1、The Marketing MindsetA guide for marketers who want toinstill a powerful marketing mindset inthemselves and their organisations2The Marketing MindsetBest Practice Guide2ndEditionPublished August 2022No part of thispublication may bereproduced ortransmitted in any formor by any means,electronic ormec

2、hanical,includingphotocopy,recording orany information storageand retrieval system,without priorpermission in writingfrom the publisher.Econsultancy LondonFloor M,10 York Road,London,SE1 7NDUnited KingdomTel:+44(0)20 7970 4322Econsultancy New York205 Hudson Street,7th Floor New York,New York,10013Un

3、ited StatesEmail:Website:http:/Contents1.0 Introduction61.1 Foreword101.2 Executive Summary121.3 Methodology141.4 About Econsultancy152.0 Understanding Mindset162.1 Why mindset matters182.2 Evaluating ones mindset202.3 Mindset and career success223.0 Understanding the Marketing Mindset263.1 The case

4、 for cultivating a marketingmindset in an organisation303.2 The 10 Cs of marketing mindset35Foundational3.2.1 Customer Centric353.2.2 Commercially focused42Internal3.2.3 Capable443.2.4 Committed493.2.5 Confident543.2.6 Creative64External3.2.7 Curious693.2.8 Challenging743.2.9 Collaborative793.2.10 C

5、onnected844.0 Fostering an OrganisationalMarketing Mindset894.1 Understand the relationship betweenmindset and culture904.2 Hire for skills and marketing mindset914.2.1 Start with mindset914.2.2 Never hire for skills alone934.2.3 Beware creating a culture of genius954.2.4 Hire diverse teams954.3 Hav

6、e a mantra954.4 Understand the companys valueproposition964.5 Know thy customer974.5.1 Develop and communicatecustomer personas974.5.2 Integrate data and technology974.6 Prioritise long-term growth strategy overquarterly financial targets984.7 Map customer journeys994.8 Update key performance indica

7、tors tobalance customer centricity with commercialfocus1004.9 Optimise organisational structures1014.9.1 Audit organisational structures1014.9.2 Organise around the customer10244.9.3 Evaluate the impact oforganisational structure onorganisational and individual mindsets1024.10 Optimise workflow1024.

8、10.1 Audit workflow1024.10.2 Map customer journeys tounderstand underserved andoverserved touchpoints1034.10.3 Follow the 3E protocol1034.11 Focus on the employee experience1034.11.1 Facilitate learning opportunities1034.11.2 Decouple catch ups fromperformance reviews1064.11.3 Provide coaching and m

9、entoring1074.11.4 Debrief after every campaign1074.11.5 Run team workshops1094.11.6 Survey marketers1105.0 Conclusion1136.0 Further Resources1156.1 Customer centricity1166.2 Customer experience strategy1166.3 Commercial focus1176.4 Marketing skills,mindset and talent1176.5 Strategic thinking and pla

10、nning forthe future11851.0 Introduction6Econsultancy has been investigating marketingknowledge and skills for more than 20 years.Overthat time,we have conducted many research studiesand interviewed thousands of marketing leaders andpractitioners about the human capabilities requiredfor success.One t

11、hing that has become clear is that some of themost important requirements for modern marketingare not skills at all,at least not in the way mostprofessionals use the term.Never has that been so clear as in the years since thestart of the Covid-19 pandemic and the shift to digitalfulfilment that it s

12、parked.Econsultancys case studylibrary is brimming with recent examples of peopledoing remarkable things with little information andscant resources,all while working with new methodsto serve customers behaving in novel ways.Time and again,interviewees for this reportmentioned attributes like“curiosi

13、ty”as well as beingcustomer focused and commercially minded.Together,these and other qualities form whatEconsultancy has come to call the marketingmindset.Skills of the Modern MarketerFor modern marketers to be successful,they need toembrace three integrated skillsets:7Marketing knowledge relates to

14、 facts,information,understanding and broadfoundational marketing skills acquired throughprofessional experience and study,e.g.understanding the retail media landscape.Marketing skills describes the ability toaccomplish marketing-related tasks with someamount of technical expertise,e.g.conduct an A/B

15、split test on email subject lines.Marketing mindset refers to a persons way ofthinking about their role which can affectbehaviour,mental models and responses tochallenges.Marketing mindset is born out of theidea of a growth mindset,developed by Dr.CarolDwek.Her studies established that ones mindseth

16、ad a strong effect on the ability to improveindividual capabilities.The Marketing Mindset applies this work to ourdiscipline,laying out the steps to deliver additionalvalue for the marketer,for the organisation and forthe customer.Marketing mindset is characterised by balancingcustomer centricity wi

17、th commercial focus;acommitment to improving capability,confidence toexercise curiosity and creativity about customers andways of working;an openness to challenging ways ofthinking and working and equally to beingchallenged to do better;a willingness to collaborateacross disciplines and,finally,to b

18、eing connected tothe purpose of the organisation.Econsultancys Skills of the Modern Marketer BestPractice GuideThis report has been written to explore marketingmindset.It seeks to define the components of themarketing mindset and to distinguish it from thebroader growth mindset discussion.Ultimately

19、,this report is for marketers,as individualsand leaders,who want to instill a strong marketingmindset in themselves or their organisations.8This research answers the following questions:What is a mindset and what is a marketingmindset?What is the relationship between mindset andindividual performanc

20、e?How can a marketing mindset be cultivated?What are the considerations for an organisationalapproach to mindset?Upon completion,readers will be able to:Understand the key components of a marketingmindset.Know how to cultivate a marketing mindset.Understand the relationship between mindset andcareer

21、 performance.Be able to support colleagues in examining andupdating their mindset.Know how their organisation can supportmarketers in their learning journey toward astrong marketing mindset.91.1 ForewordEconsultancys ongoing research to define excellencein marketing suggests that knowledge and skill

22、s,bythemselves,are no longer enough in the era ofmodern marketing.Digital has liberated theconsumer and customer from retail-driven limitationsof when and how they buy products,enabling themto operate freely,consume content and purchaseproduct whenever and however they like 168 hours aweek.To keep u

23、p,the modern marketer needs to adoptsignificantly more agile ways of working and thinkingto fuse their existing knowledge and skills with amindset to succeed.However,based on Econsultancys interactions withsenior brand leaders,its clear that while there isrecognition of the need to hire for and cult

24、ivate amodern marketing mindset,there is still a long wayto go before mindset is acknowledged and fosteredas a strategic imperative of growth.When Chris Hadfield,former astronaut andCommander of the International Space Station,spokeat our Festival of Marketing,he talked about hownothing came easily

25、for him.Even though it is now possible for him to look back ata stellar career,he spent his life pushing theboundaries of his own knowledge and skills.He said there are always people who are technicallycapable to succeed but the quality that differentiatesthose that make it to space and those who do

26、 not isone thing only:Mindset!This is equally true for how marketers need to live andwork in the modern marketing era.Econsultancyconsults with some of the worlds leading brands.Italways amazes me that while we are hired to supportmarketers to update their skills,it is when I mentionthe topic of min

27、dset that CMOs,CDOs and CEOs lifttheir heads and immediately look me in the eye.Theyintuitively know that it is mindset that sets the bestmarketers and marketing teams apart from theirpeers.And yet while they know this,they find it10difficult to articulate what mindset is and how oneacquires and emb

28、eds it.This report answers these questions both forindividual marketers and for marketing leaders whowish to create the right environment for optimisingmindset.Marketers work in an environment characterised bychange political,economic,social and technological.Despite it all,they need to profitably s

29、erve customerswhose needs and tastes constantly change.Thisrequires the right mindset to thrive,and at its core isthe inclination to always be learning.To be open to learning is to be humble about onesknowledge and skills.Marketers cannot rely on staticknowledge and skills when operating in a dynami

30、cenvironment.To be open to learning bypasses egoand leaves room to embrace change,to thinkcritically and to collaborate.To be open to learningmeans always asking meaningful questions abouthow to serve your customers profitably and over asustained period.To be open to learning meansknowing when you n

31、eed to be quiet,and when youneed to listen to what your colleagues have to say.No matter how competent or seasoned,everymarketer is essentially a perpetual student,foreverpreparing for the next test.Marketers who forget thishave forgotten why they entered the profession in thefirst place.The marketi

32、ng leaders who recognise the very realcommercial need to accelerate the knowledge,skillsand mindset of their marketers in equal measure willbe the ones most likely to succeed in the modern era.11Richard RobinsonDirector,EconsultancyRichard BreedenManaging Director,Econsultancy1.2 Executive SummaryTh

33、is report expands on Econsultancys Skills of theModern Marketer and How Marketers Learn reportsby examining the marketing mindset.Based on in-depth interviews with marketing leaders and aquantitative study of more than 800 marketers,thiswork defines the characteristics of mindset necessaryfor a succ

34、essful career in marketing.#Marketing mindset builds from the concept ofgrowth mindset-the belief that a person(ororganisations)qualities represent a starting point fordevelopment and can be cultivated throughpurposeful effort.Key TakeawaysSkills are important but mindset is the foundationfor a succ

35、essful marketing career.In researchingmarketing skills,Econsultancy discovered thatwhile skills are important,it is mindset that setselite marketers apart.Marketers who see their abilities or environmentas fixed will find it difficult to excel.In a dynamiccharacterised by change,a belief in fixedcha

36、racteristics can stall an individuals career.Itcan also have ramifications for an organisationsability to deliver change programmes.Seventy-four percent of senior executives believethat mindset is more important to success thanexperience or specific expertise.It is no surprisethat nearly the same nu

37、mber(73%)say thatmindset is very important to their hiring process.The research identifies 10 characteristics ofmarketing mindset:customer centricity pluscommercial focus,capability,commitment,confidence,creativity,curiosity,challenging,collaboration and connection.Cultivating a marketing mindset ca

38、n facilitatechanging an organisations attitude to failure.Econsultancy refers to two types of failure;inherent and unnecessary.Inherent failure isabout managing risk.Unnecessary failure is what12happens when the marketer has failed to get thebasics right.The risk of inherent failure is bothacceptabl

39、e and necessary.It requires anunderstanding of the risk,expertise attuned to thedomain and careful management.Marketing mindset facilitates a test-and-learnculture.An open attitude to inherent failure and awillingness to record the lessons that spring fromit will free marketers to optimise curiosity

40、 andcreativity to challenge and update ways of workingrather than wedding themselves to processes thatseek to eliminate all risk.Marketing mindset can facilitate innovation.Organisations that encourage and reward curiosityhave been shown to experience greaterinnovation,increased adaptability,reduced

41、 groupconflict and more open communication.1There is a direct relationship between mindset andculture.Mindset refers to a persons way ofthinking which in turn can have an impact on theirbeliefs and behaviour.Culture refers to a set ofbeliefs and behaviours by members of a group.The health of a cultu

42、re depends upon themindsets of each individual.To put this intocontext,nine in ten marketers at every level and inevery sector believe that mindset is contagiouswithin a team or organisation.Organisational approach to mindset varies wildly.For example,respondents at companies with atraditional envir

43、onment are less than half as likelyto say their employers try to foster a strongmindset than those at companies with acollaborative culture(41%vs.88%).2Marketing leaders can help facilitate marketingmindset by:developing and communicatingcustomer personas,auditing and reorganisingorganisational stru

44、ctures to reflect customerjourneys,creating multidisciplinary teams tofacilitate collaboration and creativity,updating keyperformance indicators to prioritise long termtargets over short term KPIs,hiring for skills andmindset,hiring diverse teams and providingaccess to learning and development oppor

45、tunities.1.https:/hbr.org/2018/09/curiosity#the-business-case-for-curiosity2.Traditional environment refers to workplaces with a clear chain of command,multipletiers of management and an emphasis on stability.Collaborative work environmentrefers to workplaces with a flat hierarchy and communication

46、is a top priority.131.3 MethodologyThe methodology included three main phases:Phase 1:secondary research review of the mostrelevant professional and academic literature thatexplores themes relating to mindset and behavioursrequired to succeed in modern marketing.Phase 2:qualitative research includin

47、g a series of in-depth interviews with a range of senior client-sideand agency marketers across sectors as diverse aspharmaceuticals,technology,FMCG and banking.Phase 3:Econsultancys Marketing Mindset Surveywas conducted to capture the attitudes of marketersacross a range of organisations and sector

48、s.Thesurvey was fielded in July and August of 2020 toselect Econsultancy and Marketing Week lists,resulting in 841 qualified responses.Econsultancy would like to thank the followingpeople for their contributions to this report:Lucy Barker,Director,Human Nature HRConor Barron,Digital Marketing&CRM Ma

49、nager,An PostAndrew Burton,Capability Transformation Lead,RocheCarol Clarke,Marketing Transformation Manager,Bayer PharmaceuticalsAimee Falk,Global Content Strategist,3MSinad Geraghty,CEO,FlexHuddleMindy Gofton,Head of Marketing Strategy&Innovation,I-COMAlan Heary,High Performance Executive CoachCol

50、in Kavanagh,VP,Global Marketing,Malibu&KahluaColin Lewis,CMO,OpenJaw TechnologiesJenny Lynam,UK Marketing Manager,Slack14Conor Lynch,Creator,Self MakersLawrence Mitchell,Founder&CEO,RAW EnergyShane OLeary,Strategy ConsultantGeraldine ONeill,Marketing&CommunicationsConsultantSimon Swan,Head of Digita

51、l Strategy&Transformation,PerrigoPaul Sweeney,EVP,Product,WebioRonan Wall,Co-founder and CEO,DosenSarah Znideric,Client Services Director,GoodGrowth Limited1.4 About EconsultancyThe digital landscape is increasingly complex andcontinually changing.This makes it hard for digitalmarketers and those wo

52、rking in ecommerce toidentify what to do and where to focus.Thats where we come in.Econsultancy is the worldsleading provider of professional learning focused onmarketing and ecommerce excellence,and a trustedpartner to over 600,000 professionals.Our targeted,multi-touch learning gives your peopleth

53、e knowledge,skills and mindset they need to meetall these challenges.By transforming your digital marketing and boostingyour ecommerce,Econsultancy strengthens yourcapabilities and accelerates your growth.Why notfind out what we could do for you?Tel:+44 20 7970 4322E152.0 UnderstandingMindset16The p

54、rofessionals who exhibit peak performance havesomething in common.While their knowledge andskills are important,mindset is what sets the eliteapart.What is mindset exactly?Simply put,mindset refersto a persons ways of thinking that impact theirbeliefs,behaviours,mental models and responses tothe env

55、ironment.That is important in anyprofessional context,but it is critical to marketingbecause its a discipline which requiresexperimentation and rational risk taking.Carol Dweck on Mindset and Failure AvoidanceCarol Dweck,Professor of Psychology at StanfordUniversity,popularised the concept of mindse

56、t.In herresearch,3Professor Dweck describes a fundamentaldifference in how people view their personality,through what she calls fixed and growth mindsets.A great deal of behaviour originates from these twomindsets,meaning it can also affect peoplesrelationships with success and failure in bothprofes

57、sional and personal contexts.Fixed mindsetProfessor Dweck writes:“Believing that your qualitiesare carved in stone,the fixed mindset,creates anurgency to prove yourself over and over.”People witha fixed mindset believe that they are born with acertain amount of intelligence,a certain personality,and

58、 a certain moral character.In practice,people witha fixed mindset see challenges as a test of whetherthey are capable or not.People with a fixed mindset,therefore,miss the factthat those very challenges that might result in failureare precisely the experiences they need to stretchthemselves to becom

59、e better.When people live inthis place,they live in fear of making mistakes andlooking bad.This manifests in trying less andthwarted potential.Growth mindsetThe growth mindset is grounded in the idea thatwhat people are born with is a starting point for173.Mindset:Changing The Way You Think To Fulfi

60、l Your Potential,Carol S.Dweck,2006development.The growth mindset is based on thebelief that a persons basic qualities can be cultivatedthrough purposeful effort.Professor Dweck writesthat although people“differ in every which way,intheir initial talents and aptitudes,interests,ortemperaments,everyo

61、ne can change and growthrough application and experience”.In fact,peoplewith a growth mindset do not just seek challenge,they thrive on it.Figure 1:Fixed mindset vs.growth mindsetSource:Two Mindsets.Stanford,magazine article,2007,Carol Dweck:Mindset:The New Psychology ofSuccess,20062.1 Why mindset m

62、attersA key finding from Econsultancys Skills of theModern Marketer research is that as important asmarketing skills and knowledge are,mindset is(atthe very least)an equal partner in success.Why is18this?Skills can quickly go out of date and knowledgeis an ongoing pursuit,while mindset dictates oura

63、ppetite for learning and most importantly,ourresponse to change,challenge and opportunity.It may be the resilience required by modernmarketing that drives a strong belief in the role ofmindset;Econsultancys Marketing Mindset Surveyfound that 73%of senior marketers(VP level andabove)say that mindset

64、is more important to successthan experience or specific expertise.Asked to identify the key indicators of the idealmarketing mindset,the same executives point to awillingness to be challenged,to offer ideas andinitiate solutions beyond ones role and to look foropportunities for improvements.They als

65、o connect a strong mindset to people whoactively seek out opportunities for learning.In thatcontext,it is essential that the marketing mindset beviewed as an interlocking piece with skills andknowledge.A strong mindset pushes marketers tobuild their understanding of an ever-changingdiscipline.As not

66、ed in The Skills of the Modern Marketer,fewerthan half of all marketers have completed marketing-related training(Figure 2).Figure 2:Have you completed a qualification ortraining programme that is marketing-related(e.g.,marketing degree,certified training course)?Source:Econsultancy.Respondents:3,73

67、81923%54%23%Yes Marketing DegreeYes CIM or similarqualifications(pleasespecify)NoOnce set in their careers,marketers training tends tobe either technical or specific to their subdiscipline,with broader learning left to the individual.The resultis an industry of specialists who lack a strongunderstan

68、ding of the basics of marketing or its placein the company.While over 90%of senior executivessay it is essential that their marketers understand thegoals and metrics of the wider business,feworganisations offer formal training to build thisknowledge.4As this report shows,mindset can be an engine for

69、learning,driving the ongoing education that isessential to the success of the modern marketer.2.2 Evaluating ones mindsetAt its extreme,a fixed mindset can place a personsself-worth on the line with everything they do.Failuremust be avoided.With a growth mindset,on theother hand,people embrace chall

70、engingopportunities because they feel that they can onlyreach their highest potential by consistently playingat the edges of their capability.The only real failure isnot really pushing those boundaries and learningalong the way.According to Dweck,the key to cultivating a growthmindset is first to un

71、derstand ones current mindset,so it is clear what needs to be done to work towardscultivating a growth mindset.The statements givenin Table 1 are useful in helping marketers understandwhether they generally have a fixed or growthmindset.Reflect on the statements below and decide whichones you agree

72、or disagree with.Like any self-test,itsonly useful if youre honest with yourself,so take amoment to translate the theory of each question intoa practical example from your own life.204.https:/ 1:What is your mindset?Source:Abbreviated from:Mindset,Changing theway you think to fulfil your potential.D

73、r Carol S.Dweck,20065Those who agree with the first four statements anddisagree with the last four are those who tend to leantowards a fixed mindset,while those who generallydisagree with the first four statements and agreewith the last four are more likely to display a growthmindset.This report is

74、for those who are concerned that theiranswers or the answers from their organisation morebroadly,indicate a fixed mindset.Throughout,thisreport shows that critical elements of the professionalmindset are within the marketers control.However,itis important to recognise that mindset is a fluiddynamic

75、and that no one resides entirely in a fixed orgrowth state.StatementAgreeDisagreeYou cannot change how intelligent youare.We are born with a certain level ofintelligence.Once you become an adult,yourabilities do not change much.You have a certain level of ability andthere is not much you can do toch

76、ange it.It is hard to keep learning new skills.If you work at it,you can increase yourlevel of intelligence.You can always improve your abilityeven in small ways.Even if you do not possess naturalability,you can increase ability levelswith dedicated practice.Learning new skills is under yourcontrol.

77、215.Mindset:Changing The Way You Think To Fulfil Your Potential,Carol S.Dweck,2006Mindset Toolkit:Understanding that mindsets canchangeBefore you can start applying mindset to marketing,or anything else,you must determine whether youbelieve that it can change.If youre coming from afixed perspective,

78、then by definition youre resistantto that idea.But the fact youre reading this suggeststhat youre open to the possibility of personal growth,and thats a perfect place to be.Theres no secret to unlocking a more growth-oriented mindset,just work to be done.Perhapsthats the secret;that you can approach

79、 mindset asyou would any professional goal.Cast your mind to a project that had mixed results,perhaps an ad campaign,event or lead generationeffort.Assuming you had the time,how would youmake sure that the next,similar project would bemore successful?Youd start with a debrief,looking at the elements

80、that worked and what didnt.You would look for waysto avoid the pitfalls and maximise advantages.Youmight offer constructive criticism to the team andcelebrate what they did well.These same methods(and others well learn)applyequally to your own mindset.Still unconvinced?One of the easiest ways toexpe

81、rience growth is also fun and useful;install alanguage learning app and start today.You mightchoose a travel destination that intrigues you tochoose what to learn and plan a trip as a reward.Like any kind of exercise,the daily practice will affectthe way you feel even before you can see tangibleresu

82、lts.Most importantly,it will be a regular reminderthat your abilities are within your control.2.3 Mindset and career successThe distinction between fixed and growth mindsetcan have huge implications for a marketers careerand what they bring to the table.People who tendtoward a growth mindset have gr

83、eater potential to be22successful marketers than those who often approachtheir work with a fixed mindset.This is because agrowth mindset is an essential ingredient in reachingpotential,stretching ones ability,and creating andparticipating in high-performing teams.As such,marketing mindset is born ou

84、t of growth mindset.It is possible to apply the mindset lenses tounderstand how they can change the inflection of amarketers career.Marketers with a growth mindsetthrive on challenge and see failure as a springboardfor learning.They have a greater ability to deal withchange,are more curious and are

85、more open tolearning.However,marketers who see their abilities and theirenvironment as fixed will find it difficult to excel intheir careers.In a commercial environment and aprofession characterised by change,this limitationcan stall an individuals career and it can also haveramifications for an org

86、anisations ability to deliverchange programmes.The relationship between mindset and careertrajectory“Marketers who cannot embrace change willingly aredoomed to keep doing the same things to ever-decreasing levels of success.”Mindy Gofton,Head of Marketing Strategy&Innovation,I-COM“I definitely belie

87、ve theres a relationship betweenmindset and career trajectory.I see a lot people wholearn one thing and try to apply that constantly againand again in their career.Those people risk gettingstuck at a certain level in a company.”Shane OLeary,Strategy Consultant“Marketers who are open to new challenge

88、s and arenot scared to take lateral career moves in order togain greater domain experience are the ones who23have the most rewarding and ultimately successfulcareer trajectories.They are the folks who havechallenged themselves repeatedly to learn andrelearn.”Jenny Lynam,UK Marketing Manager,Slack“Mi

89、ndset is the foundation of everything.It coloursour belief system and so its closely related to how wedeal with change,how we believe in ourselves andhow we deal with disappointments while continuingto move forward.”Laurence Mitchell,Founder&CEO,RAW Energy“Everything you will do in the future will b

90、e a functionof your mindset.Unlike improving your technical skillsand knowledge,shifting your mindset is meta.Itchanges every aspect of how you approach your dailylife and your career.”Colin Lewis,CMO,OpenJaw Technologies“Marketers need mindset.They need knowledge andthey need skills before they can

91、 be capable andcompetent.”Andrew Burton,Capability Transformation Lead,Roche“Its critical to have a mindset for growth.This is allabout embracing all the change thats happeningand not being afraid of that.I think leaning into it issuper important.”Colin Kavanagh,VP,Global Marketing,Malibu&Kahlua24Gr

92、owth mindset should not be conflated with alwayshaving a positive outlook.Marketers with a growthmindset acknowledge challenging situations for whatthey are,rather than viewing them asinsurmountable obstacles.They are solutions focusedand so are willing to seek the support of others toovercome chall

93、enges.Marketers with a growth mindset will be better ableto adapt in a profession characterised by constantchange.253.0 Understanding theMarketing Mindset26In attempting to uncover what characteristics ofmindset could be observed in successful marketers,Econsultancy interviewed senior marketers and

94、askedthem to describe,in their own words,whatconstitutes a marketing mindset.Based on theseresponses certain themes emerged.It is mindset thatDrives why marketers do what they do.Facilitates how much curiosity and creativity thatthey bring to their roles.Dictates whether marketers lean into change o

95、rresist it.Determines how a marketer responds toproblems.Out of mindsetFlows a marketers openness to collaborate andtake initiative.Comes a marketers willingness to lead.Thatincludes championing new initiatives,challengingthinking and coaching those around them.Emerges a marketers approach to strate

96、gicthinking.Marketers with a growth mindset aremore likely to be long-term strategic thinkers asopposed to focusing on short-term metrics withlittle regard for long-term strategy.The characteristics that make up a marketingmindset are born out of a growth mindset.Based onresponses from interviewees,

97、it has been possible tobuild a model that marketers can use as a diagnostictool to compare and model the characteristics of amarketing mindset.This model is illustrated by the 10 characteristics(10Cs)of Econsultancys Modern Marketing Mindset(Figure 3),covered in more detail in Section 3.2.27Figure 3

98、:The 10 Cs of the Modern Marketing MindsetCustomer centricity plus commercial focus:Thefoundation of the marketing mindset is a balanceof customer centricity with commercial focus.Building on that foundation are sets of internal andexternal mindsets.Internal mindsets speak to theindividuals beliefs

99、and actions related to their role.Capability:Balancing customer centricity andcommercial focus requires capability.Thoroughknowledge of marketing principles empowersmarketers to face challenges with the confidencethat they can work through them by adopting andadapting those principles as they see fi

100、t.Marketerswho lack this knowledge will be ill-equipped tonavigate challenges and may fall into a fixedmindset mode of behaviour.Commitment:Cultivating capability,commercialfocus and customer centricity requirescommitment;commitment to learning,commitment to achieving strategic objectives andcommitm

101、ent to customers.Confidence:Commitment and capability feed offeach other to breed confidence in ones ability to282022 Econsultancy Ltd.InternalMindsetsExternalMindsetsModernMarketingMindsetCommercially focusedCustomer-centricCuriousChallenge&BeChallengedConnectedCollaborativeCapableCommittedCreative

102、ConfidentThe Marketing MindsetFoundationalmindsetsachieve and transcend from competency tomastery.Creativity:It is the act of curiosity that leads to newinformation being gathered that can sparkcreative ideas and novel ways of approaching newchallenges.That is,creative problem solving andcoming up w

103、ith new and novel products and waysto reach customers.External mindsets relate to the individualsunderstanding and interaction with their team,organisation and markets.Curiosity:The pursuit of mastery manifests incuriosity.Marketers who know their subject deeplyhave the freedom to be more intellectu

104、ally openand can speak in terms that involve uncertainty.They maintain a learning mindset and avoidspeaking in absolutes.Challenging:To cultivate curiosity and creativity intheir truest sense requires thinking in terms ofabstract ideas that involve uncertainty.Marketersneed to challenge themselves t

105、o do better.Theyneed to challenge both their own ideas and beliefsand the processes and structures that surroundthem.Collaboration:At the heart of challenging andbeing open to being challenged is collaboration.Modern marketing requires the collaboration ofmarketers with different skillsets and incre

106、asingly,collaboration with colleagues who add value to themarketing function but who may not identifythemselves as marketers(IT,data,customerservice etc.).Connection:Connection is all about connecting topurpose.That is,connecting to the purpose of theorganisation and connecting to ones ownpurpose.On

107、ly when marketers can connect theirpersonal values with business values will they beable to invest their whole selves in their work.293.1 The case for cultivating a marketingmindset in an organisationIn a survey of 841 senior marketers conducted for thisreport,99%of the respondents say that a goodco

108、rporate culture can encourage a growth mindset,while 96%believe that a poor culture can discourageit.Marketing leaders would do well to consider thebenefits of instilling the 10 Cs into their culture.Research has shown that people with a fixed mindsetinterpret change as stressful.6In contrast,those

109、with agrowth mindset interpret change as a positive,motivating form of challenge that can serve as anopportunity for improvement.Facilitating and encouraging employees to cultivatethe characteristics of a marketing mindset can helpthem to embrace change.It also increases theirpropensity to remain mo

110、tivated and determined inthe face of change.Cultivating marketing mindset can develop theleadership pipelineGreat companies know that talented people are theirgreatest resource.By considering mindset whenrecruiting and promoting,companies can setthemselves up for success by developing a pipeline off

111、uture leaders.Marketing mindset promotes organisational agilityEffective marketing leaders know that learningorganisations will be better able to adapt to changingenvironments than their competition.This is a betterapproach than crisis management,which should beconsidered as a last resort when manag

112、ing change.The challenge,therefore,is to be able to recogniseand react to change before the pain of a crisis.Organisations that have the capacity toinstitutionalise a marketing mindset will be set up toprime marketers with the capability to avoidautocratic crisis management.30Mindset helps marketers

113、 to navigate(and learnfrom)changeA shift in mindset can also prime employees to bemore effective in learning from mistakes andadapting to change.In a study published in Psychological Science,7peoplewith a growth mindset processed feedback withmore activity in their brain regions responsible forerror

114、 correction and long-term memory encoding.These individuals also showed a greater ability tothrive through change than those with a fixedmindset.They recovered faster after initial failure andused deeper learning strategies.Enabling employees to develop a growth mindsetcan give them the resilience a

115、nd adaptability that isvitally important during periods of flux.Marketing mindset changes the organisationsattitude to failureFailure is a necessary consequence of trying newthings.While failure is a prerequisite to learning andinnovation,its important to recognise that there ismore than one kind of

116、 failure.Econsultancy refers totwo types of failure;inherent failure andunnecessary failure.Inherent failure is about managing risk.Whenevermarketers launch a campaign or new product,theytake on the risk that the campaign will not work out.Unnecessary failure is what happens when themarketer has fai

117、led to get the basics right.Poorcommunication,weak sponsorship,bad planning andinept analysis all fit into this category.As the namesuggests,we cant allow this kind of failure.It is mindset that underlies attitudes toward failure.Marketing leaders should understand andcommunicate the difference betw

118、een inherent andunnecessary failure in order to create an environmentwhere there is scope for the former.The risk of31inherent failure is both acceptable and necessary.Itrequires an understanding of the risk,expertiseattuned to the domain and careful management.A marketing mindset facilitates a test

119、-and-learncultureAn open attitude to inherent failure and a willingnessto record and process the lessons that spring from itwill free marketers to optimise curiosity and creativity.It will also encourage them to challenge and updateways of working rather than wedding them toprocesses that seek to el

120、iminate all risk.In practice,most rules and procedures are there for a reason,butmarketing leaders need to beware of creatingprocedures that optimise mediocrity rather thancreativity and innovation.Mindset toolkit:Testing and learningThe key to encouraging a culture of testing andlearning without ex

121、posing the organisation tounnecessary risk is explored further in EconsultancysInnovation Best Practice Guide.Cultivating marketing mindset can position linemanagers as facilitators and mentorsA management mindset based on control can lead torigid predictability.For marketers who work in sectorswher

122、e products and business models can quicklybecome obsolete,procedures that are too rigid donot contribute to business sustainability.In an environment characterised by a marketingmindset,individual marketers will be provided withthe autonomy needed to do their jobs.When mindsetis considered when hiri

123、ng marketers,it becomesimportant to allow those people to exercise theirautonomy and to support them to seek personalmastery.In such instances,marketers can look totheir line manager for mentorship and directionrather than for management and monitoring.32Marketing mindset facilitates transparency an

124、dbuy-inTransparency is important for teamwork andcollaboration.Marketers working in an informationvacuum will find their roles tedious and uninspiring.Equally,establishing thoughtful,two-waycommunication and acknowledging that sometimesthe business does not have the answers to strategicquestions req

125、uires senior marketers to acknowledgethat they do not know everything.By askingquestions,they demonstrate to their juniorcolleagues that they care about what they think andare themselves willing to listen,learn and grow.Marketing mindset increases innovationResearch shows a strong association betwee

126、nincreased curiosity and increased innovation.In a2018 Harvard Business Review report published incollaboration with Merck,1,000 business leaders insectors such as technology,healthcare andmanufacturing were asked“What makes aninnovation culture?”.The leading answer for everysector?Encouraging and r

127、ewarding curiosity.8The case for organisational curiosityAs well as increased innovation,cultivatingorganisational curiosity can also result in:Increased adaptability:Cultivating curiosity at alllevels helps leaders and employees adapt touncertain market conditions and externalpressures.When curiosi

128、ty is triggered,peoplethink more deeply and rationally about decisionsand come up with more creative solutions.9Reduced group conflict and more opencommunication:Curiosity encourages members ofa group to put themselves in one anothers shoesrather than focus only on their own perspective.That drives

129、them to collaborate more effectivelyand smoothly and achieve better results.1033Fostering curiosity:the realityAs much as leaders can espouse the value ofinquisitive minds,in practice,curiosity in manyorganisations gets stifled due to a fear of increasedrisk and inefficiency.behavioural scientist Fr

130、ancesca Gino of HarvardBusiness School surveyed more than 3,000employees from a wide range of organisations andindustries.Her research found that only 24%of thoseemployees reported feeling curious in their jobs on aregular basis,while 70%of respondents said they facebarriers to asking more questions

131、 at work.11Marketing mindset facilitates two-waycommunicationEmployees should not be afraid to speak up for fear ofa bad performance review or being passed over forpromotion.In the book“Good to Great,”Jim Collins,havingresearched three groups of public US companies overa five-year project,explains t

132、hat when things go well,leaders with the right team will be transparent andpoint out that the success was achieved throughteamwork rather than taking all the glory forthemselves.When things do not go well,they face up to thesituation and take responsibility.This kind ofleadership cultivates an open

133、and honestenvironment where marketers can feel free topresent creative ideas and challenge ways of working.It creates an environment where marketers do notfeel afraid to speak up for fear of a bad performancereview or being passed over for promotion.12343.2 The 10 Cs of marketing mindset3.2.1 Custom

134、er Centric“The aim of marketing is to know and understand thecustomer so well the product or service fits them andsells itself.”Peter F Drucker,managementconsultant13To be customer centric means to prioritise customersand clients in all business decision making tofacilitate long-lasting relationship

135、s.Customercentricity was acknowledged by the executives weinterviewed for this study as fundamental to modernmarketing success.It is the foundation of everything,from productdesign to distribution channels to acquiring andconverting customers and to maximising customerlifetime value.This has implica

136、tions for howmarketers work as well as how organisations arestructured and managed.The emphasis on customer centricity at a strategicand corporate communications level does not alwayspermeate the marketing organisation.According toEconsultancys Marketing Mindset Survey,only one infive marketers repo

137、rt knowing how their organisationcalculates customer lifetime value,an essentialmeasure of how a strong relationship impacts thebottom line.This suggests that customer centricity isoften disconnected from the business processes andKPIs that turn boardroom objectives into dailypractice.When the marke

138、ting mindset starts with thecustomer,everything is evaluated through the lens ofcustomer benefit weighed against commercialbenefit.Customer centricity drives required changesto the product and process.The evaluation ofcustomer centricity is conducted on an ongoing basisand incentives to ensure its d

139、elivery are necessarilyand consistently addressed.Marketers as stewards of customer experienceEconsultancy has been advocating for a customer-centric mindset for a long time.In 2013,the Modern35Marketing Manifesto14proclaimed that improving thecustomer experience must be the relentless focus ofmoder

140、n marketing.In 2017,the Modern Marketing Model(M3)outlinedthree core principles which reflect the complexities ofmodern marketing practice:151.Customer centric:Modern marketing putscustomers at the core of all activities.Marketersare the custodians of the customer experience.2.Integrated:Modern mark

141、eting is a blend of classicand digital disciplines.3.Agile:Modern marketing is responsive and agile,using technology strategically and effectively tocreate personalised experiences.As marketers are custodians of the customerexperience(CX),customer centricity must bepositioned as a mindset to be cult

142、ivated as much as adiscipline to be learned.In practice,this means thatall staff will need to keep customers in mind so thatCX matches the reality of what marketingcommunicates.How to cultivate a customer-centric mindsetCustomer centricity is something to be examinedfrom the point of view of the ind

143、ividual marketer aswell as in terms of how organisations are structuredand managed.For this reason,Section 4,Fostering anOrganisational Marketing Mindset,outlines themacro considerations for cultivating a customer-centric mindset throughout an organisation.1.Be an advocate for customersMarketers,and

144、 marketing leaders especially,needto act as ambassadors for the customer.Thisexpands the remit of marketing throughout thewhole organisation.Whether an individual worksin customer service,sales,or even HR,they have aresponsibility to consider the customer.That ishow important a customer-centric mind

145、set is.36Bring the voice of the customer into the business“Its the marketers job to bring the voice of thecustomer(and non-customer)into the business.Acustomer-centric mindset really involvesunderstanding the customers mindset.This requiresbeing impartial and inquisitive,and being preparedto update

146、your assumptions as you learn more aboutthe customer.As advocates for customers,marketersneed to build bridges with key internal stakeholdersto advocate for customers.”Simon Swan,Head of Digital Strategy&Transformation,Perrigo2.Understand what problems customers need tosolveIf the ultimate judge of

147、all marketing activity is thecustomer,cultivating a customer-centric mindsetstarts with understanding the customer and theproblems they need to solve.Customer centricity is,first and foremost,aboutsolving problems for customers.This requiresconsideration for customer emotions.It is easier tocreate p

148、roducts for customers who already needthem than it is to find customers for existingproducts and services.Know your customers jobs-to-be-done“As simple as this may sound,you have to have amultifaceted,but clear,sense of who your customeris.Mentally,you have to live their life,and empathisewith their

149、 jobs-to-be-done.This may evolve into asense of market positioning,but fundamentally,youhave to live in the customers problem,andunderstand how they chart their way out of it.”Paul Sweeney,EVP,Product,WebioThere are a number of questions that marketersshould generally be able to answer about the37pr

150、oducts they are marketing and the customers theyare targeting.Who is your product for?What problem does it solve?How will the product make the customers lifebetter?Mindset toolkit:The jobs-to-be-done frameworkEconsultancys Learning from Digital Disruptors BestPractice Guide suggests that marketers u

151、tilise thejobs-to-be-done(JTBD)framework.18JTBD is basedon the premise that every customer is effectivelyhiring a product or brand to do a certain job.Marketers who understand that job well can do amuch better job of improving how they solve thatproblem.The JTBD framework is deceptively simple but c

152、an beused by marketers to interrogate customer needs,aswell as open new thinking on improved or differentsolutions and ways of enhancing products,services orcustomer experiences.3.empathise with customersCustomer centricity involves positioning productsand telling stories that match the needs anddes

153、ires of a group of people who would be willingto spend their money in exchange for the benefitsoffered by a product.This requires considerationfor customer emotions,which means that effectivemarketing relies on empathy and service.Start with empathy“At the core of marketing mindset is to be able to

154、putyourself into your customers shoes and to empathisewith what theyre trying to do.”Aimee Falk,Global Content Strategist,3M38“To truly understand your customer,you mustunderstand that youre probably nothing like yourcustomer.Your brand is probably similar to otherbrands.Your job is generally about

155、nudgingbehaviour gradually and acknowledging that themajority of people dont want a relationship with aproduct and they might not ever love your brand.Ithink great marketers start from this point and usethis mentality to come up with better,moreempathetic marketing because of it.”Shane OLeary,Strate

156、gy ConsultantMarketers should be able to answer the followingquestions:What kind of person are you trying toreach?What is their worldview?What do they like?What do they not like?What problems do they have?Mindset toolkit:Empathy mappingHaving a good understanding of customer problemsfrom not only a

157、functional,but also from anemotional,point of view,enables marketers to solvecustomer problems in new and novel ways.Understanding customer problems will requiresegmenting customers into groups of people withshared characteristics followed by the creation ofpersonas which are simply archetypes to br

158、ingclusters of people to life and enable marketers toempathise with them.When marketers create and make use of personas,they can start to empathise with them and try andunderstand things like the customers personal orbusiness situation and what they need to achieve.Another useful tool in this contex

159、t is empathymapping.Originated and updated by Dave Gray,founder of management consultancy XPLANE,empathy mapping can be used to explore thecustomer needs that surround a problem that abusiness is trying to solve for a group of customers orprospects.39Mindset toolkit:Empathy mappingMarketers can use

160、empathy maps to explorecustomer personas or identify opportunities toimprove customer experience and engagement.Marketers seeking to learn more aboutunderstanding customers will find the followingEconsultancy reports useful:Segmentations and Personas Best Practice Guidehttps:/ from Digital Disruptor

161、s Best PracticeGuide https:/ customer feedback,optimise customerexperience and encourage brand advocacyModern marketing requires closing the gapbetween brand promise and customer experiencebecause what marketers say is not as important aswhat customers say.Understanding customers is an ongoing proce

162、ss“Marketing mindset is about being customerobsessed and taking a customer-centric stance ondirecting and communicating your organisationsproduct or service.For me,the desired mindset canbe summarised as the constant desire and curiosityto understand the customer,pre-and post-purchase.”Sarah Znideri

163、c,Client Services Director,GoodGrowth LimitedMarketers should continually reflect on the followingquestions:How are customers experiencing ourproducts and services?What will customers tellfriends?Why will they tell their friends?Collect customer feedback to surface operational and40strategic insight

164、s that can be integrated back intomarketing,sales,operations and also new productdevelopment.There are a lot of different ways to dothis:1.Conduct one-on-one interviews with current orformer customers.2.Send out surveys to customers to get massfeedback about specific issues.3.Use social media monito

165、ring tools to understandwhat people are saying about your brand online.4.Collaborate with customer service and supportteams to understand customer issues.5.Collaborate with sales colleagues to understandwhat kinds of questions prospects ask.6.Unify contextual,behavioural and declaredcustomer data to

166、 create unified customer profiles.Mindset toolkit:Collect customer insight andencourage customer advocacyGetting to Grips with Market Research and InsightBest Practice Guidehttps:/ Retention Best Practice Guidehttps:/ and Reviews Best Practice Guidehttps:/ Data Platforms Best Practice Guidehttps:/ C

167、ommercially focusedTo be customer centric without being commerciallyfocused is to be charitable.Marketers need tounderstand the relationship between customersuccess and the revenue it generates for theorganisation.This requires always balancingcustomer centricity with an awareness of the factorsthat

168、 affect profitability and market share as well as anunderstanding of competitors.The twin responsibilities to the customer andcommercial outcomes may appear to be in conflict,but marketers who understand their customersneeds are best positioned to have a powerful impacton sales.Knowing what really m

169、atters to customerslets the marketer focus on key investments inproduct or process and allows them to build anargument based on potential gains or predictablelosses.Marketers on commercial focus“A good marketing mindset focuses on achieving thecommercial objectives of the business New or juniormarke

170、ters can get too focused on doing things thatare exciting in favour of things that make money.They need to balance that desire to excite thecustomer with putting their commercial hats on.”Mindy Gofton,Head of Marketing Strategy&Innovation,I-COM“Marketers exist to make money for our companies.The mor

171、e money we make,the better.And weregood at that.A key part of shareholder value is thestrength of a brand,and I think part of a marketingmindset is accepting that creating commercialimpact is your job.”Shane OLeary,Strategy Consultant42“The more commercially minded a marketer is,thebetter the abilit

172、y they will have to present wellthought out ideas aligned to a business case.Whenmarketers can speak in commercial language,theyare better able to influence up.”Conor Barron,Digital Marketing&CRM Manager,An PostTrue commercial awareness means looking beyondthe traditional boundaries of marketing.Acc

173、ording toEconsultancys Marketing Mindset Survey,96%ofsenior executives say that their marketers shouldunderstand the metrics and priorities of the widerbusiness.Yet only 60%of marketers have this type ofgeneral knowledge and only 37%of organisationsreport training their marketers in these areas.Mark

174、eters should have a thorough understanding ofa range of metrics relevant to their industry and theirown specific discipline.Mindset toolkit:Contextualising business metricsand customer metricsEconsultancys Customer Retention Best PracticeGuide outlines how commercial success requires thealignment of

175、 customer success metrics with businessperformance metrics.16Econsultancy refers to theseas Customer Performance Indicators(CPIs)andBusiness Performance Indicators(BPIs).Marketers looking to learn more about measuringmarketing effectiveness,BPIs and CPIs,and CLV willfind the following Econsultancy r

176、eports useful:Measuring Digital Marketing Effectiveness BestPractice Guide https:/ Guide to Customer Experience Management(CXM)https:/ Customer Lifetime Value https:/ Retention Best Practice Guide https:/ Mindsets3.2.3 Capable“The future belongs to those who learn more skillsand combine them in crea

177、tive ways.”Robert Greene,author of Mastery.17Capability is grounded in competence.While it mightseem strange to suggest the idea of capability as amindset,it has everything to do with how marketersrespond to opportunities and challenges.Marketers who are capable,that is,those who possesssuitable exp

178、erience and domain knowledge to bridgethe gap between theory and practice,are likely torespond differently when presented with a problemto those who lack capability.Research indicates that domain experts respondbetter to failure than novices do.That means that forwell-trained people,challenging situ

179、ations feel lessthreatening than they do for people who lacktraining.Trained marketers therefore are more likely to believein their own potential for improvement,which canmotivate them to rise to challenges as opportunitiesfor growth.The inverse of this is that marketers withlittle training and who

180、need to rely on procedures aremore likely to fall into fixed mindset behaviour whenpresented with challenging situations.44Understanding the relationship between capabilitymindset and performance“Mindset and capability are two sides of the samecoin.That means you cant only rely just on a growthminds

181、et either.Thats delusional.Im an amateurcyclist so I use cycling as a useful analogy.If myperformance solely relied on mindset,Id win the Tourde France.But its the combination of mindset andcapability that sets marketers apart.“For example,if you have two marketers withexceptional capability applyin

182、g for a role,it is mindsetthat will determine which one will be good at the roleand which one will be excellent.This is how mindsetand capability fit together.When I work withexecutives and athletes on mindset,we can quantifya 5%to 15%improvement in performance.”Alan Heary,High Performance Executive

183、 CoachThe ability to thrive,despite ambiguity,is crucial formarketers who do not always have access to perfectcustomer data or perfect market data.However,capable marketers who have a working knowledge ofmarketing principles can use their knowledge ofmarketing frameworks as lenses through which they

184、can navigate problems and opportunities.Marketers who can balance marketing theory withapplied experience are more likely to be more open tonew ideas and are in a much stronger position toadapt frameworks to suit their needs.Marketers whoare limited by their experience and knowledge maybe quicker to

185、 get preoccupied with process and thelatest buzzworthy tactics.Capability supports adaptability“Abraham Maslow wrote,When the only tool youhave is a hammer,all problems begin to resemblenails.Well,when marketers intimately know andrespect the principles of marketing,they can avoidthe man with a hamm

186、er problem.And so,the mostimportant part of a marketing mindset is tointimately know and have a healthy respect for the45fundamentals of marketing combined with optimismabout whats possible.This helps marketers balancethe split between obsessing over new tools andtactics on one side and cynical cont

187、rarianism on theother.”Shane OLeary,Strategy ConsultantHow to cultivate a capability mindset1.Treat marketing as a profession“Marketers who view marketing as a professiondont try to reinvent the wheel,”says Paul Sweeney,EVP,Product at Webio.“They are able to adapt andadopt to new situations as data

188、gets updated.”Marketers who have a thorough knowledge ofmarketing principles can adopt and adapt thoseprinciples as they see fit.Marketers who lack thisknowledge are more likely to feel threatened bychallenges that do not fit with their ways ofworking and thus fall into fixed mindset behaviour.2.Und

189、erstand the value of trainingMarketers who understand the value of marketingtraining will be in a stronger position to challengeboth their own assumptions and those of theircolleagues.3.Learn to work autonomously“Marketers with a good mindset should be able towork autonomously.People who can workaut

190、onomously are in a better position to cope withchange.They dont need somebody holding theirhand,”says Lucy Barker,Director of Human NatureHR.Autonomy should not be mistaken for working inisolation.Modern marketing is complex,specialised and highly interdependent.The mostcapable,autonomous marketers

191、are adept atidentifying the dependencies in a project forthemselves and collaborating with the necessarypartners.They are curious about secondary effects,ask questions and seek help where it is needed.464.Question your assumptions“I like to remind my team about a concept calledWhat You See Is All Th

192、ere Is(WYSIATI),”says ConorBarron,Digital Marketing&CRM Manager at AnPost.“Its a concept explored by Nobel LaureateDaniel Kahneman in his book“Thinking Fast andSlow.”Basically,the less evidence you have,themore your brain is convinced of its assumptions.Its central to the functioning of the human mi

193、nd.”Capable marketers will always acknowledge thatthere may be much that they do not know and soinstead of making assumptions,capablemarketers will always say“it depends”and askmore questions.5.Beware the fluency illusionThe fluency illusion is a phenomenon whereby aperson mistakes familiarity with

194、a topic withexpertise.The fluency illusion is a primary culpritfor underperformance in many situations.Marketers should keep in mind the four stages ofcompetence learning model,which relates to thepsychological states involved in the process ofprogressing from incompetence to competence inany domain

195、.18Unconscious incompetence:This is when anindividual does not understand or know how todo something and does not necessarilyrecognise the deficit.Conscious incompetence:Though theindividual does not understand the topic,theyrecognise the deficit,as well as the value ofaddressing the deficit.The mak

196、ing of mistakescan be integral to the learning process at thisstage.Conscious competence:The individualunderstands how to do something;however,itrequires concentration.It might be brokendown into steps and there is focused thinkinginvolved in carrying out the skill.47Unconscious competence:The indiv

197、idual hashad so much practice that it has becomesecond nature and can be performed easily.Figure 4:The Hierarchy of CompetenceSource:Econsultancy,based on Life skills.International Journal for the Advancement ofCounselling,Conger,D.Stuart;Mullen,Dana,1981This is a useful model that can help marketer

198、squestion their own capability,avoid the fluencyillusion and manage their own expectations of howlong it might take to do something or if they need toask for help.For marketing leaders,the model can bea useful reminder of the skills and knowledge thatthey have and how to support junior colleagues to

199、progress through the model.6.Think slowly and ask more questionsMarketers who understand concepts like WYSIATIcan acknowledge that there may be more to knowabout a situation and will be able to slow theirthinking down and ask more questions.487.Step into growthMarketers should understand the differe

200、ncebetween growth and fixed mindsets and reflect onthese concepts when considering their owncapabilities.How individuals view the companyscapability matters.It can profoundly affect howthey live their lives.Understand that intelligence and capability arenot fixed.Consider the words of psychologistAb

201、raham Maslow,who said that in any givenmoment we have two options:to step forward intogrowth or to step back into safety.Step intogrowth.The value of marketing trainingMarketing is a profession that requires a multitude ofskills and attitudes.While marketing professionalscan have successful careers

202、without attaining formalqualifications,this does not mean that it is not worthpursuing further training or recognition of knowledgeand skills.Marketers pursuing training may enjoy outcomesincluding greater confidence,credibility andinfluence.Econsultancys Skills of the ModernMarketer Best Practice G

203、uide identifies the key skillsrequired for a successful career in modern marketing.It also providers marketers with guidance in terms ofthe skills they will need to think about developingsoon.3.2.4 Committed“The commitments we make to ourselves and toothers,and our integrity to those commitments is

204、theessence and clearest manifestation of our proactivity.”Stephen R Covey,author,“The 7 Habits of HighlyEffective People”19Marketers are required to think deeply.They need toconsider their customers.They need to considerworkflow and budget.These all require commitment.Committed marketers seek guidan

205、ce from managers49and mentors.They read widely and deeply.They areup to date regarding macro trends that impact theirsector and their organisation.They do not limitthemselves to using prescriptive frameworks whenplanning.They learn with purpose and passion.Aligned with capability mindset is a commit

206、ment toones profession and a commitment to embracingchange.Committed to ones profession“The only thing that is constant is change.”Heraclitus,philosopherWhat was true for the ancient Greek philosopher isequally true for the experience of the modernmarketer.In competitive markets characterised byprod

207、uct and service innovation,companies are nolonger able to rely on key products or scale tomaintain competitive advantage.Likewise,marketerscannot stake their success on their existing skills andknowledge.Learning is key to adaptability.In fact,the ability tolearn faster than competitors may be the o

208、nlysustainable competitive advantage available tocompanies.This requires commitment in terms of anorganisations approach to learning and developmentand an individual marketers agency over their ownlearning.Committing to the profession of marketing“Committed marketers think of marketing as aprofessio

209、n,something that you work at,that you getgood at and that you are proud of.”Paul Sweeney,EVP,Product,Webio“Marketers committed to their profession takeresponsibility for their own learning.”Carol Clarke,Marketing Transformation Manager,Bayer Pharmaceuticals50“Ive come to realise that no matter who w

210、e work for,we all have personal responsibility for our ownmindsets and career success.”Conor Lynch,Creator,Self MakersMarketers can demonstrate their commitment bytaking agency over their learning and/or viacontinuous professional development(CPD).Amarketer pursuing CPD shows employers,clients andfe

211、llow professionals that they are serious aboutoffering a professional service and keeping their skillsup to date.Committed to embracing changeAdaptability was a required characteristic of themodern marketer long before the Covid-19 crisis hit,though the pandemic has made it clear just howimportant i

212、t is.Given the evolving nature of marketing roles,theimpact of marketing technology and the newconsumer expectations that come with newmarketing channels,it is perhaps not surprising thatability to embrace change was rated by 90%ofmarketers as important to success in a marketingcareer in Econsultanc

213、ys Skills of the Modern Marketersurvey.Self-directed learning does not necessarily mean thatthe marketer should decide on what skills orknowledge to pursue without input managers,mentors and seasoned practitioners are all valuableresources but that the committed marketer pursueslearning without a re

214、quirement or need for a formalor top-down plan.Key mindshift:Commitment improves capabilityand builds confidence.Commit to lifelong learning“The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those whocannot read and write,but those who cannot learn,unlearn,and relearn.”Alvin Toffler,writer&futurist2051

215、There is a natural connection between commitmentand learning.As Econsultancys How Marketers LearnBest Practice Guide describes:“To succeed in anincreasingly complex environment,marketers haveno choice but to master the ability to adapt,learn andapply new lessons.”This requires commitment.There is no

216、 known limit to what can be learned whenthe learner connects a new piece of information to anexisting memory.Marketers who are committed tolifelong learning see challenges as opportunities tolearn and become more adaptable.Mindset toolkit:Managing changeEconsultancys Change Management for MarketersB

217、est Practice Guide is designed to provide marketerswith practical guidance and advice on how best tomanage change in the context of rapidly shiftingtechnology,consumer behaviour and marketdynamics.Take agency over your own learningThe responsibility for future proofing their career is inthe marketer

218、s own hands.Marketers that are luckyenough to work for a company that will invest in theirlearning and development should take everyopportunity they can get.Maintain an internal locus of control“The people who progress furthest tend to have apolymath mentality.Theyre self-directed learnerswith an in

219、ternal locus of control.Theyre alwayslooking to up-skill,stay up to date and to see thingsthrough different lenses.They embrace new ideasand technology;they expand their skillset andknowledge base beyond marketing.”Shane OLeary,Strategy Consultant52Create a calendar of how you are going toapproach y

220、our own learningMarketers should prioritise what they need to learn byseeking guidance from their managers andcolleagues.The goal is to think about the kinds ofknowledge that will support marketers to thrive asmarket conditions and role-specific skills change.Thisrequires long-term thinking,as the m

221、arketer willneed to invest in skills that are transferrable betweenroles and industries.After learning goals have been identified,they shouldbe reviewed with a manager or senior staff,whomight be able to help refine the learning plan tobalance individual and business benefits.A managermay also be ab

222、le to help find a mentor in theorganisation who is already an expert.Just asimportantly,the learner and mentor can worktogether to make learning part of a personaldevelopment plan,setting key objectives and results(OKRs)that will help motivate action and make thework tangible for the organisation.Ec

223、onsultancys Developing Future Strategy:Long-term Thinking for Marketers Best Practice Guidediscusses how OKRs can help bridge the gapbetween short-term measures and a longer-termvision.Commit to improving organisational advancementskills as well as technical skillsRemember that it is important to in

224、vest in bothtechnical skills and organisational advancement skills.Organisational skills are those that are required toeffectively function and collaborate within anorganisation.These skills which include the ability tocommunicate,collaborate and influence areimportant for cultivating influence and

225、for careeradvancement.They are rooted in mindset.Technical skills are those that marketers require toexcel in their position or in the position they seek toprogress towards.Examples include data analysis,user experience and SEO.53The distinction between technical skills andorganisational advancement

226、 skills is important tomake,as professionals can sometimes focus onimproving their technical skills when in fact,theyrequire a balance of both technical skills andorganisational skills to progress in their career.Commit to questioning assumptionsCommitted marketers seek evidence before makingdecisio

227、ns.When they are faced with a problem,theyinterrogate the problem so they understand itscauses and develop solutions that have impactbeyond addressing the symptoms.Seek responsibility outside of your immediate teamWhere possible,spend time working on a differentproject or on a different team.This is

228、 good for theindividual marketer as it expands variety andopportunity to learn,but it is also good for companyculture and opens up pathways for innovation.3.2.5 Confident“Confidence is not a guarantee of success,but apattern of thinking that will improve your likelihood ofsuccess,a tenacious search

229、for ways to make thingswork.”John Eliot,author,“Overachievement”21The word confidence comes from the Latin wordfidere which simply means to trust.Those withoutreasonable confidence in their own capability will findit difficult to achieve success.Meanwhile,confidencein the absence of a realistic appr

230、aisal of onescapability and commitment are merely self-deception.While some people can be naturally confident,formany,confidence arises as a result of committing toimproving capability.In a professional sense,the keyto cultivating confidence is committing to improvingones capability,which requires a

231、 growth mindset.54Those with a fixed mindset can also be confident,however,this confidence is fragile.Confident peoplewith a fixed mindset can often feel the need toprotect their fragile confidence by avoiding anysituations that have the potential to result in failure.For these people,challenging si

232、tuations canundermine rather than strengthen confidence.Case study:Impact of mindset on confidenceIn a study,Joseph Martocchio at University of Illinoisexamined a group of employees who were taking ashort computer training course.Half of theemployees were told that their performance in thecourse wou

233、ld come down to the ability that theypossessed(fixed mindset).The other half were toldthat computer skills could be developed throughpractice(growth mindset).Although the two groups started the course withequal confidence in their skills,by the end of thecourse they looked quite different.Those who

234、weretold that their skills could be developed throughpractice gained confidence in their computer skills asthey learned,despite the mistakes that they made.The mistakes they made enhanced their learningwhich resulted in even greater confidence.Those who were told that their performance in thecourse

235、would come down to their existing ability lostconfidence in their skills.The mistakes they madeeroded their confidence rather than facilitatedlearning.Martocchio,Joseph&Dulebohn,James.(2006).Performance feedback effects in training:The role ofperceived controllability.Personnel Psychology22Key minds

236、hift:Cultivating confidenceFocus on improving capability and confidence willcome.Confidence,in a professional sense,follows capability.To cultivate confidence,start by committing toimproving capability.By improving capability,55marketers can increase trust in themselves andminimise doubt.Mindset too

237、lkit:Develop confidence and reducedoubt through purposeful effort“When somebody is capable and they trustthemselves,they can progress through the circle ofperformance.This is what I call the boom loop.Through purposeful effort they will be able to findflow.“This creates relaxed tension.This just mea

238、nsthat they are under a bit of pressure to perform butthey understand whats possible.They see mistakesand failure as learning opportunities which over time,result in successful performance.Over time ascapability grows,so too does confidence.“Confident marketers are aware that staying in theboom loop

239、 might require healthy collaboration andseeking direction from more experienced and seniorcolleagues.Thats the key to finding the sweet spotwhere work is challenging enough to be fun,but nottoo challenging to cause anxiety.I call this relaxedtension,as visualised by what I call the boom loop.Figure

240、5:The boom loopSource:Econsultancy56“The other side of this coin is when people allowdoubt to set in.Everybody has doubts.But doubts leftunchecked can result in wasted effort and negativetension which over time can cause serious stress andreduced performance.I visualise this using the doomloop.Figur

241、e 6:The doom loopSource:Econsultancy“The key is to interrupt the doom loop and get backto the trust loop as quickly as possible.This is wheremindset,and the availability of good line managers,mentors and colleagues come in to play.Figure 7:Back to the trust loopSource:Econsultancy57“The key to break

242、ing out of the cycle of doubt is to beconfident enough to seek direction and commit topurposeful effort.This might start with a linemanager who might then facilitate a more focusedintervention in the form of training and/or assigning amentor.The goal of this intervention is to enhanceperformance so

243、that the marketer can then switchback to the boom loop and build their self-confidence.“The more marketers commit to enhancing theircapability,the more they will master new skills,allowing them to approach newer and more excitingchallenges and ultimately,increase trust inthemselves.Mindset toolkit:D

244、evelop confidence and reducedoubt through purposeful effort“Marketers need to be aware of the tension betweendoubt and trust and their impact on confidence.Acertain level of doubt is healthy but it should beoutweighed by self-trust.”Alan Heary,High Performance Executive CoachReframe challenging situ

245、ationsA fixed mindset can undo a human beings naturallove of learning.Marketers should acknowledge whenchallenging situations can result in the fixed mindsetbehaviour of lack of engagement,and reframesituations using a growth mindset,thinking abouthow trusting themselves can help them develop theirc

246、apability and confidence.58Reframe challenges to switch from doubt to trust“Sometimes something will happen that might causesome doubt which might result in a marketer movingfrom a boom loop into a doom loop.This is where theability to reframe a situation becomes so important.Everybody has moments o

247、f doubt.Its the speed thatsomebody can get themselves back into the boomloop that sets top marketers apart from their peers.”Alan Heary,High Performance Executive CoachEvaluate current performance to identifyopportunities for growthAcknowledge strengths and equally be confidentenough to be open abou

248、t areas that need to beaddressed.Commit to addressing those weaknessesand/or sharing them with colleagues to facilitateopen collaboration.No matter how capable themarketer,greatness is achieved in the unity of others.Honest evaluation“It takes a certain level of courage to delve into yourown mindset

249、 and to be honest about yourweaknesses.But when you do,you can open yourselfup to working on them and building confidencearound those areas.”Alan Heary,High Performance Executive CoachPerformance profilingA performance profile is a short index of what it takesto be a high performer in a specific job

250、.It emphasiseskey results or outcomes as well as listing the activitiesinvolved in a role.The areas that need to be includedin a performance profile are:1.The objectives of the role,e.g.,the key results oroutcomes associated with the role2.The specific tasks associated with the role that are59necess

251、ary to achieve objectives3.Organisational advancement skills required for therole,e.g.,public speaking and influencing skills4.Technical skills required for the role,e.g.,ability toconduct primary research and create personas5.Experience and education required for the role6.Development plan to meet

252、the items addressed in(1)to(5)Mindset toolkit:Performance profile templateA performance profile is an index of what it takes tobe a high performer in a specific role.It emphasisesthe key skills and qualifications required to perform ina specific role along with an acknowledgement of theareas to be d

253、eveloped.“Its so important to identify actions to put in place toimprove each area of performance in smallincrements.Why small increments?Its difficult foranyone to improve their performance to go from a 2to 10,for example.Its far easier to identify actions togo from 2 to 3 and so on.Actions include

254、 identifyingwhat youre going to do and who youre going tospeak to,”says High Performance Executive CoachAlan Heary.“If its something to do with mindset,such asconfidence in public speaking,or courage orcommitment or concentration,or performanceanxiety,then you talk to a performance coach.If itssomet

255、hing to do with technical skills,then you mightneed to speak to a line manager,a mentor or asubject matter expert.”A performance profile should include the followingelements:Objectives the key business objectives associatedwith the role.Tasks the tasks that are necessary to achieve theobjectives.60O

256、rganisational skills the people skills necessaryfor success.They include skills such ascommunication and collaboration and so includecomponents of persuasion,negotiating,writingand public speaking.Technical skills the specialist skills that requirethe ability to complete a task with technicalexperti

257、se.Specialist marketing skills includemarket research,data analysis,copywriting andchannel-related marketing skills.Experience/education/training some roles mightrequire marketers to have a demonstrable level ofexpertise based on their experience andeducational achievement.Figure 8:Performance profi

258、le templateSource:EconsultancyMarketers looking to create performance profiles formodern marketing positions will find EconsultancysModern Marketing Job Descriptions Best PracticeGuide helpful:https:/ best practice guide offers marketers and hiringmanagers the tools to write job descriptions andperf

259、ormance profiles for in-demand roles.61Get a mentor and a coachThe International Coach Federation defines coachingas:“Partnering with clients in a thought-provokingand creative process that inspires them to maximisetheir personal and professional potential.”23Mentoring is a type of training system u

260、nder which asenior or more experienced individual acts as amentor or guide to a more junior person.The mentoris responsible for providing support to,and feedbackon,the individual in their charge.Mindset toolkit:Understanding the differencebetween mentors and coachesCoaches and mentors can work with

261、marketers indifferent ways to accomplish their goals.In bothcoaching and mentoring,trust,respect andconfidentiality are at the forefront of the relationship.Marketers work with coaches to help them breakdown limiting beliefs and tap into their potential.Thiscan be useful for marketers who are prepar

262、ing foradvancement or to help individuals who are notmeeting expectations.“A coach is someone who holds a mirror to you tohelp you understand and work on your strengths andweaknesses.A mentor is someone with industry-specific knowledge that can provide mentees withthe benefit of their knowledge and

263、experience,”explains Conor Barron,Digital Marketing&CRMManager at An Post.Marketers can work with mentors as part of a trainingprogramme to equip them with specific skills andknowledge to help them progress in their role orcareer.Mentoring might be a process that forms partof succession planning or

264、it might be as simple ashelping a new employee to navigate the culture of anew organisation.“The purpose of the mentor is to share theirknowledge.It is up to the mentee to get the most outof the mentor,”says Andrew Burton,CapabilityTransformation Lead at Roche.62Be coachableWhether working with a me

265、ntor or a coach,it isimperative that the marketer is coachable,i.e.,thatthe individual is committed and open to change.“I think its important for professionals to reflect onthe question,am I coachable?.Mindset willdetermine whether someone is coachable.Coachablepeople have a growth mindset.If youre

266、resistant tobeing coached,then you are likely in a fixed mindset,”says High Performance Executive Coach Alan Heary.“Elite performers in all fields have coaches.Beingcoachable just means being open to asking for andreceiving feedback,looking at yourself and beinginterested in growth.You dont take thi

267、ngs personallyor as a criticism,instead you see it as an opportunity.You listen and use feedback to examine your ownperformance in order to achieve what you havecommitted to.”Build a mastermind groupA mastermind group is a peer-to-peer mentoringgroup used to help members share knowledge andsolve the

268、ir problems with input and advice from theother group members.Research suggests thatoptimal groups limit their size to eight to 10participants who meet regularly with rotatingleadership.24Peer-to-peer groups are useful foroffering mutual support but also provide differingperspectives.Mastermind grou

269、ps can be created withinorganisations,which can facilitate cross-departmental understanding and collaboration,orthey can be created within professional networkinggroups.63The value of mastermind groups“Im in a mastermind group filled with positive,passionate people.People bring absolute honestyand I

270、 find it useful as the group members challengemy thinking and hold me accountable.It really helpsme be a more mature professional.”Sinad Geraghty,CEO,FlexHuddle3.2.6 Creative“Curiosity about life in all of its aspects,I think,is stillthe secret of great creative people.”Leo Burnett,advertising execu

271、tive25Capable,committed marketers are confident,whichempowers them to be curious.Curiosity leads tomore information seeking which,in turn,can lead togreater creativity.Creativity is associated withmindset because it is the state of curiosity that leadsto information gathering and the spark for ideas

272、 andnew ways of approaching familiar and emergingchallenges.Creativity vs.logic“Modern marketing requires the creativity andcraftsmanship of the right brain just as much as theanalysis and logic of the left brain.Marketers need tobe able to tell stories,interpret data andcommunicate insights.“While

273、the digital age enables marketers to measurethe impact of marketing activities,organisations stillneed to bring innovation and creativity intomarketing,product and service design to make animpression,even though it is not always possible toaccurately forecast the impact of creative pursuits.”Sinad G

274、eraghty,CEO,FlexHuddleHowever,according to Econsultancys MarketingMindset Survey 2020,there is a widespread belief64among marketers(52%)that creativity is somethingthat people are born with rather than something thatcan be taught.While there are people who can becreative with little or no training,t

275、his does not meanthat it is not possible to become creative throughtraining.This is important.Creativity and growth mindset go hand in hand:Improve creativity by improving mindset,and viceversa“Creativity is not a magical act of inspiration.Its theresult of hard work and dedication.Even for Mozart.”

276、Carol Dweck,author,Mindset:Changing The WayYou Think To Fulfil Your Potential26“Whether its intelligence,creativity,self-control,charm or athleticism,the science shows our abilitiesto be profoundly malleable.When it comes tomastering any skill,your experience,effort,andpersistence matter a lot.Chang

277、e really is alwayspossible there is no ability that cant be developedwith effort.”Dr Heidi Grant Halvorson,author,Succeed27Key mindshift:Cultivating a creative mindset“The marketer who sees creative excellence as equalin importance to strategic leadership,operationaldiscipline and digital mastery is

278、 the marketer who willwin with the customer.”Richard Robinson,Managing Director,EconsultancyBe flexibleFlexibility and adaptability are key when it comes toenhancing creativity.65Cultivate flexibility and resilience“I think it is important when hiring at any level thatthe person you select is excite

279、d by the idea that theskills for their job and the techniques they arerequired to use are entirely fluid and constantlydeveloping.They should want to exercise theircreative muscle and be willing to try things and to notbe too scared for those things to fail.”Mindy Gofton,Head of Marketing Strategy&I

280、nnovation,I-COM“Resilience is incredibly important,irrespective of therole.It is closely related with creativity,initiative andproblem solving.“This is increasingly important as technologyinfiltrates marketing.Marketing has become far moretechnical than some people give it credit for.Marketers need

281、to approach problems with a creativemindset and so have the resilience to work theproblem and find creative solutions.”Ronan Wall,Co-founder and CEO,DosenUnderstand that there is more than one way to dothingsThe opposite of a good way to solve a problem mightnot be the wrong way.It might just be ano

282、ther goodway of solving the problem.“I would say that a strong marketing mindsetrequires you constantly evaluate and update yourown views about what works and what doesnt,”saysStrategy Consultant Shane OLeary.“Weve becomeobsessed with A/B testing in campaigns,but dont domuch of it in our own heads.“

283、As Paul Feldwick wrote in his brilliant book“TheAnatomy of Humbug”,theres no one right way to domarketing that applies in every scenario,rathertheres a variety of approaches that may apply or becorrect in many scenarios.”66Set clear goalsHave clear goals with flexibility about how to achievethem.Und

284、erstand that there may be many ways toachieve a goal,and an optimal solution may be onethat balances outcomes with resource constraints.Cultivating a creative mindset means that tacticsmight change numerous times until the goal isachieved.Recognise that creativity is collaborativeThe most talented a

285、rtists in history may never havebeen recognised because they were never able tofind an audience.In a professional setting,creativesolutions can be viewed as a threat or simply morework by virtue of being new.The creative andcollaborative aspects of the marketing mindsets are apowerful pair,because e

286、nroling a colleague,team ormanager into a creative solution is just as importantas a good idea.ReframeMapping out project or campaign scenarios requiresan act of imagination to consider the multiple waysthat a project might proceed.This includes planningfor success and also planning for failure.Gett

287、ing goodat seeing situations and challenges from differentperspectives helps marketers develop the tools tolearn from challenges.This also helps you considerdifferent ways of doing things that may be outside ofyour comfort zone.Collect knowledge and mental modelsWork to develop both vertical knowled

288、ge,which is adeep dive into a particular topic,and horizontalknowledge,which means having a solid amount ofunderstanding in a wide variety of fields.Learning broadens and deepens knowledge.Learning helps marketers to make connections67between topics and concepts that can betransformed into new and o

289、riginal ideas.This is theheart of creativity and problem-solving skills.Take breaks to tap into creative modes of thinkingAccording to Harvard Business Review,peoplesnatural inclination is to keep working on a problem,even when stuck.28When working on an idea thatrequires creativity,cognitive resear

290、ch shows that it iscrucial to take breaks at regular intervals to allow themind to slip from the focused mode of thinking intothe diffuse mode thinking.One way of doing this is via the Pomodoro Method,which simply means working in 25-minute sprintsfollowed by a five-minute break.During the five-minu

291、te break,the worker should stand up and leavetheir desk.The break should not be spent focusing onsomething else.The goal is to trigger diffuse modethinking.Creativity via diffuse mode thinkingFocused mode thinking is what happens whenpeople concentrate.The brain actively zeros in ontrying the proble

292、m at hand.Focused thinking isresource intensive and tiring.Multiple studies showthat when it comes to work that requires creative,focused thought,human beings tend to max out atfour hours of cognitive effort.29Diffuse mode thinking is a relaxed state whenthoughts can fire randomly.It occurs when the

293、 brainis not concentrating on anything in particular,such aswhen walking in nature,showering or simplydaydreaming.It is counter-intuitive to most people,but the diffuse mode helps people to makeconnections between ideas that they might not haverealised were connected.It is the mode that does theback

294、ground processing that helps solve difficultproblems and come up with creative ideas.Source:A Mind for Numbers:How to Excel at Mathand Science,Barbara Oakley,Tarcher,20143068External Mindsets3.2.7 Curious“I think,at a childs birth,if a mother could ask a fairygodmother to endow it with the most usef

295、ul gift,thatgift should be curiosity.”Eleanor Roosevelt,formerFirst Lady of the US31In the pursuit of human progress,the single mostimportant mindset is curiosity,defined as the desireto know and learn new things.From Plato to Einstein,scholars from any number of disciplines identifycuriosity as a v

296、ital attribute for success in any domain.Equally,senior marketers identify curiosity andopenness to learning as vital attributes for futuresuccess.This is true both for individuals,to remainemployable,and for organisations,to remaincompetitive.32Curiosity matters.A spark of curiosity,given room to b

297、urn,can translate into revolutionaryproducts or ways of working.The case for curiosity in individual marketersCuriosity is a key day-to-day requirement ofmarketers.They need to scan the horizon toobserve market trends and consumer behaviour.They need to navigate new marketing technologyand marketing

298、 channels.In such an environment,marketers who can foster a sense of curiosity willbe best placed to thrive.Those that wish to remaintask-or process-focused at the expense ofcuriosity might be left behind.Curiosity,by nature,inspires behaviours such asinformation seeking,which plays a meaningfulrole

299、 in workplace learning.33Curiosity is strongly associated with a propensity toask more unprompted questions,and anincreased ability to make use of ambiguousinformation.3469Curiosity enables individuals to react to eventswith open,non-defensive attitudes and effortfulthinking.This can be of benefit i

300、n an ever-changing and unpredictable work environment,asindividuals are less likely to perceive change asstressful and are more likely to adapt effectively.35Key mindshift:Cultivating curiosity.Maintain abeginners mindsetWhat is the first business of one who practicesphilosophy?To get rid of self-co

301、nceit.For it isimpossible for anyone to begin to learn that which hethinks he already knows.”Epictetus,philosopher,Discourses36Curious marketers are aware that theirunderstanding of a topic is not the same as knowinga topic deeply.This allows them to remain humbleand open to updating their knowledge

302、 based on newinformation.Challenge your own understanding andassumptionsWhile human beings crave certainty,it is usually anillusion.Be aware that when one thinks they knoweverything about a subject,it leaves little room forcreativity.After all,how could progress be made inany enterprise if people as

303、sumed that they alreadyknow what there is to know?The antidote to certainty is curiosity“The antidote to certainty is curiosity.Be curiousabout your own knowledge.How do you know it to betrue?If you learned it from experience,is it possiblethat if the variables were different the experiencemight hav

304、e been difficult?Are you able to draw a linebetween the experience and knowledge of marketingprinciples?If not,it is worth checking yourknowledge.”Sinad Geraghty,CEO,FlexHuddle70Understand the difference between dispositionaland situational curiosity37Dispositional curiosity,also called trait curios

305、ity,refers to a general tendency to experience interestor curiosity.Situational curiosity,also called state or taskcuriosity,refers to a transitory feeling of curiositythat arises in a particular situation.This kind ofcuriosity is temporary and is evoked by an ongoinginteraction between an individua

306、l and theirenvironment.It is the latter type of curiosity that marketers andmarketing leaders should seek to cultivate andencourage because it can be stimulated and so ispliable.By practicing situational curiosity,marketerscan transform the temporary stage that arises fromseeking answers to specific

307、 issues into a powerfulmindset that can permeate every aspect of their lives.In other words,if trait curiosity reflects the cumulativeeffect of situational factors,then interventions tostimulate situational curiosity can enhance traitcuriosity.Marketers can consciously adopt and implementsituational

308、 curiosity when they can pursue one of thefollowing three strategies:381.The challenge strategyPeople are more likely to be curious if they aregiven autonomy to meet a challenge or goal.39Thisis because human beings desire to be self-directed increases engagement over compliance.Further,to be presen

309、ted with a challenge forcesmarketers to acknowledge gaps in theirknowledge.These knowledge gaps need to befilled,which encourages marketers to seek newinformation.712.Purpose strategyHuman beings have a desire to do things that theysee as having meaning and that are important.Human beings are more l

310、ikely to remaininterested in a task when they can focus on thepurposes served by performing it.This interest canmanifest in curiosity in how to complete the task.Human beings have a desire to do things that theysee as having meaning and that are important.This has implications for marketers in terms

311、 ofunderstanding their own internal valueproposition and how their work contributestowards the goals of their organisation.Whenmarketers can align their own purpose with whatthe organisation is trying to achieve,they arebetter able to find meaning in their work.This also has wider implications for h

312、ow brands aremanaged.For example,brands are increasinglyacknowledging the importance of balancingsustainability goals as well as profits.Brands thatonly focus on profits without valuing purpose mayend up with poor customer service and unhappyemployees.Further,brands that can align staffaround a comm

313、on mantra(see Section 4.3,Have amantra)and that communicate and optimisearound customer performance indicators(seeSection 4.8,Update key performance indicators tobalance customer centricity with commercialfocus)will be better able to align their employeesindividual purpose with organisational purpos

314、e.3.Variety strategyPeople are more likely to remain interested in anactivity when they can vary how they perform it.40This requires marketers(and their employers)tobe solutions focused rather than task focused.The variety strategy also taps into human beingsnatural urge to get better at the tasks t

315、hey havebeen set.The variety strategy facilitates bothcuriosity and also the urge to pursue mastery.72Ask questionsFrom a practical point of view,when marketers areencouraged to ask questions,it becomes possible forthem to clarify objectives and seek guidance fromline managers.Asking lots of questio

316、ns can also helpto uncover new interests and insights.Asking lots ofquestions will help marketers to extract nuance anddevelop their strategic thinking abilities.Mindset toolkit:How to ask questionsAsk your boss to share their view about thecompetitive landscape.Ask for a mentor,preferably somebody

317、moresenior than your line manager.Ask themquestions about their goals,problems,objectivesand solutions.Ask questions at townhalls.Ask why five times.Investigate problems byasking why.After coming up with an answer,askwhy thats the case,and so on until the questionhas been asked five times.This minds

318、et can helpmarketers innovate by challenging existingperspectives.Cultivate opportunistic thinkingThe Oxford English Dictionary defines opportunity as“a time or set of circumstances that makes it possibleto do something”41.Marketers can increase thequantity and quality of opportunities in their live

319、s byreframing challenges as opportunities.Also,whilemuch is written about exponential change,all changecascades down to increasing opportunities for peopleand organisations to take advantage of that change.73Choose projects and new roles based onopportunities to learn“Instead of doing things that ar

320、e interesting,oravailable,or even entertaining,we need to look at thelearning element.Choose the opportunities that youwill learn most from those that will teach you theskills,models and abilities that will become morevaluable in the future this should be our lens.”Colin Lewis,CMO,OpenJaw Technologi

321、es“Opportunity doesnt come often,so seize it when itcomes.Seize any opportunity,or anything that lookslike opportunity.They are rare,much rarer than youthink Many people do not realise they are getting alucky break in life when they get it.If a big publisher(or a big art dealer or a movie executive

322、or a hotshotbanker or a big thinker)suggests an appointment,cancel anything you have planned:you may not seesuch a window open up again.”Nicolas Nassim Taleb,author,The Black Swan423.2.8 Challenging“Asking Why?can lead to understanding.AskingWhy not?can lead to breakthroughs.”Daniel Pink,author,“A W

323、hole New Mind:Why Right-Brainers WillRule the Future”To cultivate curiosity and creativity in their truestsense requires thinking in terms of abstract ideas thatinvolve uncertainty.This requires marketers torespectfully challenge both their own ideas andbeliefs and those of their colleagues.To chall

324、engemeans seeking out nuance and avoiding becomingpreoccupied with buzzworthy tactics.The act of challenging is associated with courage.That is,the courage to find a way to stretch onesabilities and turn obstacles into opportunities.Challenge requires the courage to be open andhonest with clients an

325、d colleagues.Courage to offerpolite but fair critique.Courage to present ones ownideas.Courage to challenge the group dynamic.74To be curious and creative will lead to new ideas butthose marketers will need to beware of their own egoand accept that not all of their ideas will be good oruseful.To be

326、able to challenge also means being ableto work autonomously and be fully accountable andopen to being challenged without falling back intofixed mindset behaviour.Key mindshift:Cultivating a mindset for challengeWatch your egoBe aware that ego is just a conditioned pattern ofthinking.Good marketers b

327、alance confidence in theircapability with an openness to different ways of doingthings.“Marketers need to be confident but also need tobalance their ego with curiosity,”says Conor Barron,Digital Marketing&CRM Manager at An Post.“Thatmeans being self-aware,being humble and open tocollaboration.“I lov

328、e the principle of disagree and commit,whichmeans that sometimes I might be overruled by myteam but Ill commit wholeheartedly to whatever hasbeen decided.”Beware dogmatic thinkingCritical thinking the objective analysis andevaluation of facts to form a judgement has alwaysbeen a valuable ability,par

329、ticularly for marketingleaders and those working in marketing research.Critical thinkers:1.Are curious.They ask challenging questions in thespirit of finding out the what,why and how behindassumptions.If something goes wrong,they wantto find out why.2.Are analytical.They determine the information an

330、danalysis required to make decisions.They analyseinformation objectively.This entails carefullydistinguishing between(a)beliefs that appeal toones own interests but lack adequate evidence,and(b)analytical reasoning that is based on data.753.Can deal with ambiguity.They acknowledge thatdespite a prol

331、iferation of data,they do not alwayshave complete information.Dealing withambiguity and adaptability to change go hand inhand.4.Can look for alternative scenarios.Critical thinkingand creative thinking live side by side.Criticalthinkers can both look at situations from adifferent point of view and s

332、ee opportunitieswhere others might see obstacles.Challenging our own ways of thinking is an essentialstep to evolving mindset.Marketers who tend towarda fixed mindset may fail to ask questions,relying onwhat has worked for them in the past and riskingmissed opportunities or threats from change.Likew

333、ise,creative thinkers can err on the side of whatis new for its own sake,which is especially easy in adiscipline brimming with new ideas andtechnologies.“I think the biggest issue is marketers being too inlove with their own idea of how marketing works,”says Strategy Consultant Shane OLeary.“Intenseideology is a bad thing.Strong opinions loosely heldis a piece of advice thats difficult to put into