Aug 19

Who You’re Leading

A marketing director is not just a title.

It’s a role that demands leadership, finesse and strategic thinking.

Your task is to promote not just the brand, but also pay attention to who you’re leading and bring out the best in each member.

YOU are the crisis manager, handling situations with employees that can range from minor misunderstandings to major conflicts.

This requires a deep understanding of human behavior, excellent communication skills and the ability to make swift, yet well-thought-out decisions.

Your role is both important and complex.

You need to blend creativity with practicality in a way that drives both team morale AND company success.

In this blog post series, we’ll help you answer questions every marketing director has to answer for your own role in leadership.

These include:

Who do I promote?

As a marketing director, one of your many responsibilities is to identify and promote individuals within your team who have demonstrated exceptional performance and potential.

This decision on who to promote can be a challenging one.

It has a significant impact on the individual’s career trajectory and the overall team dynamics.

So how do you make such a crucial decision?

Identifying Potential Candidates

Start by evaluating your team members based on their performance, skills, and potential for growth.

Look for individuals who:

  • consistently meet or exceed their targets.
  • show a deep understanding of their role and the overall company strategy.
  • are always willing to go the extra mile to achieve results.
  • demonstrate leadership qualities.
  • communicate effectively.
  • have problem-solving skills.
  • show an ability to inspire and motivate other.

Assessing Skills and Competencies

Once you’ve identified potential candidates, assess their skills and competencies in more detail.

This involves looking at both hard AND soft skills.

Hard skills are job-specific abilities that are easy to quantify, like proficiency in a particular software or fluency in a foreign language.

Soft skills, on the other hand, are interpersonal or people skills, and they include things like teamwork, adaptability, and emotional intelligence.

Both types of skills are important for a leadership role, so ensure the person you promote has a good balance of both.

Considering Future Potential

Promotion should not only be based on past performance but also on future potential.

Identify individuals who show a willingness and ability to learn and adapt.

Look for those who seek feedback, take on new challenges, and show initiative.

These are signs of someone who is ready to grow and take on more responsibility.

Ensuring Fairness

Finally, ensure that the promotion process is fair and transparent.

This means avoiding favoritism and making sure that all team members have an equal opportunity to demonstrate their potential.

It also means communicating the reasons for your decision to both the person being promoted and the rest of the team.

This will help maintain morale and motivation among team members.

Promoting the right person requires careful consideration and a balanced assessment.

By following these practical steps, you can make a decision that benefits both the individual and the team, thereby contributing to the overall success of your marketing department.

What if my employees aren’t doing their jobs?

As a marketing director, you may occasionally encounter situations where employees are not fulfilling their responsibilities.

This can lead to decreased productivity and morale, affecting the overall performance of your team and organization.

Let’s discuss how to address this issue effectively.

Identifying the Problem

Are the employees not meeting deadlines, producing subpar work, or showing a lack of engagement?

Observing their behavior, reviewing their work, and tracking their performance can help pinpoint the issue.

Open Communication

Once you’ve identified the problem, initiate a conversation with the concerned employees.

Keep the tone professional and non-confrontational.

Ask them about their challenges and listen to their responses. It’s essential to understand their perspective to find a suitable solution.

Setting Clear Expectations

Perhaps your employees are unclear about what’s expected of them.

Make sure job roles and responsibilities are well-defined.

Set realistic goals, and ensure they align with the business objectives.

Communicate these expectations clearly and confirm that the employees understand them.

Providing Feedback and Guidance

Employees need to know how they’re doing and where they need to improve.

Constructive criticism, balanced with positive reinforcement, can motivate employees to perform better.

The key is constructive criticism.

Criticism by itself is not helpful unless its goal is to help the person become better as a person and an employee.

Provide guidance on how they can improve, perhaps through additional training or resources.

Implementing Performance Improvement Plans

If performance issues persist, consider implementing a Performance Improvement Plan (PIP).

This formal document outlines specific areas for improvement, sets measurable goals, and provides a timeline for achieving these goals.

Regular check-ins during this period can help track progress and provide additional support.

Considering Employee Motivation

Finally, consider the motivation levels of your employees.

Are they satisfied with their job?

Do they feel valued?

Understanding their motivation can provide insights into their performance.

Consider strategies to boost motivation, such as:

  • recognition for good work
  • opportunities for growth
  • or improving the work environment.

Tackling performance issues requires a strategic and empathetic approach.

By handling these situations wisely, you can help your team members get back on track and contribute positively to your organization’s goals.

Incentivizing Your Employees

As a marketing director, leveraging incentives can lead to better outcomes for your team and organization.

How do you create an effective incentive system?

We’ll tell you.

Understanding What Motivates Your Team

This may vary significantly from person to person. Some might be driven by financial rewards, while others may value recognition or opportunities for professional development.

Regular feedback sessions or anonymous surveys can help identify these motivating factors.

Establishing Clear Goals

These should be tied to the employee’s role and responsibilities, as well as the overall objectives of the marketing department.

Be sure to communicate these goals clearly and ensure that each team member understands them.

Creating a Reward System

Create a reward system that aligns with the identified motivations and established goals.

This could include:

  1. Financial rewards such as bonuses or raises
  2. Recognition rewards like employee-of-the-month programs
  3. Developmental rewards such as training opportunities or conference tickets.

Implementing the Incentive Plan

Once the incentive plan is designed, it’s time to implement it.

Communicate the plan clearly to your team and explain how they can achieve the incentives.

Make sure the process is transparent and fair, so everyone has an equal opportunity to reap the rewards.

Monitoring and Adjusting the Plan

An incentive plan should not be static.

Monitor its effectiveness regularly by tracking key performance indicators (KPIs) and gathering feedback from your team.

If the plan isn’t working as expected, don’t hesitate to make adjustments.

This could involve changing the incentives, tweaking the goals, or altering the reward system.

An effective incentive plan requires understanding your team’s motivations.

Every person – and team – will have different motivations, so your plan may require some variety.

With care and creativity, you can create an incentive plan that motivates your employees, boosts their performance, and contributes to the success of your marketing department.

Helping Employees Become Brand Advocates

A brand advocate is a person who promotes and supports a brand, product, or service.

Brand advocates can be anyone from customers to employees, influencers, or partners who exhibit a strong belief in the brand’s values and offerings.

They often share positive experiences and reviews, recommend the brand to others, and may even defend it against negative press.

Their advocacy is primarily driven by their satisfaction with the brand rather than monetary incentives.

Having the marketers under you advocate for your brand can be incredible beneficial for your company.

As a marketing director, YOU play a pivotal role in this transformation.

There are some ways you can cultivate brand advocacy within your team.

Cultivating a Strong Company Culture

The first step in fostering brand advocacy is to build a strong, positive company culture.

Create an environment where employees feel valued, heard, and engaged.

Regular team building activities, open communication channels, and a supportive work environment can contribute to this.

Educating Employees About the Brand

Employees can’t advocate for a brand they don’t fully understand.

Conduct regular training sessions to educate your team about your products, services, brand values, target audience, and market positioning.

The more they know, the better they can represent the brand.

Encouraging Employee Engagement

Encourage your team to engage with the brand outside of their standard job responsibilities.

This could involve participating in product launches, contributing to the company blog, or sharing brand content on their personal social media accounts.

Provide guidelines to ensure they represent the brand appropriately.

Recognizing and Rewarding Advocacy

Recognize and reward employees who actively advocate for your brand.

This could be through verbal recognition, certificates of appreciation, or tangible rewards.

By acknowledging their efforts, you motivate them to continue advocating and inspire others to do the same.

Gathering Feedback

Finally, regularly gather feedback from your employees.

This will help you understand their perception of the brand, identify any hurdles to advocacy, and find ways to improve.

Your employees can be some of your greatest brand advocates.

Picture a couple friends hanging out after work, and they ask how your employees day was.

Does it make a difference whether your employee complains about their work environment, or brags on how well their company supports them?

You bet it does.

Focus your efforts, and you will lead a team of brand advocates who can significantly enhance your marketing efforts.

Why It Matters What Your Employees Think

The thoughts and opinions of your employees hold immense value for the growth and success of your organization.

As a marketing director, understanding this can significantly enhance your leadership approach and the overall performance of your team.

Why does it matters what your employees think?

Enhancing Business Decisions

Employees are on the front lines of your business operations.

Their insights can provide a clearer understanding of your products, services, and customers.

By actively seeking their feedback, you can make more informed decisions and devise strategies that align with on-the-ground realities.

Boosting Employee Engagement

When employees feel their opinions are valued, they are likely to be more engaged in their work.

This sense of being heard can boost morale, productivity, and commitment to the company’s objectives.

Regularly hosting open forums or using digital platforms for feedback can facilitate this engagement.

Reducing Employee Turnover

Employees who believe their thoughts and ideas matter are more likely to stay with your organization.

This sense of inclusion enhances job satisfaction and loyalty, which can reduce turnover rates, saving costs and maintaining continuity within your team.

Driving Innovation

Your employees can be an invaluable source of innovative ideas.

Encouraging them to share their thoughts can lead to fresh insights, creative solutions, and improved processes.

This culture of innovation can be fostered through brainstorming sessions, innovation challenges, or suggestion schemes.

Building Trust and Transparency

Taking into account your employees’ opinions helps to build trust and transparency within your team.

It demonstrates that you value their contributions and are willing to incorporate their ideas.

This can lead to improved communication, better relationships, and a more cohesive team.

The thoughts and ideas of your employees are vital assets that can enhance decision-making, boost engagement, reduce turnover, drive innovation, and build trust within your team.

By creating an environment where employees feel comfortable sharing their thoughts, you can harness these benefits and propel your marketing department towards greater success.


Treating Your Employees Right

As a marketing director, the way you treat your employees can significantly impact their productivity, loyalty, and overall job satisfaction.

Being trustworthy as a company begins with treating your employees with fairness and respect.

What does this look like? t.

Encouraging Open Communication

Promote a culture of open communication where employees feel comfortable expressing their ideas, concerns, and feedback.

Regular team meetings, one-on-one check-ins, and anonymous suggestion boxes can facilitate this.

Clear, timely, and honest communication helps build trust and ensures everyone is on the same page.

Providing Constructive Feedback

Feedback is critical for growth and improvement.

Provide constructive, balanced feedback that highlights both strengths and areas for improvement.

Make sure it’s specific, actionable, and delivered in a respectful manner.

Also, remember to acknowledge and appreciate good work, which can boost morale and motivation.

Offering Professional Development Opportunities

Invest in your employees’ professional growth.

This could involve providing training programs, sponsoring relevant courses, or offering opportunities for job rotation.

These initiatives show that you value your employees and are invested in their career advancement.

Ensuring Fair Treatment

Treat all employees fairly and equally.

This means avoiding favoritism, ensuring equal opportunities for all, and dealing with issues impartially.

A fair workplace promotes respect, unity, and productivity.

Promoting Work-Life Balance

Respect your employees’ need for a work-life balance.

Avoid expecting them to work beyond their scheduled hours regularly and encourage them to take their vacation time.

If possible, offer flexible working arrangements.

A good work-life balance can lead to happier, healthier, and more productive employees.

Providing Competitive Compensation and Benefits

Ensure your employees are adequately compensated for their work.

This includes providing competitive salaries, health benefits, retirement plans, and other perks.

Regularly review and update your compensation packages to retain and attract talent.

If the work environment in your marketing department is lacking in these areas, be hopeful.

You, as the marketing director, can bring change that benefits your employees, your department, and your company.

Begin to work toward a more positive work environment that motivates your employees, enhances their performance, and contributes to the success of your marketing department.

At the End of the Day

YOU are key.

Your role as a marketing director extends far beyond just strategizing and implementing campaigns.

As a leader, a marketing director has a profound influence on their employees, shaping their experiences, motivation, and productivity.

You hold the ability to enhance the well-being and performance of individual employees.

And when you do that, it can lead to an overall improvement in the success of your marketing department and your company.

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