It is no secret that most people naturally despise change — we are creatures of habit after all. This makes it hard to lead in an industry that is constantly evolving. Not only do marketing teams dislike having to alter the way they do things but so do consumers.

In an insightful TED talk, Jim Hemerling, a managing director and senior partner at Boston Consulting Group, spoke about change within marketing. He looked at ways that a marketer can focus on leading in this era of constant change.

Here, media update’s Talisa Jansen van Rensburg takes a closer look at the different ways in which marketers can be leaders in this environment.

Let’s jump right in:

1. Inspire through purpose

When a company implements new strategies, it is normally to improve sales. But it is essential that they don't make this the main goal. As a marketer, it is important to remind your team that they have a purpose that goes beyond just making money. In his talk, Hemerling used the example of the LEGO Group.

“LEGO’s powerful purpose [is to] inspire and develop the builders of tomorrow. It is not about increasing sales, but about giving millions of additional children access to LEGO building bricks.”

Therefore, it is no surprise that the employees at LEGO, including their marketers, are much more motivated and inspired by this cause. They are not just focusing on making cash but are encouraged by “that deep sense of purpose”.

So, what can marketers learn from this? If there’s a shift in the industry and their brand is looking to spice things up, they need to focus on the purpose that goes beyond the change, or ‘the bigger picture’.

2. Go all in

As a leader of the marketing team, you need to go all in. For example, if your team is used to a certain way of doing things and you’d like to implement a new strategy, you need to get them all on board or else risk having them put in half-hearted efforts.

Remember, your team comes first, so you need to protect them at all costs and ensure that everyone is happy with what you’re doing. During this transition, you need to focus on helping them see the benefits of this new change.

Putting people first will show them that they are an essential part of the team and that this process will not be successful without them.

So remember to tell your team why they are important and appreciated; be open about their progress and the challenges faced throughout the new change or process.

3. Enable people

If you want to be a leader in an era of constant change, you will need to provide your team with the required skills and tools to make the transition effortless. There is nothing more frustrating than having to up and change the way your company has been doing things without the support and capabilities to do so.

Take, for instance, media update; our team receives training as soon as management starts implementing new strategies. It is so important that a company focuses on upskilling its employees when changes are made.

That’s also why our writers attend webinars and events to gain industry insight to write more insightful content for our readers. We also encourage new writers to ask for any training they feel they need most. For example, if SEO is something that is new to them, they’ll be allowed to take an SEO course by Udemy.

Providing your team with the capabilities they need to succeed during the transformation and beyond is a definite way to lead within your industry.

4. Instil a culture of continuous learning

It’s so simple to employ the most qualified people within your marketing team. But, if you are not going to develop or grow their skills, your brand will be left behind. Instilling a culture of continuous learning is therefore vital.

You might be thinking, “What if we train them and they leave?” Instead, you need to ask yourself, “What if we don’t train them and they stay?” The risk of not training your employees is greater than the risk of upskilling them and them wanting to leave. This is because people would rather stick to a company that invests in them.

Hemerling gave another great example when looking at Satya Nadella becoming the CEO of Microsoft in February 2014. Nadella focused on changing the fixed mindset within the company to one where people were looking to learn from each other. It was no longer about being the smartest person in the room, but it was about learning and helping one another.

That’s why, within your own marketing team, you need to get everyone out of a fixed headspace and let them know that it is okay to not know everything. You need to remind them that you’re all learning something new every day. By doing this, your team will be in a constant state of growth and self-doubt will be kept to a minimum.

What are other ways you think marketers can lead during this era? Be sure to let us know in the comments section below.

Are you loving this type of content? Then why not subscribe to our newsletter?

If all your content is starting to sound the same, then It's time to switch up your content marketing strategy.
*Image courtesy of Unsplash