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Suzanne Lowe Suzanne Lowe   Bio
05.23.07

CMOs: Be Very Afraid... NOT!

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June's Fast Company magazine just published another chapter in the "CMOs-are-doomed" horror-genre of stories. This one is called "The Most Dangerous Job in Business." Of course, according to Fast Company, citing a survey by respected executive search firm SpencerStuart, it's the Chief Marketing Officer.

The piece breathlessly stokes fear with comments like "the new reality is that CMO jobs are incredibly perilous," and "Maybe the CMO post should be acknowledged simply as the 'fall guy' job in the C-suite."

Frankly, I am not seeing this amount of turnover in the CMO position for professional and B2B service firms. Sure, there is movement in the role, and it does appear to have linkage with the advent of new firm leadership. But I simply don't see the point about this "be very afraid" tone. Many of my clients have served in their roles for more than five years.

The article did contain a nugget that rang true for me: "So what's it going to take to get the CMO off the endangered-species list? Perhaps a clearer definition of the position and what's expected..." To this I say a big "WELL, hELLLooooooo."

I heartily endorse better "expectation-setting" in the professional and B2B service arena. And that it's the responsibility of both the CMO-wannabe and his or her potential C-suite colleagues to improve on this.

But I reject the notion that CMOs are sitting ducks, stupidly subject to the cruelties of a capricious senior management, with simply no idea when the axe will fall. Or if there's an axe at all.

Please.



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Comments

Curious - Do you see a difference in the longevity between CMOs of public companies and those of private companies?

Posted by: Cam Beck | 05.23.07

Hi Cam:

I haven't looked at this issue objectively, but in my mention of CMO clients who have had relatively long tenure, it included both public and private companies.

Anyone else have some data?

Posted by: Suzanne Lowe | 05.24.07

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