• by April 1, 2009

In a recent series of in-depth interviews with 30 lead marketers, we examined marketing's role inside companies and the role leaders should play. Not surprisingly, almost all chief marketers aspired to have a seat at the executive table when decisions are made. But not all of them had an answer to the question at hand: How do you get there?

Some of the most innovative and cutting-edge marketers we spoke with articulated the lead marketing position as a transformative role within the organization, working as both a team member and an agent of change within the c-suite. The goal is to avoid having marketing thought of as a noun, an entity inside the organization that eats budget and operates under status quo. In the transformative state, marketing is instead seen as a verb, driving action inside the organization, working to bring ideas to life and catalyzing business growth.

The size of company and lifecycle of products were among the factors that determined the focus and strategy of that transformation. In some cases, marketing's role was to force the organization to reassess itself strategically, often by returning to business "basics" of pulling together and integrating market and customer insights. In other cases, marketing had to take the overarching company value proposition into various channels that historically promoted individual products rather than brands.

In all successful instances, marketing defined itself as a strategic role that served as the glue to unite and focus the organization on short- and long-term growth opportunities. In this interpretation of the CMO role, the actual activities and strategies vary, but the role is always focused on figuring out how to get the organization to the "next level."

Marketing has to get out of the comfort zone of defining what it does and does not control -- like product development, communication, advertising, media, etc. This new way of thinking means marketers must drive a holistic vision across the enterprise to define themselves as value added and a leader inside of the organization.

There are a few common underpinnings to the CMO's success:

• Most commonly reported to and had the public support of the CEO

• Viewed the CFO as an ally

• Had earned the respect and trust of other senior leaders

• Defined the role as a strategic growth driver typically focused on achieving top line growth

One of the unspoken components of attaining this position and influence requires the lead marketer to be a translator. This is the ability to translate in business terms how transformational activity will drive value and an understanding that all pieces of the plan are needed to make a system work and produce the desired financial result. As one CMO said, "I have to figure out how marketing is going to drive revenue."

Now is the perfect time to take a look at the trends identified above and ask yourself the tough question: How will you be an agent of change in your company?

For a full copy of the report, "The CMO Agenda," go to www.cmgpartners.com/cmo.htm.