Qualities of marketing leadership excellence

We think it's never been a more exciting time to be in marketing, and strongly believe great work here is a requisite for your company being in the top percent.

Companies that take marketing seriously in a connected world win, while those that see it as a 'nice to have' will always be playing catch-up. It's almost an unfair advantage.

But, what are some qualities that make up great leadership in our sector?

• A strategic vision: great marketing leaders can parse trends quickly to identify what holds real value. This requires a blend of open-mindedness, a deep understanding of technology and culture, and the confidence to know how to proceed.

• Team empowerment: the best leaders know their success is only as strong as their team. They invest in nurturing talent, empowering their team to not just sit in meetings but actually ship, and build an environment where creative and analytical minds thrive.

• Ruthless prioritization: there's now essentially infinite work marketers could do in a given day. But what channels actually reach people and have your message stand out? Some might be online, some might be off. You have to think about both.

• Analytics savvy: marketing is both an art and a science. Successful leaders embrace data to inform strategy, demonstrate impact and refine campaigns over time.

Of course these are just a few areas - there's so much more (like being fluent in adtech, ability to manage across functions, a proper sense of aesthetic, etc). The point is to be thoughtful in growing your team with talented professionals, and the good news is in this environment many of them are out there on the market.

We know you'll make great choices growing your team over the next year. And of course, we're here to help get your team's ideas out there into the world.