What are some ways that junior and newer pmms can get greater exposure to the c-suite?

(This answer from my fearless colleague Sophia Fox) As a junior pmm, recommend being strategic about the types of projects you work on, and in what capacity. Cannot emphasize enough taking the initiative to seek out and work with your manager and cross-functional partners to identify where pmm can uniquely add value to any key business initiative. Find mentors too. That’s their job, and it is part of yours as well. If you don’t find execs mentors who you feel comfortable with, I’d really ask yourself if you are at the right place for you. Then, show up.

As a pmm leader within an org, create as many opportunities to help garner greater visibility into the valuable work that your junior folks (and newer team members) bring to the table. And, whenever possible, if you are the catalyst, let their voice (and face) be in the forefront along the journey so that it is unmistakably clear that they are the primary lead on said initiative. This will not only create a culture of trust and excitement, but it makes your team stronger. Your executive team cannot ignore the contribution of every pmm member within your org.

The best way a junior or newer PMM can get exposure to the C-suite is through their work on a specific project or initiative that rises to their attention. A lot of the work we do as PMMs doesn't (and generally shouldn't) get C-suite attention unless things aren't working. Sales enablement decks, launch BoMs, event booth staffing schedules and copy on product web pages generally doesn't warrant C-suite attention, but some things do. Notably, if you're a PMM working with a customer on an awesome story that shows up in a session or webinar then graduates to being a lighthouse customer story for prospects and investors, you could get C-suite exposure as the subject matter expert (SME). Other work that could get you an audience with senior folks would be pricing or packaging work if you conducted research or had an insight that unlocked something critical as well as any new insights you might have gleaned looking at customer usage data. Think about any insight that comes out of your work that could drive a major state change for the business - from target customers to what our offering should look like. One last way junior and new PMMs can get greater exposure to the C-suire is through delivering presentations, either internally or externally, in-person or virtually. You never know who's checking in on a webinar or breakout session that could be impressed by your knowledge, delivery and likeability. At the end of the day, PMMs are marketers and, as marketers, we're all in the communications business.

Highlight Your Work: Work with your manager and find opportunities to highlight your work - whether its at Town Halls/company meetings or moments that give you visibility in front of leadership.

Take Initiative: Volunteer for high-visibility tasks that might not be 100% in your scope, but where you have something to offer - and involves collaboration with senior leaders.

Network and Build Relationships: Build relationships with key stakeholders and mentors who can introduce you to C-suite executives.

Communicate Effectively: Develop strong communication skills. Be concise, clear, and articulate in meetings and emails. When you have a chance to present to senior leaders, focus on high-level outcomes and strategic impact.

Be Proactive: Identify gaps or challenges within the organization and propose actionable solutions.

Seek Feedback and Learn: Regularly seek feedback from your managers and mentors. Use this feedback to improve your work and approach. Showing continuous improvement and willingness to learn can help you stand out.

Align with Company Goals: Make sure your projects and initiatives align with the company’s strategic goals. Highlighting how your work supports the overall vision can make it more relevant to the C-suite.

One of the big opportunities with junior/new PMM's trying to get an audience with the C-suite is to make sure your managers or leaders (in your org) are advocating for you. Express your interest in having more engagements with senior leadership in your company and brainstorm where/when it would be appropriate to join calls, meetings, planning sessions etc. I have tried to champion the work of my team(s) and leveraging particular projects or areas of responsibilities to then bring to leadership as the subject matter experts in a given discussion. i.e CMO has asked to have a brainstorming session for an upcoming product launch. You have a junior PMM running point on the launch (or helping) so bring them along to the brainstorm so the CMO can hear their ideas and get a better understanding of their thinking and contribution. This is particularly helpful with cross functional leaders that you might not have as much direct exposure to (i.e CFO, CEO etc) and where it would be valuable to bring them up to speed on what the junior folks are doing! The other one which I really like in a few of my past lives was meet'n greets. Not just for when you join but ongoing creating connections between multiple layers of an organisation. I've seen this packaged up as "Coffee Chats" where leadership catches up with someone new each week or month etc. Again make sure you're advocating wanting this time with senior leadership, to your manager so they can help elevate you!