CMOs are like NBA Coaches – You are Only As Good As Your Team

As a marketing leader, you're not guaranteed to be the best in your industry with an all-star marketing team, but you have no shot without it.

I was listening to ESPN recently and they were discussing NBA Coaches and their success. The conclusion, Phil Jackson, former coach of the World Champion Los Angeles Lakers, would not have won a championship or even made the playoffs with this year’s Lakers team (currently holding a 5-27 record). NBA coaches are worth a few extra wins per year and can lead team to championships, as long as their talent is one of the best in the league.

Now let’s think of our position as CMOs. We need to lead the growth agenda for…