Navigating the Clarity Conundrum in Marketing

Clarity

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Many marketers struggle with a common issue: not having a clear understanding of what they should be delivering, what success looks like, and most importantly, why they are doing it.

This lack of clarity is affecting everyone. Executives and mid-level marketers are being asked to provide briefs without knowing the specific deliverables. Senior marketers are often faced with last-minute communication requests that just need to be sent out by the end of the day.

We must be flexible and adapt to changes in trends, cultural conversations, and the competitive environment. At times, we may need to make decisions quickly without all the information, but it's important to ensure that everyone in the organization understands the vision, goals, and strategic direction.

It's crucial for individuals to have a clear understanding of their role and the projects they are responsible for. Additionally, defining what success means is essential so that everyone can recognize when they have achieved their goals.

Common clarity gaps

When it comes to understanding the direction of travel within a company, it is essential for clarity to come from various sources. This could be from senior marketers who lead cross-functional teams or from marketers who present bottom-up growth potential. Regardless of where the clarity comes from, the most important thing is that we all comprehend our roles in bringing the vision to life and are driven to achieve it.

I often notice lack of clarity in training and consulting at all levels. One common issue is when work is briefed without SMART objectives or clear KPIs that align with strategic, brand, or commercial goals. This can lead to investments that do not contribute to reaching long or short-term goals, impacting marketing performance and perceptions.

2. Planning brand strategies without a clear vision for business growth can lead to the need for reworking plans later on, which can be frustrating and demotivating for everyone involved.

3. Developing innovation pipelines without sufficient investment can result in delays to launch dates, making the work less competitive and relevant.

4. Sometimes tasks are assigned with tight deadlines just to please someone, without clear reasons for the rush. This leads to resources being spread thin and taken away from projects that drive growth.

5. These situations can be demoralizing and lead to time wasted, draining energy and resources from projects that actually contribute to personal and professional satisfaction and success.

The capability gap

There are many reasons why clarity is becoming such an issue.

Setting a clear vision can be challenging, especially when you are already overwhelmed with tasks. This lack of clarity can make it harder to prioritize and push back on requests from other teams.

I have noticed a gap in being able to make strategic decisions and then turning these goals into SMART objectives. It is also important to have a safe environment where team members feel comfortable asking "why?" or saying "No, that's not a priority for us. Here's what is."

Many leaders mistakenly believe that communicating once is enough to ensure alignment, without realizing the importance of embedding clarity. This lack of understanding often leads senior stakeholders to assign tasks that may not belong to the marketing department.

Success might require taking a step back to carefully define the context and clarity before sharing it in a way that is motivating and inspiring.

I understand how busy we are in the fast-paced marketing industry. Sometimes, as marketing leaders, we may rush through tasks without fully understanding them or taking the time to ask for clarification. This can lead to us not being properly briefed ourselves.

As a result, we may struggle to provide important context for a project, campaign, or initiative, and how it fits into the bigger picture. We might also make assumptions about the work we assign, thinking that certain job titles automatically mean a certain level of competency, without considering the motivations that come with understanding the full context.

Is it solely the marketing leader's responsibility to ensure clarity? Or should the person receiving unclear information feel empowered to ask for more details or guidance? Perhaps it's a matter of having the knowledge and confidence to seek clarification when needed.

One common reason for not seeking clarity is a lack of understanding about the significance of the tasks assigned to marketers. It's important to grasp the 'why' and 'what' behind the goals and objectives they are working towards. Understanding how their work contributes to short-term goals, long-term vision, and overall organizational success is key.

During a recent training session with an agency, a client mentioned that they were not given access to the commercial goals or targets of the broader business. This lack of transparency is not only disappointing for the marketing profession, as it shows a lack of trust in our ability to lead the long-term commercial strategy, but it also means that marketers are missing out on the opportunity to demonstrate how their efforts contribute to sustainable growth.

This gap in capabilities seems to be a result of a historical shortage of marketers entering the profession. As a result, many executives and mid-level marketers may have been promoted without possessing the necessary strategic understanding.

Lack of clarity can result in subpar outcomes, misallocated resources, and conflicts within a team. It can lead to redoing work, wasting budgets, and demotivating employees.

To illustrate, imagine telling your team to run a race without explaining the purpose, distance, or expected time. Without clear direction, who will benefit from the race? How far do they need to go? What time should they aim for? And who will be there to support them along the way?

Are you ready to run a race without knowing the destination, distance, and purpose? It's important to provide clarity and motivation to those participating. Let them know the reasons for running and what to expect along the journey. Identify key milestones and how they will recognize when they have reached the finish line.

Remember to celebrate their achievement, reflect on successes and lessons learned. Take time to regroup and prepare for the next race.

Importance of Providing Clarity in Leadership

As a leader, one of the essential qualities to possess is the ability to provide clarity. This means taking the time to understand the bigger picture, the company's goals for growth, the desired vision, and what success entails. It is crucial for effective leadership.

Slowing down to speed up can be beneficial. Take the time to define context and clarity before sharing it in a motivating and inspiring way. It is crucial to provide clarity to your stakeholders and the marketers you work with. Clarity should be given on:

1. The overall vision, direction, and commercial goals of the wider business and/or your brand. Also, mention the timeframe in which these goals are expected to be achieved.

2. Your brand's strategic objectives will define your growth plans, target markets, and expected changes.

3. To achieve these objectives, focus on key tasks or initiatives.

4. Clearly define the goals for each project using Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).

5. Make sure each team member understands their responsibilities, the necessary skills and behaviors, and provide them with the support they need to succeed.

Many of you may be reading this thinking: ‘Yep, have all that’. But how clearly has this been communicated? Is the context understood? I encourage you to check with your team.

What works

1. Including all marketers in the strategic planning process helps them grasp the reasons behind market and consumer challenges, and also understand the strategic objectives.

2. Keeping everyone informed about corporate goals and performance results on a regular basis, along with what to expect and why, is essential.

3. Make sure to verify comprehension when assigning tasks, whether through verbal communication or by reviewing project briefs.

4. Evaluate any skill or knowledge gaps by examining the results of the project. This can be done by reviewing the long-term strategy, annual brand plan, or project brief to identify any areas where additional capabilities may be needed.

5. Make sure to understand the reason behind the work you are assigning. It's important to know the purpose, intent, and what success looks like. Don't just focus on the task, but also explain why it is necessary and what it will help us achieve. If you're unsure about the 'why', don't hesitate to ask for clarification.

6. Take the time to gain clarity if you don't have it. Without a clear understanding, we might end up wasting time and effort on work that isn't as effective. This can lead to a demotivated team that is not reaching their full potential.

As business consultant Marcus Buckingham says: “Clarity is the preoccupation of the effective leader. If you do nothing else as a leader, be clear.”

Editor's P/S:

This article highlights the critical problem of clarity in marketing and the negative consequences it can have on performance, resource allocation, and team morale. The lack of clear vision, goals, and strategic direction can lead to ineffective investments, frustration, and a sense of disconnection from the organization's purpose.

It is essential for leaders to prioritize clarity and provide context for their team members. By defining success, goals, and roles, they can create an environment where everyone understands their contributions and can align their efforts towards the company's vision. Moreover, fostering a culture of open communication and empowerment enables team members to seek clarification and prioritize tasks based on their understanding of the bigger picture. By embracing clarity, organizations can unlock the full potential of their marketing teams, leading to improved performance, increased motivation, and sustainable growth.