Leaders of the future

Thirty years ago, the late Whitney Houston once sang, “I believe the children are our future, teach them well and let them lead the way”. The song, “The Greatest Love of All” was a huge hit for Whitney in 1985 and has since been performed (very badly) at karaoke bars around the world.

However, the lyric couldn’t be truer. As I sit in my office in London writing this blog, there are students all over the world in lecture halls being taught the disciplines of their chosen subjects.  These students are the future and one day will replace the likes of you and I. Sitting in those rooms are CMOs, CEOs, and CIOs of the future. 

This made me wonder. Are children being taught well enough in universities so that they can actually lead the way?  My thought led me on a quest to reach out to universities across the United Kingdom.  I wanted to understand how universities are preparing students for life in the corporate world – specifically in Marketing – and how companies like Cisco, could support their efforts.

Planes, trains and automobiles

A few weeks ago, I visited six universities in quick succession to guest lecture on the evolution of marketing as a result of the digital disruption. My journey took me on planes, trains and automobiles from Bournemouth to Glasgow. I shared with students the impact digital and big data has had on my team, the challenges and opportunities its presented and how I’m leading my function to become the best b2b marketing function in the technology industry. 

On my travels, a number of things stood out for me. Firstly, I was surprised at how many students had not heard of the term ‘digital disruption’ and ‘digitisation’.  Digital is the third revolution we are witnessing.  The first being the industrial revolution and the second being the internet revolution.  Digital is transforming every aspect of our lives from how we live, work, play and learn.  I wondered why the lecturers were not using business ‘buzz words’ in their lessons.  I left concerned that these students would soon be seeking employment without knowledge of today’s business vocabulary.

As a taxi took me to another train station to catch yet another train to continue my journey, I looked out at the window and once again found myself wondering. Maybe companies should be investing time in both students and lecturers?  Students often contact us for intern opportunities, but maybe we should offer intern or project opportunities to lecturers too so that they can keep their skills refreshed?  After all, many lecturers have never actually worked outside of their lecture halls.

Jake Barclay – Future Leader

What did astound me was the enthusiasm of some of the students I met and their hunger to succeed. I was also pleasantly surprised at the amount of students that had chosen to study marketing after already completing a science based degree. The marketer of the 21st century must be half marketer and half scientist so these particular students were of great interest to me. In my eyes, they are the future of marketing!

One student in particular stood out. His name is Jake Barclay.  After my lecture he approached me as I stood taking to a group of students.  Jake handed me his business card and delivered with it his two minute elevator pitch.  The other students looked uncomfortable, he had completely disrupted them.  Cisco’s chairman, John Chambers, regularly says “disrupt or be disrupted”.  Jake Barclay has chosen to be a disruptor and good on him.  As we said goodbye, I looked down at his business card to see that it read “leader of the future”.  I smiled.  After our interaction I had no doubt in my mind that with his confidence he would definitely be a leader of the future….and maybe at Cisco.

New Partnerships

As a result of my outreach programme there have been two great outcomes of which I am very proud.

1. I have been exploring the role students can play in supporting my team in managing projects. I believe their fresh, millennial perspective combined with the skills of my experienced marketers, will produce great results for Cisco. Not only will their participation positively disrupt my team, but it will also provide the students with experience of an active B2B marketing function – an experience that cannot be replicated at a university.
2. Cisco is now helping two universities in the United Kingdom write modules for a new degree and I am delighted that we are helping to shape student’s education and prepare them for the corporate world.

I thoroughly enjoyed my university tour and believe now more than ever that its critical business leaders invest time in delivering guest lectures and meeting students and lecturers.

In the not too distant future, these students will be our new hires and our successors responsible for evolving the work that you and I have already started. Therefore, why not teach them well now, so that they are prepared to lead the way?