What have been your biggest lessons when transitioning between different workplace cultures as a marketing leader?
It’s absolutely vital to take time out, understand the local market and spend time with clients when possible. Nobody can argue with real insights and data from the field.
The other big lesson for me was that you should really keep an open mind and not carry around preconceived notions about certain cultures. Before moving to Finland, a lot of people told me about how difficult it might be to break the ice and build a good working relationship with colleagues. In fact, it was very easy. It was refreshing to be able to speak your mind freely and get to the point without beating around the bush.
How can you take best practice from one country or region and translate that to another, where the working culture may be different?
In a global marketing set up, this is one of the most powerful things that the team can do. We always set some time aside in the monthly town hall meetings to showcase interesting campaigns and learnings from around the globe. In my one-to-ones I’d always make connections and encourage regional marketing teams to connect with each other and share ideas.
There’s a large amount of overlap in terms of core messaging, tactics and value proposition. Our flagship executive event for our key customers has the same theme across regions but we tweak the format of the event. In the US, we’d spread the event across the weekend, but in India this would be a much shorter format, only about 5 hours or so.
What’s the biggest mistake you’ve made when setting up a team in a new marketplace?
I think my biggest mistake was not ensuring that local businesses or sales leaders were involved in hiring and on-boarding new marketers. They have to be invested and equally responsible for the success of the team.
What’s the secret of good people management when covering a team all over the globe?
There is nothing more effective than spending face-to-face time with your teams. Make sure you build meaningful connections and get to know people at a more personal level. It can be tedious and expensive to travel around the globe but it’s essential as the leader of a globally distributed team.
In my previous organisation, I led a team of around 65 marketers globally and knew most beyond a superficial level. It really helps to know their interests and motivations so you can pair people to work on global campaigns and get very creative ideas.
What benefits does working and managing people in different locations have for your career?
It helps you develop a greater sense of empathy, expands your understanding of different cultures, and makes you a better person, both personally and professionally. Global experience is always valued in the job market, with every company wanting to go global it can be really beneficial.
