I sat down with Mike Colombo, Head of Global Demand Generation at Bricsys, to chat about building a meaningful marketing team culture. Here’s what he had to say about leading teams and the importance of storytelling for marketers.
[This interview has been edited and condensed.]
You have a unique leadership style. What do you do to cultivate meaningful team relationships under your leadership?
Being a marketing leader is tough, particularly today, so I go back to a few key principles:
01.
Connect with People. It sounds a little cliché, but connections make all the difference. I make sure I’m open enough for teammates to get to know me, and I also make a conscious effort to understand the people I lead. I value getting to know how they work best and what they care about. And realistically, it takes time to make connections, so don’t push on it; appreciate it.
I’ve actually found that failure is a great connector and leaders who are so removed they’re not able to admit mistakes struggle to connect broadly. I share situations where I messed up because they make for great stories. They weren’t funny to me at the time, but they certainly are lessons I have been able to pass on to others. You can build deep connections when turning around an adverse situation, because nothing creates an all-hands-on-deck rallying cry like failing does. “We won, so we all need to go back to the drawing board” is not something I’ve heard a lot.
02.
Set a Cadence and Structure. The best leaders I have worked with had an explicit cadence and structure. They had a playbook that guided their business approach and at the same time, it gave everyone a clear understanding of what to expect and when to expect it. In situations where I haven’t set a specific structure and cadence, I’ve ended up with a team wandering around asking, “Has anyone heard from Colombo?” “Are we going to have a meeting today?” That never ended well.
03.
Leverage Storytelling. Modern marketing is a challenge, and the corporate workplace can be draining. One of the best storytellers of all, Guy Kawasaki, says, “Don’t let the bozos grind you down.” A big part of my job is to create an environment where people can be energized, and I try to take some of the weight of the world off of my team so they can focus on what matters most in their role. Often that means using stories as an important teaching mechanism and to make things more interesting. Most people think marketers are innately good storytellers, but it’s actually not something that comes naturally; to be a storyteller, you have to have stories. I’ve been lucky to meet a wide range of quotable business leaders and interesting characters throughout my life. I’ve learned to leverage those stories I’ve picked up along the way to create themes that I hope are interesting and relevant to others.
What advice would you give to a young marketing manager trying to create a great work culture on their team?
To paraphrase a famous quote, “People will never forget how you made them feel.” You don’t have to be a seasoned marketer to make connections. Pay attention to the people around you, whether you know them or not. I had a good friend who I worked with early in my career who was forever late to all of our engagements. And it was because he was always talking to someone — he referred to it as “exercising his social skills.” Exercise your social skills and you’ll get better at making connections. The more you’re out engaging with coworkers, customers, and partners, the better you’ll be at understanding people and collecting stories. Some of my greatest successes have come from leveraging people who didn’t report to me directly.
Covid and remote work has made connecting harder so you have to be even more aware. And now more than ever, it’s crucial for a leader to give people structure and cadence. Everyone has new challenges because they’re working at home with children or pets underfoot, so you have to double down on paying attention as a leader right now. Make the effort to make connections. You don’t have to be someone you’re not — just be your genuine self.
Want more leadership advice? Check out the 5 unhelpful phrases you’re using at work (and what to try instead!). And learn how sales and marketing teams can build better connections and work together to deliver on company goals.
