The marketing department plays a vital role in promoting the mission and success of an organization. When joining a new company or taking on a leadership position, it’s critical to quickly assess the marketing team you’ve inherited to determine what changes and rebuilding steps may be required to ensure functional success. Before rushing to judgment and a rapid makeover, take time to understand the structure, composition, talent and relative strengths and weakness of the team. Here are vital behaviors that all team members should demonstrate to show they can help a high-performance team and foster the ongoing improvement of it for operational efficiency and increased impact.
Make customer focus the cardinal rule for your team members. Connection and relevance with customers drives an organization’s success. In addition, “blueprinting” the value of your company’s services is essential to efficiently capturing, nurturing and growing your customer base. Clearly convey information and ideas in a way that engages the audience or team members and helps them understand the message and then take action. Generate innovative solutions in work situations and try novel ways to deal with professional problems and market opportunities.
Lastly, the phrase “lead, follow, or get out the way” should apply to all team members — not just the few at the top. There are not enough leaders at middle levels, so encourage others to sit in the driver’s seat for a chance to see how they do. Marketing executives may be pleasantly surprised when they let their team members take on additional responsibilities to show off their skills.
