How To Operate With A Marketing Mindset In Leadership

As a leadership coach, one of the strengths I bring to my clients (let’s call it a Unique Super Power) is my marketing mindset. I’m only at the 10K mark of working exclusively in the space of coaching, having run a few marathons in the world of marketing and communications for 25 years before getting my coaching legs under me. So in the context of showing up as a coach, my marketing mind never shuts off. It’s a way of seeing challenges, dynamics and scenarios that is ever-present. 

But you don’t need to be a career marketer to think and act like a marketer in your leadership. Moreso, I think all leaders who don’t look at the world with a marketing mindset are leaving so much on the table. They won’t be effective influencers, relationship builders, and storytellers unless they lean into this mindset. 

Let’s start with a simple truth: everyone's a marketing expert. Let’s all own this. In our lives, we all express our opinions and viewpoints on the marketing we consume and interact with. We tell others what we think of that advertisement, or how a brand delivers on their promise, or how a company tells its story. It’s part of being a connected person in today’s age...we are constantly processing and honing our marketing minds through our own experiences.

So if we believe that we all have some form of marketing mindset, how do we bring that to our work lives? How can we tap into the innate desire that each of us has through that marketing lens?

Let’s begin by stating what it’s not. It’s none of those “icky” things that we sometimes associate with marketing. It’s not sales pitches and cheese ball slogans. It’s not in-your-face tactics that invade someone’s space. And it’s definitely not a contest to see who shouts the loudest. 

Showing up with a marketing mindset means you’re willing to put in the work with tools and techniques that are time-tested and trusted so that:

• people are more engaged in your story.

• teammates and colleagues are more influenced to take the desired action you want.

• clients and customers are more willing to listen and build a long-term relationship.

Here’s four spaces for any leader to start:

Deep Audience Understanding

The ground floor of marketing mindset is an unwavering focus on understanding your audience. In leadership, this translates to a deep empathy for and understanding of the people around you – employees, team members, clients, partners, and even beyond your immediate bubble in the organization and stretching across all the interest holders impacted by your decisions. Leaders with a marketing mindset don't just issue directives; they seek to understand the needs, motivations, pain points, and thoughts of those they lead and serve. This understanding becomes the fuel for more effective communication, personalized approaches to motivation and development, and the creation of solutions that genuinely resonate and create buy-in. It’s a formula that leads to increased trust, higher engagement, reduced resistance to change, and ultimately, better outcomes — because decisions are made with a clear picture of their impact on the human element. It shifts the focus from what needs to be done to who is involved and why it matters to them.

Compelling Communication

Marketers put in a big flex by crafting messages that are clear, concise, and compelling, designed to trigger and drive a specific action or feeling. They sweat over the words and it makes a world of difference! That marketing mindset guides you to really bear down in framing vision, strategy, and challenges in a way that is easily understood, retained, and ready to be acted on. This upfront investment pays off in boatloads in reduced confusion, increased confidence,  and deeper emotional support. Especially as leaders try to navigate their teams through the current choppy waters and daily uncertainty (insanity?), it couldn’t be more important. When I think of one particular client who leads a big creative team, I see what a difference the power of compelling communications can make. While there is substance and quality in the ideas that this leader presents to their team, it’s the investment and commitment to how they communicate that is the special sauce. They bring stories, personal examples, and sharp language to their communication. It makes every word and every moment land with precision and purpose.

Feedback Is Your Friend

Marketing is always focused on feedback. Surveys, NPS scores, and ratings are just a few of those ways that are umbically tied to the iterative marketing process. A marketing mindset in leadership embraces a similar approach to leadership strategies and initiatives. It involves actively seeking feedback, being open to what the "market" (your team, other colleagues, customers) is telling you, and being willing to adapt your approach based on that feedback. Leaders who adopt a marketing mindset are not rigidly tied to their plans. They are “professionally pliable” and are willing to shift and adapt based on feedback that resonates. They view feedback not as criticism, but as essential data points that are like oxygen. By being willing to adapt, leaders can navigate challenges more effectively, seize new opportunities, and build a culture of constant improvement.

It’s A Game Of Relationships

Successful marketing is fundamentally about building relationships to create brand loyalty and advocacy. In leadership, this translates to a focus on building strong, trusting relationships with team members, peers, mentors, and external partners. It's about investing in these relationships and understanding that they are the aquifer of influence and collaboration. This involves active listening, showing genuine care and respect, and investing time and effort in building authentic human connections. The stronger the relationships, things like increased collaboration, easier conflict resolution, and a more optimistic work environment just naturally flow. Just as a strong brand inspires loyalty, strong leadership relationships inspire commitment and dedication.

So here’s the nudge you needed to embrace the marketing mindset in your leadership. I’ll finish with a few reflective questions to set you up to get going:

In what areas of your leadership do you tend to tell more than you understand? Where might a deeper 'market research' approach yield some cool new insights?

Before your next important communication (a team meeting, an email, a presentation), pause and ask: 'Who is my audience, what do they care about, and what's the single most important message I want them to remember?' 

If your 'leadership brand' were a product, what are its key attributes? Are these aligned with how you want to be perceived by your audience?