Thirty hotshot agency execs and client side marketers were chosen for The Marketing Academy program at the start of the year. As part of a series of articles from those future Australian leaders, Goodman Fielder marketing director Victoria Cooper shares just some of what the scholars have learned so far.
The first third of the inaugural Marketing Academy of Australia program now being complete. With six months left the question the industry must ask is, what insights have they gleaned from the various mentoring and coaching sessions, boot camp and lectures.
The short answer is truckloads. With one of the key parts of leadership being sharing of knowledge and developing other leaders below is a sample of the key thoughts or quotes from the scholars experiences with direct references to marketing leaders in our industry. With training budgets always under pressure and a gap in our marketplace of Australian marketers rising to C level appointments, below demonstrates just a snippet of the quality of learning and training that is happening right now in order to up skill our entire industry.
Adam Ross, Head of Co-Creation, Mindshare
If it is a problem you have solved before, that suggests that someone else is equally capable of solving it; that is your signal to delegate and coach them through it. If it is a problem that you haven’t encountered before, that is what you should focus on - it is a case of de ja vu versus vu ja de.
William Papesch, Marketing Manager, DBG Australia
“You can't get people to follow you from 30,000 feet. Earn respect and make it clear what you stand for”. via Mark Reinke, Executive Director Marketing, Suncorp Group.
Justin Robinson, Director of Marketing, Operations & Media, Foxtel
"I will only hire someone to work directly for me if I would work for that person"
Pia Coyle, Head of Training & Amplification, IKON Communications:
Be stealth in your hiring - seek out people who are smarter and hungrier than you. It provides a succession plan, but also keeps you on your toes and makes you so much better. Easy to say, hard to do!
Sharon Lewis, Executive Producer, M&C Saatchi:
“To be a great leader you need to start with the why. Seek to understand and be conscious of your purpose, and how this links back to your personal and professional life, as well as the way you lead.”via John Green, Director of Innovation at Lion https://youtu.be/sioZd3AxmnE
Nicole Bardsley, Director of Brand & Communication, Virgin Mobile:
The best leaders are real people with real vulnerabilities who are open about not having all the answers. There greatest skills are listening and asking questions. As a general rule “listen twice as much as you talk” and learn how to draw the answers and opinions out of people around you. Being a good reader of body language is also important as often it is what people are not saying that is the most powerful message.
Sean Hall, General Manager Employee Experience, Telstra:
When looking at talent “raw intelligence, hunger, will and passion will win out over experience.”
Tim Kirby, Managing Director, Naked Communications:
If it is not truthful and not helpful, don’t say it.
If it is truthful and not helpful, don’t say it.
If it is not truthful and helpful, don’t say it.
If it is truthful and helpful, wait for the right time.
Heilan Bolton, Marketing Manager, 20th Century Fox
Think head in, heart out when it comes to leading your team
Hamish Strahorn, Group Business Director, Starcom
"Every leader must have a healthy level of paranoia in their life / job to keep on succeeding".
Kim Hamilton, National Head of Performance, OMD:
As an emerging leader, think of yourself as always being on show. Take every opportunity seriously by preparing and critically evaluating your performance. Whether it is simply a meeting with your team or a presentation to company. Find ways to sell yourself.
Paul Connell, Home Care Business Team Leader ANZ, Unilever:
As you develop as a leader don’t forget the things that made you great. Know your flavour and be self aware enough to know where that will help you and the people around you develop and where it won’t.
Amy Lee-Hopkins, Brand & Reputation Manager, Barnardos Australia
“Great leaders always have a point of view, its important your team know yours.”
“What everyone thinks of you is none of your business, focus on yourself and your team and don’t worry about politics-learn your craft and be amazing.” via Katie Rigg-Smith CEO Mindshare Australasia
Rachel Taylor, Marketing Manager, PepsiCo:
Great leaders show courage. Don’t accept the status quo.
Victoria Cooper, Marketing Director, Goodman Fielder:
Focus on the authentic leadership model as quoted by Matt Tapper National Marketing Director at Lion Nathan.
1. You must trust others and have strong relationships, which means being true to yourself and true to others and knowing each others values.
2. Have high personal awareness
3.Display courage and heart which means speaking up at the right times and creating a culture where people feel comfortable to do that.
Jane Merrick, Head of Marketing Communications, IAG Australia :
As a leader we need to have an eternal belief in optimism - we all have to fundamentally believe “I can do better, we can do better, and the organisation can do better” When we don't feel that, its time for a change..
See www.themarketingacademy.org.au for more info on The Marketing Academy.
Read more from The Marketing Academy:
The Marketing Academy: Leadership and the case for more chiefs
The Marketing Academy: Words of wisdom from 30 marketers to watch
Meet the next generation of Australian marketing leaders - 30 to watch
More than 200 Aussie marketers nominated for leadership scheme