Seven Key Questions for the Ambitious Aspiring Leader

December 28, 2007 By Leave a Comment

Note: the Seven Key Questions are presented in Practical Lessons in Leadership by Petty and Petro.  The content here is expanded based on feedback received since the book’s publication in July ’07.

One of the fundamental tasks of any leader is to identify and develop his/her leadership bench strength.  In the ideal situation, the leader is watching her associates for signs of effective informal leadership skills, and then providing developmental assignments to those individuals interested in moving into more formal leadership roles. In this case, the aspiring leader gains valuable context for the role and challenges of leading and the manager is able to provide feedback and coaching.

Another scenario occurs when individual contributors or early career professionals recognize the potential benefits of a leadership role (usually it’s about money or title), and declare to their manager that they are ready to lead a team. Ask any experienced leader if they have been on the receiving end of someone walking into their office and making this declaration, and the leader will likely smile.

In either situation, the leader in charge can benefit from some simple but powerful questions to guide the ensuing discussions and activities.

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Is it time to expect more from your Marketing function?

December 27, 2007 By 1 Comment

Too many top executives in B2B organizations still equate the function and value of marketing with marketing communications.  While the field of marketing has advanced considerably in the last two decades, the view that marketing equals leads, tradeshows, press releases and a web site is still fairly commonplace in the B2B world.  This narrow view of marketing leaves money on the table in terms of what organizations should be deriving from a properly conceived approach to marketing.  It all starts with setting the right expectations.

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Our future leaders are at your kitchen table.

December 24, 2007 By Leave a Comment

Today’s posting jumps a bit off of the business path and in the spirit of the season and its emphasis on youth, offers some perspectives on the future leaders sitting at your kitchen table. 

We all probably remember our teachers telling us at some point early in grade school that we are the future leaders of our country.  I remember hearing those words and thinking of what it would be like to hold national office or serve as a judge on a high court.  What I didn’t realize at the time was that the teachers held a broad view of leadership, knowing full well that most of their students may never hold national office, but that they will almost all have a leadership role to play in their communities, churches, charitable organizations, and of course with their families.

Great leadership habits are formed in youth through observation and participation.  The next time you sit down to dinner with your family, take the time to offer encouragement to your future leaders.  You might just have a prospective President or Supreme Court Justice asking you to pass the mashed potatoes.

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Leading the Generations-An Example of What Not to Do!

December 17, 2007 By Leave a Comment

I attended the family holiday party this weekend and while munching on too many cheesy ryes and catching up on the lives of the out-of-town relatives, I was stopped in my tracks by the story of the job change that my gen X second cousin described. It was a stark description of the gross mismanagement of the generations at a unique time in history when we have four very distinct generations in the work force.

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Leadership in Marketing Communications-In Search of the Relentless Promoter

December 13, 2007 By Leave a Comment

There are many good B2B Marketing Communications professionals and teams, but a few individuals and teams stand-apart from the crowd as great.  While I suppose "great" is subjective, after working with and around many teams and professionals in 20 years as well as conducting Marketing Audits for companies and clients, it’s easy to spot extraordinary teams and individuals. 

The commitment that Relentless Promoters bring to their work is infectious, and the impact that they have on their company is material. 

If you area a marketing leader, it is your goal to populate your team with these individuals, provide them the resources that they need to succeed and stay out of the way.  And while it would be easy to slip into a nature versus nurture debate (are great marcom professionals born or made?), here are some suggestions for both scouting talent as well as helping develop it with the team you have in place.  I suspect that there is a bit of nature and a lot of nurture to produce a Relentless Promoter.

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