There seem to be new technologies, marketing practices, varying work expectations, and evolving organizational structures every day–not to mention endless external factors. The cause and effect of these changes directly impact our teams. What will the future of teams look like, and how can leaders stay ahead and help their teams easily navigate transformation?
We recently hosted David Bornoff, Head of Brand Marketing at DoorDash, and Gene Paek, Global Head of Digital Experience at Hewlett Packard (HP), on Visionaries. They dove deep into content, storytelling, and utilizing new technologies. However, a large segment of the conversation was around successfully leading our teams and talent into the future. Below are three predictions on the future of teams every marketing leader should be thinking about.
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#1 New Specialist Roles
By Gene Paek
Being the expert in new technologies [like chatgpt] doesn’t have to fall 100% on your shoulders. Data science didn’t exist fifteen years ago, but now it’s a common practice. How can we create new roles for specialists in these areas? I can see prompt engineering being a practice of the future.
For my teams, we’re seeing tremendous success with people who can create content in the right context for the platform. Whether it’s TikTok, Pinterest, or Instagram, we have people in-house creating content native to the platform that feels familiar and fits within the ecosystem in which the audience is consuming content.
There are many people who are very savvy within each platform but also understand how to create, be comfortable in front of the camera, and articulate a point very well. That’s a skill set I’ve started to see over the past five years that will continue to resonate with marketing teams.
#2 Hiring for Empathy
By David Bornoff
Find people who are curious, care about the audience, and think customer first. We have these tools that will become more sophisticated and make the job easier for people who aren’t necessarily super savvy on technology.
Then, once you’ve found marketers who sincerely care, figure out how to adapt the tools. We’re brand marketers. Our job is to hire smart agencies to partner with the greatest technologists and to find those folks who can bring our story to life. But always pick the people who hold the brand story closest to them.
#3 More Focus on The ‘How’ vs. The ‘Why’
By Gene Paek
Many people have adopted the mindset of “what’s your why.” I’ve found that this philosophy makes people self-centered. In developing my team’s culture, I like to focus on the how. How can I be the best partner within my organization? How can I be the best manager? How can I be the best teammate or the best part of someone’s day? If you focus on “the how,” it fosters empathy, but it also makes you an incredible person to work with.
We work with a lot of different teams within our organization and even outside of our organization. The marketing industry is a tight-knit group. If your how is off, people will know about it, and your reputation will follow you.
Summary
In a time where change is one of the only constants, we need leaders who can navigate their teams through it with ease. Things we do now can positively impact the future of teams. Try taking the pressure off yourself or others by hiring specialists in new technologies, doubling down on the impact of empathy, or shaping your team’s culture to be driven by the ‘how’ vs. the ‘why.’
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Meet The Visionaries
David Bornoff is the Head of Brand Marketing at DoorDash. Prior to DoorDash, David was Executive Director of Marketing at Pandora, having previously served as the company’s Creative Director. Before Pandora, David was Creative Director at Interbrand S.F., where he focused on three primary clients, Chevron, Google, and eBay. David is an AdWeek executive Mentor and an active member of the Google Intersections DE&I council. In 2020, David was named to the “40 under 40” list of global marketers and his work has received numerous creativity and campaign awards.
Gene Paek is the Global Head of Digital Experience at Hewlett Packard (HP). He started his career with interactive advertising and website development. He has a passion for advertising and marketing through digital channels. Within this scope, he worked for renowned agencies and companies and has specialized in social media marketing throughout his career. Before becoming the Global Head of Digital Experience and Innovation at HP, Gene was the VP of marketing of the social app VSCO. Prior to that, he was the Global Head of Business Marketing at Instagram.
Visionaries, hosted by Nadine Dietz, airs every week and is brought to you in partnership with The Wall Street Journal. Each week, two new visionaries share their game plan and how that impacts today’s teams, talent, and hybrid work environment.
Marketers That Matter® is a community of top marketing executives coming together to pioneer the future of marketing, sharing real-time experiences, and solving current challenges.
Our parent company, 24 Seven, specializes in helping you find exceptional marketing and creative talent for your teams.
