What sets great CMOs apart from their “good” colleagues? On the basis of over 25,000 assessments of senior marketers, Egon Zehnder International says that orientation towards results and change leadership are the two main behaviors that drive exceptional CMO performance. Other attributes closely correlated with performance include customer orientation and market knowledge. The research also reveals that tomorrow’s top CMOs will be more deeply embedded within their companies than in the past. “Effective CMOs touch every part of the organization,” says
Dick Patton, co-leader of Egon Zehnder International’s
global CMO practice. “Because the world is flatter and more transparent, every customer interaction, from product development to manufacturing, to procurement, and sales, has an impact on the brand,” Patton concludes.
