“My last CMO failed me. How do I avoid hiring the wrong CMO?” asked a frustrated CEO from a health tech startup. The audience of nearly 100 marketers leaned in to see how the panelists would handle this lit grenade. Spicy answers to follow, perhaps exaggerated since I wasn’t recording.

Inside a CMO–CEO Disconnect

Let me set the stage. This was my 2nd panel of the evening at the GTM Leader Society Marketing Exec Salon in San Mateo, CA. Still on NY time, I was getting a little punchy. Not sure my fellow panelists could claim this excuse, but we all came out swinging.

First up, Jacob Warwick, master negotiator and founder of Think Warwick, jabbed in his stentorian voice, “How much of that problem is of your own making?” The CEO acknowledged that perhaps 50% of the blame was hers. [Okay, self-criticism is good.]

Then exec recruiting legend Kate Bullis of ZRG Partners asked in an impossibly friendly yet firm manner, “What is it that you wanted your CMO to do?” The CEO shared, “I wanted her to help grow the business.” [Not unreasonable.]

Hugh Marshall of Heidrick & Struggles, a powerhouse in his own right, weighed in with another tough question: “Do you think the CMO understood your vision?” The CEO paused and considered the question, and responded, “Look, I have a background in marketing, and I know most marketers can sell snow to Eskimos, so I should have known better. But this CMO didn’t get anything done.” [Hated hearing this part.]

Lessons from the Panel: What CMOs Must Do

Then it was my turn. Grabbing the mic from Hugh, I blurted, “Maybe you’re not ready for a CMO.” Recognizing that this sounded harsh, I continued, “At the startup stage, it’s fine for the CEO to run marketing – read Allyson Letteri’s book, The Standout Startup – I’m fairly certain she advises this approach.” “Just hire a demand gen person and get on with it,” I advised. [For the record, I couldn’t remember the name of the book on stage.]

The conversation then shifted to other questions closer to the announced topic, Strengthening Your Credibility with the Broader Exec Team. I don’t have space for all the wisdom shared by my esteemed colleagues, so here’s my TL;DR:

• CMOs must set and manage expectations
• CMOs must educate their colleagues on how and when marketing will impact the business
• Savvy CMOs share ownership of pipeline numbers with Sales and do everything they can to “make sales love them.”
• Savvy CMOs share brand tracking data AND revenue-related data in every board presentation (leading + lagging indicators)

Staying Warm in the Coldest Job

Asked to wrap things up, I encouraged the audience to consider the differential temperature inside and outside an Emperor penguin huddle in Antarctica – a mind-boggling 70°. CMOs need to protect themselves from the coldest job in the C-suite. So yes, I suggested they huddle with their fellow CMOs, to share, to care, and to dare each to greatness.

Written by Drew Neisser