‘Apply your own oxygen mask first’: Why marketing bosses should address their skills gaps
Rather than only prioritising training for their teams, marketing leaders should carve out time for learning and rethink what ‘upskilling’ really means.
It’s no secret the marketing industry is suffering from skills gaps, particularly in data, digital and technology. However, for the most part, the conversation focuses on the needs of junior and mid-level employees. Less often discussed are the skills and capabilities of marketing leaders.
However, new data from Marketing Week’s 2024 Career & Salary Survey reveals senior marketers are less confident in their skills than those they oversee. Although the vast majority (83%) of the more than 3,000 marketers surveyed believe they have the right combination of skills businesses are looking for, nearly one in 10 (8.7%) CMO or marketing director level respondents feel the opposite. That’s compared to just 4.4% of managers and 5.5% of those at executive level and below.
