Setting the pace
In my transition into a senior marketing leadership role, I know the importance of not wasting time and working with experienced pacemakers to have a positive impact and deliver results. I am participating in the Cannes Lions CMO Accelerator program and am looking forward to working with industry leaders and professionals to set the pace for success.
"The pacing team isn't an accident. It's a choice." – Seth Godin
With my transition into a senior marketing leadership role, some things have become more precise and critical.
- I do not have the 30 cycles that Mark Ritson speaks of for a marketer in their 20's Call to Action podcast(Episode 100). While I've already worked 20-plus cycles, I have 15 more to own and deliver.
- Knowing the appalling state of implementation, delivery, structure and framework, efficiency, and approach across the industry as regularly reported in Marketing Week and [Marketing Professionals] (https://www.marketingprofs.com/cmp/stateofb2b/22report/sa/#), I do not have time to waste not to do this properly the first time.
- I want to have an impact; that's one of the reasons why our in-house agency is called Impact, and we deliver results now. So, as per Seth Godin's Choosing your pacemaker, I must link myself to experienced and professional pacemakers.
I am pleased to have semi-regular arms-length access to Mark Ritson and the brilliant teams at Xeim in London. I am excited to return to Cannes for the Lions Festival in a few weeks.
Fortunately, I am a part of the Cannes Lions [CMO Accelerator programme] (https://www.canneslions.com/initiatives/cmos/cmo-accelerator-programme-2023) for senior marketers this year. I look forward to working with Jim Stengel, Suzanne Tosolini, Gary Vaynerchuk and the Cannes Lions education team.
The pace set by Mark, Jim, Suzanne, Gary, and Cannes Lions will be fast and just the speed I need to deliver results and make a positive Impact.
The vital role of team managers in harnessing the power of Microsoft 365
In today's fast-paced digital era, effective collaboration and streamlined workflows are vital to achieving success in any organisation. As businesses increasingly rely on technology to drive productivity and innovation, team managers play a pivotal role in harnessing the power of software tools to foster a culture of excellence, support their team members, and deliver high-quality work.
In today's fast-paced digital era, effective collaboration and streamlined workflows are vital to achieving success in any organisation.
As businesses increasingly rely on technology to drive productivity and innovation, team managers play a pivotal role in harnessing the power of software tools to foster a culture of excellence, support their team members, and deliver high-quality work.
Among the myriad productivity suites available, Microsoft 365, the default platform for Office applications for many organisations, is a comprehensive solution that empowers managers to lead their teams to new heights.
It has become even more important for team managers to know how to use the Microsoft 365 software suite well and execute work with the highest quality, with a focus on corporate culture and their team members.
Ensuring Quality Work Delivery
The pursuit of quality work should be a cornerstone of any successful organisation. Microsoft 365 provides an array of tools that can enhance the quality of deliverables. Previously this may have meant of focus on professional documents in Word or PowerPoint. However, today's tools like Power Automate, Flow, and Power BI can help make processes efficient and automated with transparent reporting to both leadership and teams. By mastering these tools, team managers can set high standards, guide their team members in producing polished outputs, and ensure the high quality of work delivered to clients, stakeholders, and colleagues.
Cultivating a Culture of Collaboration
Effective collaboration lies at the heart of a successful team. Microsoft 365 offers tools like Outlook, Teams, OneNote, SharePoint, and Yammer, enabling seamless communication, document sharing, and project management. By becoming proficient in these tools, team managers can create a collaborative culture where information flows freely, ideas are easy to share, and the team harnesses collective intelligence. This approach to collaboration fosters innovation, boosts creativity, and enhances problem-solving capabilities within the team.
Promoting Seamless Communication and Connectivity
Clear and effective communication is vital for a team's success. Microsoft 365 equips team managers with communication tools such as Microsoft Teams, Outlook, and SharePoint. These tools enable real-time messaging, video conferencing, email integration, and the managed sharing of information, fostering seamless communication among team members, regardless of location. By leveraging these tools proficiently, managers can ensure everyone is on the same page, address concerns promptly, and build strong relationships within the team.
Streamlining Workflows for Efficiency
Delivering work efficiently and on time is a hallmark of successful teams. Microsoft 365 offers many tools that streamline workflows, automate repetitive tasks, and enhance productivity. For instance, traditional tools like Excel help managers analyse data, make informed decisions, and track progress. Other apps like Planner or Project enable efficient project planning and resource allocation. By mastering these tools, team managers can optimise processes, identify bottlenecks, and allocate resources effectively, improving work efficiency and timely deliverables.
Empowering and Supporting Team Members
A team manager's role extends beyond assigning tasks and monitoring progress. Ensuring your team members are trained and confident to use the powerful new parts of Microsoft 365 supports efficiency, process, reporting, and quality gains in day-to-day work. Powerful tools like Power Automate, Flow, Planner, Power BI, and Microsoft Forms can help to remove the drudgery of repeated manual process work. By utilising these tools effectively, managers can work with team members to provide personalised support, mentorship and identify growth opportunities. This approach to empowering and supporting your team members, in turn, enhances employee satisfaction, engagement, and retention.
Conclusion
As technology evolves, team managers must adapt and embrace the tools to drive collaboration, support their team members, and deliver high-quality work. Microsoft 365 offers an all-encompassing software suite that empowers managers to cultivate a culture of cooperation and partnership, execute work excellently, and respect and support team members.
By becoming proficient in the complete Microsoft 365 suite, team managers can unlock the full potential of their teams, foster innovation, and drive success in today's digital landscape.
How to lead and support an exhausted team
Leaders aren’t therapists and shouldn’t try to be. But people are coping with collective grief and trauma on a global scale, which means leaders have to learn and exercise new skills. HBR
We remain in challenging times. Leaders must be aware of the landscape and issues impacting their teams and the people in their lives as we work our way through this.
Two of the most important things you can do are:
Lead by example - which means ensuring that you are managing your own stress and recovery cycles.
Make sure that your team are having their own downtime and recovery periods.
A great read from HBR with recommended action points for all leaders.
Things that might be missing from your job description
Things your design manager expects from you, but won’t say out loud.
“Things that might be missing from your job description” is published by Fabricio Teixeira in UX Collective — Read on uxdesign.cc/things-that-are-missing-from-your-job-description-29871d9e8d8b
I totally agree with at least 40 of these things. This is a great list.