Managing the Team

Marketing and communications are often undervalued. The activity can boost sales, enhance value and dramatically improve an organizations performance. Yet, so often, much activity falls on a small cadre of soldiers motivated more by the art than the commerce of their daily tasks. Perhaps, this is as it should be. Consider the business of making a movie. Wouldn’t it be boring if actors and directors thought of nothing else but box-office sales? You need actors and directors who are passionate about telling a story and telling it well. Managing marketing is like that.  It takes finesse. It also requires discipline and guidance to contain and focus energy on priorities.

At the start of each day there needs to be a sense of purpose. At the end of each day a feeling of accomplishment (and being a part of a larger mission). Look at any winning team. They pay attention to the details. In baseball it might be base hits. In football it might be first downs. The players on the field don’t have the luxury of thinking about the bigger picture because the bigger picture is comprised of execution.

Movies, sports or business – it’s about a lot of individuals playing important roles in the ultimate success of the enterprise. Ultimately, it’s those people in the skilled positions that make the difference. Ironically, it can often be extraordinary efforts by those who might otherwise seem to be only average that so often surprise us with outstanding performances.

The difference might be leadership. It might be chemistry. It might be devine intervention. Whatever it is, it looks like teamwork.