How to run an outstanding B2B marketing team

Here are my top three takeaways from our recent roundtable on how to run an outstanding B2B marketing team.

1. Have a marketing charter or manifesto. A means of defining how marketing operates and what it aims to deliver and how came highly recommended by two of the leaders present. Ideally, this should be created by the team, but it is critical that it is aligned to company values. There were some different visions in terms of scope and structure, hence the different possible titles for this document… but the inherent objective and relevance was commonly recognised. It provides something with all team members (including new ones arriving) to align with, and importantly check back in on annually, to ensure the team is properly orientated, and that it remains fit for purpose. There were different perspectives about whether or not this should be used to measure behaviours and there was particular concern about linking this through to remuneration discussions, as it has the potential to drive, or reward the wrong behaviour. However, there was universal agreement of the potential of such a document to empower the team.

2. Go the extra mile to encourage universal engagement. Different personalities in teams have different propensities to engage – extraverts will respond quickly and take the lead on many things, but most teams aren’t made of extraverts alone, contributions made more slowly or on a more considered basis are likely to be just as valuable. So finding a way to enable more introverted personalities to contribute is vital. This could include provide a longer timeframe for reflection and more open opportunity to volunteer to present at team meetings, or even proactively nominating such individuals where they don’t volunteer, providing support to them to step outside their comfort zone and ensuring recognition by all team members.

3. Provide ownership of tasks and objectives to team members. Where members of the marketing team ‘own’ the problem and are given the latitude to find and deliver the solution, they typically demonstrate more initiative and are more satisfied and fulfilled than be a solution that is imposed on them, and which they may not even agree with (even if they don’t actually vocalise this). As one leader put it: my job is to ask the question and then step out of the way.

Want to know more? You can find the full list of actions and takeways in Propolis – for more information about how to join, please send me a message in this platform.

Propolis Leaders roundtables take place at B2B Marketing’s offices (and with remote access for members based outside the UK) on a monthly basis.