Mega Mentor: The power to get the most from others

Well I’m wrapping up my series on marketing superpowers, and to finish up, we will take a look at Mega Mentor! I’ve worked hard to keep you up-to-date on each of our superheroes, but if you’ve missed any of them so far, here is what we’ve covered:

• Wonder Vision – The power to see what no one yet can see
• Alchemist – The power to blend art with science in a way no one can ignore
• Super Voice – The power to reach millions at the same time
• Data Man – The power to turn piles of data into competitive insights and deliver real marketing value
• Mega Mentor – The power to get the most from others

Now let’s get up to speed on Mega Mentor!

In looking at our final superhero, Mega Mentor, we see that to “be what’s next” requires you to build a team of experts in order to reach your customers effectively. Imagine that Mega Mentor is the leader driving the superhero team to tackle all of the marketing superhero problems out there! Getting the most from others is what Mega Mentor does, and that results in an unstoppable team.

Mega Mentor may guide the other members of your superhero team, but this does not mean that Mega Mentor has to be the leader of the team in name. There are plenty of excellent Mega Mentors who do not manage others, but they still bring out the best in the rest of the team. They possess the knowledge and the insight to transform strategy into action, and to help the rest of the team execute.

As I mentioned in my previous blogs about our trip to Chicago this year for Cisco Marketing Velocity, we have some excellent superheroes of our own here at Cisco. I am thrilled to work with team members every day that embody many of these superhero traits, and as a marketing executive, it is thrilling to see folks on my team taking on the role of Mega Mentor.

I know the people on our teams that are stepping into those roles today will be blazing new trails in the years to come and I am so excited to see them taking the reins now. Mega Mentors help build your entire marketing team into an unstoppable force. They are imperative for:

• Inspiring the team
• Developing other team member’s marketing skills
• Setting clear direction

I cannot encourage you enough to identify the people that can fill the role of Mega Mentor. You also need to nurture them within your company. Don’t let the knowledge base you already have go untapped, or even worse, fight tooth and nail to make sure that knowledge base doesn’t leave you for a competitor!

Where our previous superheroes have almost all been focused in one specific area, Mega Mentors are well rounded, with an understanding of multiple strategic areas. They provide a high level view of many of your tactics as well, allowing them not only to help develop your other marketing talent, but to:

• Develop an overall marketing approach incorporating the talents of all your other superheroes
• Optimize your overall marketing approach to best suit your personnel
• Optimize your content for your customers

Ultimately, the guiding hand provided by a Mega Mentor will help your content, your team morale and ultimately, your brand. The areas, such as revenue marketing, that we have discussed are directly impacted here, so keep your eyes open and spot your Mega Mentors. Make them integral to your marketing planning and strategy.

Data Man is a vital team member who has the power to get the most from others. I hope I’ve had the power to bring you the most insight possible since our Marketing Velocity event earlier this year. I can’t wait to meet with you all again next year.

During the past few months, we have had some great discussions about our superheroes. I do hope you’ve not only enjoyed a little lighter approach to these subjects, but that you’ve also gotten some great insight from these blogs as well. I would certainly appreciate your feedback on this blog and on the series as a whole.

Watch this space for more blogs from me and let me know how your superhero teams are developing in your organizations!