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This article was originally published on Forbes.com on September 5, 2025
High-performing marketing teams rely on more than just clever campaigns to make an impact. They succeed not only because of their creative work, but also because of the leadership, culture and practices that support them. For leaders, the challenge is recognizing which qualities truly make a difference and finding intentional ways to embed them into daily work.
Below, Forbes Communications Council members share the key steps any leader can take to build a successful marketing team and the traits that the best teams have in common.
OUR TAKE:
7. Work For Relevance And Differentiation
Successful marketing teams thrive on relevance and differentiation. They work intentionally with communications and sales to integrate both. Breaking down silos is essential to this approach. Work together and succeed together, as a team. Work for relevance. For differentiation. For staying power. With a common goal, these critical functions are more efficient and effective. - Rachel Kule, Pursuit PR
FULL ARTICLE:
High-performing marketing teams rely on more than just clever campaigns to make an impact. They succeed not only because of their creative work, but also because of the leadership, culture and practices that support them. For leaders, the challenge is recognizing which qualities truly make a difference and finding intentional ways to embed them into daily work.
Below, Forbes Communications Council members share the key steps any leader can take to build a successful marketing team and the traits that the best teams have in common.
1. Ensure Every Voice Is Heard
The best work never happens in silos—it happens when different perspectives come together. You can’t have the most effective or best discussions unless trust and psychological safety exist first. Find great leaders of people you trust to create this culture in their own functions and lead by example. Make sure every voice is heard, create moments for collaboration and recognize it. - Kelly Starman, MasterControl
2. Align Vision With Daily Action
Relentlessly align vision and action. One of our team’s guiding principles is “Don’t mistake activity for strategy.” It means focus on the things that lead to a North Star everyone understands. I make a habit of asking, “How does this impact broader business performance and move our mission forward?” When everyone can connect their daily work to the big picture, you unlock speed and purpose. - Shannon Reedy, Terakeet
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3. Put Team Wins Ahead Of Individual Recognition
The strongest teams put "we" ahead of "me." Leaders must demonstrate a focus on team success or business wins, which come ahead of personal brand or individual kudos. Cross-functional collaboration and limiting silos or functional blinders are key. - Jennifer Jackson, Actian
4. Create A Culture Of Idea Sharing
Creating a culture that thrives on idea sharing and communication is what has led to our team producing its best work. We do not function in a silo and are always looking for input to best market our brand from those out in the field who are actually talking to clients. It is critical that leaders reinforce the idea that creativity can come from anywhere. - Regina Key, Destination Concepts Inc.
5. Focus On KPIs And Meaningful Metrics
The most successful marketing teams lean heavily into KPIs and metrics—and have meaningful conversations about what they are trying to achieve, with whom, how and with what budget parameters. Marketing teams who know what they are against are more likely to achieve or beat those goals. And everyone can celebrate (or calibrate!) milestones along the way. - Eric Brown, Aviatrix
6. Hold Teams Accountable Through Strong Leadership
Be accountable. Ensure that you hire leaders who can not only manage, but can lead by example, roll up their sleeves and get the job done. Hire people who can do what they say they can do and make sure they deliver. - Joe Ariganello, Veracode
7. Work For Relevance And Differentiation
Successful marketing teams thrive on relevance and differentiation. They work intentionally with communications and sales to integrate both. Breaking down silos is essential to this approach. Work together and succeed together, as a team. Work for relevance. For differentiation. For staying power. With a common goal, these critical functions are more efficient and effective. - Rachel Kule, Pursuit PR
8. Encourage Intellectual Rebellion
The best marketing teams don’t follow best practices; they question everything, including their own success—I call it “intellectual rebellion.” They’re addicted to being wrong because that’s where breakthroughs hide. Leaders build this by rewarding failed experiments over safe wins. Make “why not?” more valuable than “why?” - Leeron Walter, Teramind
9. Treat Teams As Strategic Partners
Build a shared services model and protect their focus. Successful marketing teams are trusted for their expertise, not buried in pitch decks or reactive requests. Leaders must pivot their thinking and stop treating marketing as a siloed sales function. Embed it across HR, Ops, L&D and Comms. When treated as strategic partners, marketers elevate the entire organization. - Sarah Chambers, SC Strategic Communications
10. Have Clear Intent And Direction
While there is a long list of factors behind any successful marketing team, one that stands out is clear direction and intent in their program. The team needs to have a clear understanding of the company's goals and identity. With that in place, it's possible to create strategies that align with those overarching positions. If they are missing, marketing teams are just shooting in the dark. - Tom Wozniak, OPTIZMO Technologies, LLC
11. Prioritize Execution And Delivery
You must have an execution obsession! Brilliant ideas are useless if they never see the light of day or miss deadlines. I build execution muscle by building cross-team rhythms and clear accountability. You have to make sure creativity gets paired with strategy and delivered on time, every time. That’s how you turn ideas into impact. - Kristin Russel, symplr
12. Establish Trust From The Top Down
Successful marketing teams start with trust, and that starts from the top down. Leaders should empower their teams for success, not dictate what it takes to get there. When teams are trusted to own their work, the trust flows in both directions. - Jennifer Best, AmICredible
13. Model Grit And Resilience
Successful teams have grit. Marketing isn't "set it and forget it"—you're constantly balancing market shifts, audience behaviors and evolving business priorities. Leaders can model this and help teams embrace change, stay creative and build resilience. Learning together through shifts unlocks potential. Grit shines when you balance well-being and find growth in the chaos. - Alyssa Kopelman, Otsuka Precision Health
14. Align Ambition With Company Outcomes
The best marketing teams are built on aligned incentives—not just hitting shared goals, but connecting individual ambition to company outcomes. Leaders need to understand what drives each person, then link that to progress the business needs. Whether it’s equity, recognition or growth, incentives must work at the personal level. That’s how you build real ownership—not just compliance. - Cameron Partridge, HydraBlackline
15. Foster Collaboration And Open Communication
Successful marketing teams share a strong sense of collaboration. This allows them to innovate, share ideas freely and work toward common goals. Leaders can build this by fostering a culture of open communication, encouraging diverse perspectives and creating opportunities for team members to collaborate on projects, ensuring everyone feels valued and heard. - Saakshar Duggal, Artificial Intelligence Law Hub
16. Test Resilience With Constrained Resources
The most successful marketing teams are resilient. One sure way to test that resilience is to take their budget away—well, kind of. A marketing team that can ideate and pivot in an environment of very constrained resources and still achieve its objectives is proven to be resilient and is sure to be successful. - Kerry-Ann Betton Stimpson, JMMB Group
17. Foster A Growth Mindset
The most important factor that successful marketing teams have in common is that they’re lifelong learners. They function under a growth mindset where they see obstacles as opportunities and problems as possibilities and they refuse to stay complacent. Leaders empower them to try new things. If we don’t try, we don’t learn and we can’t grow, and teams that learn together grow together. - Melanie Draheim, Fox Communities Credit Union
18. Build Adaptability Into Team Culture
Successful marketing teams are highly adaptable to change, whether it's new trends or unforeseen challenges. Leaders can build adaptability by fostering a culture of continuous learning and staying open to new approaches. Creating a safe space for experimentation allows team members to pivot quickly when necessary, ensuring they remain responsive and resilient in the face of change. - Lauren Parr, RepuGen
19. Instill A Strong Sense Of Purpose
Successful marketing teams share a sense of purpose. Marketing leaders should make sure that every team member understands the collective goals and is committed to achieving them. Establishing this common ground is the foundation on which to operate as one team. - Rekha Thomas, Path Forward Marketing
20. Lead With A People-First Philosophy
Every high-performing marketing team I’ve built or worked with had one thing in common: strong leadership that prioritized people first. Not just productivity. Not just projects. Not just pipeline. My philosophy is simple: Lead the people, manage the things—not the other way around. It’s not about headcount, but about building headspace—space for your team to think, create and take ownership. - Colby Proffitt, Carbyne