Brent Pohlman
I came across this article, To Be a Great Marketer, You Have to Be a Great Leader First by Jon Miller – August, 2013. This article really makes a number of great points and you will want to read it. It really serves as the basis for this article I am writing.
2015 has been a very unusual year for me. I have found myself really focusing on more than just marketing. In today’s chaotic business environment, I have found myself looking much more at a bigger picture and really looking at what its going to take to achieve a much higher return.
Great companies are run by leaders who think big! It is important to learn from other leaders. Each person posesses some degree or ability to lead. Some are better than others. Do your homework and develop a set of attributes that you want to incorporate as part of your leadership traits.
- Good listener
- Results oriented
- Focused on deadlines
- Producing faster results
- Identifying ways to become better with technology
- Client service driven
- Collaboration is critical
Challenge People
Everyone needs to be challenged and focused on a higher goal. Way too often, we get tied down to our own smaller projects and it feels like progress is very slow. When smaller projects are organized into a larger picture, it is here that people really see where the connections really are.
Respect is earned, not entitlement
Earn the respect of your management team and co-workers each day.
Always show value
Show value with a price tag. Many people have ideas on improvements, very few people can articulate the value and put a cost or savings figure along with their idea. This is where leadership comes in. Leaders truly think like business people and look for ways to maximize profits.
Continue to look for ways to improve processes
Every process can be improved to some extent. Be selective and think bigger. Take the time and really dig in and look at all steps in a process. Don’t focus on one section and put all efforts in that one area. If that is all you can do, is the change really worth it. Also, consider making a small change if you feel it can be replicated across departments.
Create content and connect more
There are some great people on Linkedin. Connect with people who share on a regular basis. Start sharing your own thoughts using the Linkedin Blogging Platform. Learn what others are thinking. (It is s a professional site) Those who use it to tell personal stories are quite obvious.
Finally, focus more on building yourself as a leader, it will help you connect with your co-workers and you will see how critical it is to build relationships. Your marketing focus will also change and you will focus more time on pursuing, building and nurturing those relationships. Leadership paired with relationship marketing is the best combination you can have.
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