20 Leadership Moves That Help Marketing Teams Drive Greater Impact

Marketing and communications teams are often responsible for shaping how a company is understood by customers, employees, investors and the broader market. But their ability to do that effectively depends heavily on the support they receive from leadership.

The most effective CEOs don’t simply approve budgets or sign off on messaging. They ensure marketing has the context and influence needed to contribute strategically. Here, members of Forbes Communications Council share the most valuable ways CEOs can support marketing and communications teams—and why their actions can make all the difference.

Define The Brand From The Top.  Steve Jobs never asked what the market wanted. He decided what Apple was. The marketing team had one job: not to invent the story, but to make it visible. That is the difference. When positioning comes from the top, it becomes culture. When it comes from a marketing department, it becomes a campaign. Conviction cannot be outsourced. 

Give Communications A Seat At The Table.  The most valuable thing a CEO can do is secure a voice and seat at the decision-making table for the comms team. That access positions comms to understand, shape and drive organizational objectives directly. Otherwise, comms operates on assumptions rather than organizational intelligence, risking missed opportunities and uncovered brand touchpoints.

Lead With Authenticity.  A CEO supports marketing and communications best by prioritizing sincerity. By being visible, accessible and willing to use their voice with intention, CEOs can create a human-centric narrative. That matters because communication is most powerful and trustworthy when it feels personal, relevant and connected to the people behind the business.

Trust Your Communications Team.  CEOs should lean into trust. Of course, this must be earned, but the CEO, much like all leaders, needs to acknowledge expertise and allow for creative communications people to create plans and ideas. It is incumbent on comms leaders to explain their concepts in a clear and concise way, but at its core lies trust from leadership. It will allow for the best ideas to come forward and create new leaders along the way.

Become The Company’s Chief Storyteller.  The CEO should ideally translate the corporate strategic narrative into an inspiring, authentic, passionate and highly personal story. Be the chief storyteller and attach it to personal charisma and uniqueness to connect to stakeholders and shareholders in deeper and more meaningful ways.

The othres are:  Invest Time And Resources In Communications.  Align Marketing And Sales Around Growth.  Put Customer Insights At The Center Of Decisions.  Stay Engaged Without Micromanaging.  Provide Clear Strategic Direction.  Personally Reinforce The Brand Narrative.  Empower Marketing Leaders To Lead.  Share The Strategic Context.  Address Difficult Issues Early.  Champion Brand Building As A Business Asset.  Include Marketing In Strategic Decisions.  Consistently Champion The Company’s Purpose.  Help Marketing Speak The Language Of Business.  Align The Organization Around The ‘Why’.  And Treat Marketing As A Strategic Function.

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