How do you foster strong working relationships between marketing and IT team members, and how do you encourage open communication?

I love the idea of recognizing IT and agree they are often underappreciated. Besides accolades, promoting the CIO and IT team's thought leadership through speaking opportunities and media coverage can go a long way. Shared KPIs and goals with IT and other teams, like sales and customer success, are also important. This ensures that everyone is aligned and involved in the success of martech solutions.

We employ one-on-ones. Additionally, we engage in social activities to build camaraderie and get to know each other on a personal level. Recognizing our IT partners is crucial, as they often don't receive the same accolades as marketing. We make an effort to acknowledge their contributions, especially on big projects.

We have stakeholder groups for applications, and I require my leaders to have one-on-ones with their IT counterparts. These regular meetings help build personal connections and facilitate open dialogue. It's essential to foster these relationships to prevent misunderstandings and ensure smooth collaboration. This year, I've made it mandatory for leaders to have recurring one-on-ones themselves.