the gaps based on your own past experiences and patterns from which you’ll create future expectations predicated on your almost subconscious assumptions. This is the opposite of good leadership. 

Don’t focus on what you can get, focus only on what you can give

How many of us want to get more business from our clients, get the next promotion, get more discount from our suppliers, get more output from our teams, get more love from our partners, get more joy in our lives? We are apt to think about what we want to get and if we don’t, we feel frustrated, disempowered, resentful…and then put the blame for those feelings directly on others. 

Well, here’s a real truth. We can’t control what we GET. We only have control over what we GIVE. I once heard a Marketing Academy speaker say this ‘great leaders are exhausted every day, not because of how hard they’ve worked but because of how much they’ve given’. Sounds easy, and it is, but only if you consciously let go of the notion that you are in any way in control of what you get from others.

Change the way you think to; what can I GIVE to my team enable them to deliver their goals? how can I support my boss in a way that might make her or her job a little easier? what can I give to my clients to ensure that they can succeed? what can I do for my suppliers to make it easier for them to manage our relationship? what actions can I take to ensure those I love feel that love every single day? what can I give to the people around me to bring a little joy into their lives today? Because you have 100% control over what you give.

Rejoice in being uncomfortable

I once heard a speaker say that being in the C Suite is like being in the rapids, constant ‘white water’; thrilling, scary, exhilarating, fun, risky and a consistently changing landscape where, despite the best skill, equipment and practice, navigation can only be done in the moment and sometimes survivable only by holding on and letting go of the outcome.

The ability to swiftly adapt, flex, reframe will be vital in the coming years. Accept the fact that there is little you can change about a situation that is out of your control, and then rejoice in the fact that you have total control over how you choose to respond to it. 

Finally…it’s your choice

The pandemic has taught us that NOTHING can truly be predicted. Hindsight is literally 2020 and as for 2021…well, you have a choice to make; be a passenger relinquishing responsibility for your emotions, feelings and outcomes to other people or choose to be a Leader every single day, making a positive impact on those around you and taking accountability in every moment for your own beliefs and actions.

Either way, buckle up, we’re in for one hell of a ride.

END

Huge thank you to Penny Fergerson of The Living Leader and all The Marketing Academy's amazing faculty of Speakers for teaching me almost everything I know 🙏

An abridged version of this article first appeared in Marketing Magazine Australia

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