I've seen so many stories lately about the headwinds faced by Marketing and Comms pros as they move toward the C Suite, and with them the startling corporate governance stats that leave me wondering why there aren't more MarComm leaders serving on boards.
The truth is, many execs don't understand the value of our work and view it as a tactical rather than strategic function. There's also the misperception that PR, comms and brand marketing leaders aren't bona fide businesspeople because they may not have a deep background in finance or another field that fits naturally within a corporate structure.
I've experienced those challenges myself, repeatedly having to prove my worth as a business leader even AFTER I earned the CMO title.
But here's the thing: We bring a lot to the table. We're brand guardians. Mission champions and coalition builders. Truth tellers and messaging mavens. Trend spotters and dot connectors. Often with deep experience keeping huge projects on track, on budget, and on time.
The next time you set out to achieve the big and transformative by recruiting top talent for the boardroom, don’t forget to seek out the execs with backgrounds in design, journalism, digital media and PR. Those are the one who’ll give you fresh thinking, bold ideas and clear-headed guidance.