How do you retain good talent, especially when Demand Generation roles are in such high demand across the industry?

Employee retention is almost always top of mind for me. I think as a people leader, it is very important to communicate the company goals and tie it back to that individual no matter what role or level. Everyone's contributions matter and being able to translate that back to what they are doing gives the individual 1) a sense of belonging and purpose and 2) motivation that their impact connects to a bigger picture. There are factors that drive people to look for new roles, maybe it's the pay, or ...Read More

Creating an environment where we have trust, pysocholigical safety, and fun is key, but it's trust that allows team members to have autonomy and agency. Celebrating wins toegther, celebrating mistakes (fail forward!), and removing roadblocks are foundational to building healthy teams.   Something I try to encourage is that each team member is the owner of their business line, audience, program, etc. As a business owner, they know what they are accountable to, and what is required to meet their g ...Read More

It’s crucial for Demand Generation professionals to see how their contributions align with larger company goals and strategy. This fosters a sense of purpose and keeps them invested in the organization’s success. Given the cross-functional nature of the role, offer senior team members the opportunity to lead strategic workstreams rather than being limited to tactical execution. This not only increases their impact but also enhances their leadership skills and long-term career prospects. To retai ...Read More

My philosophy is simple; don’t get in the way of people making their money. If someone is performing well, pay them well. Compensation should never be a distraction. When money is off the table, their mind stays clear and focused on the mission. If someone is underperforming, be transparent. Make it painfully clear what success looks like, where they’re falling short, and what support they’ll get to close the gap. Ambiguity kills motivation faster than any competitor offer. Your success flag sho ...Read More

As a people manager, you must wholeheartedly invest in your team and your employees’ career objectives, even if it’s not Demand Generation. Here are a few things I do to cultivate my team’s growth: Create strong career ladders. This drives a few things: Clear articulation of my expectations for their existing role and promotional requirements. Transparency in your career discussions on their strengths and areas of opportunity, which can be used throughout the year and during the review cycles. H ...Read More

In my experience there are 3 keys to both developing and retaining top talent: Prioritize and maintain alignment with sales: nobody wants to be doing work that isn't appreciated or that isn't aligned with the organizational priorities and objectives. Create a framework but keep it flexible: it's so important in any DG function to create scale, but it's also important to not stifle individual thought processes or creativity. Lead/guide, but don't force down a certain path Prioritize, prioritize, ...Read More

In order to retain good talent, I believe you have to care for the person as a whole. They need to know you care about their wellbeing. The leader of the team needs to cultivate an environment where this is naturally developed over the course of micro moments and time. I recommend focusing on the following areas: Build trust with the individual, not just in their role. It’s important that an individual knows you don’t just care about the output of their work. This could take the form of career d ...Read More

If you want to be a leader people actually follow, you have to focus on the things that build loyalty and drive impact. Here are my non-negotiables: 1. Lead with Your Values 💡 Every great leader has a core set of principles that people rally around. For me, that’s fairness, transparency, and empathy. I live by the idea that "clear is kind"—be direct, be honest, and leave no room for guessing (even if you are delivering bad news). Your values are your leadership compass. Figure out what yours are ...Read More

It's fantastic that in these times of efficient, sustainable growth, demand generation marketers are highly sought after! Ultimately I think it comes down to what the business needs aligned to the top talent's expectations of where they want to grow. Gratitude and reward can come in multiple forms: Applause, Access, Appreciation (persona, private thank you notes/emails), and Awards. As managers during these times, it's difficult to have the latter of promotion, raises, and spot bonuses, so how d ...Read More