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BY THE NUMBERS
Stats on Key External and Internal Industry Trends
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THE PINACLE EXPERIENCE 2024
Elevating Marketing Leadership to the Next Level
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: CHAPTER PRESIDENTS
Inspiring Professionals, Driving Excellence: Our Chapter Presidents at the Helm
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: LEADERSHIP
Honoring Volunteerism: Celebrating the Leaders Who Drive SMPS Forward
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SMPS CONNECTIONS
Building a Career in A/E/C Runs in the Family
The Pinnacle Experience 2024
Elevating Marketing Leadership to the Next Level
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By Stacy Stout, FSMPS, CPSM
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The Pinnacle Experience 2024, held at the elegant Four Seasons Atlanta, brought together senior marketing and business development professionals to explore cutting-edge strategies, leadership skills, and the evolving role of marketers in the C-suite. With a packed agenda of inspiring speakers, thought-provoking discussions, and actionable takeaways, this year's event empowered attendees to lead their organizations into the future.
Why does The Pinnacle Experience matter?
Senior marketers face unique challenges. A recent study from Deloitte highlighted that only 5% of CMOs feel highly confident in their ability to impact strategic decision-making—a sobering statistic compared to the 35% average for other C-suite roles. This lack of confidence often manifests as risk aversion and a fear of failure, stalling both personal and organizational growth.
In order to grow, marketers need to embrace discomfort and take ownership of their roles by becoming:
- The Voice of the Customer: Understand your audience better than anyone else.
- The Chief Storyteller: Articulate what makes your organization unique.
- The Competitive Landscape Expert: Position your firm strategically to stand out.
The Journey to the C-Suite: Lessons from Industry Leaders
The opening panel featured C-suite professionals from marketing and operations who shared insights on the collaboration required to secure marketing's seat at the leadership table. Skip Bourgeois and Chad Heimbigner of Coffman Engineers, along with Russ Sanford from Kleinschmidt, emphasized the importance of:
- Building Strategic Relationships: Engage leadership on their terms to gain alignment.
- Creating Space for Strategy: Move beyond tactical tasks to focus on long-term goals.
- Meeting People Where They Are: Tailor your communication to resonate with different stakeholders.
Keynote Highlights: Insights to Transform Your Leadership
The Pinnacle Experience 2024 featured a stellar lineup of keynote speakers who brought fresh perspectives, actionable strategies, and inspiring stories to the stage. Each session equipped attendees with tools and ideas to navigate the complexities of modern leadership. Here are some highlights:
Kris Boesch speaking at The Pinnacle Experience 2024
1. Creating a Thriving Workplace Culture
Kris Boesch captivated the audience with her insight into workplace culture, calling it the "emotional health" of an organization and likening it to the air employees breathe during a marathon. She emphasized that emotional intimacy—built on connection, appreciation, and inclusion—is the foundation of a thriving team. Her actionable advice included:
Take the time to know your people deeply, beyond surface-level interactions. Ensure that everyone feels they matter through acknowledgment and appreciation. Foster a shared identity to create pride and belonging.
Kris's mantra, "Your team is a reflection of you," left attendees reflecting on their leadership style and its impact on their organizations.
”Your team is a reflection of you.”
KRIS BOESCH
2. AI & the Future of A/E/C
Dan Chuparkoff shed light on the transformative power of artificial intelligence in the architecture, engineering, and construction (A/E/C) sectors. He explained AI as a prediction engine and emphasized its role as an assistant rather than a replacement for human creativity. Key takeaways included:
- AI's ability to handle process-heavy tasks frees leaders to focus on innovation and strategy.
- The importance of interrogating AI outputs to ensure data accuracy and context relevance.
- The concept of "1% daily improvement," where small, consistent changes driven by AI lead to exponential growth over time.
Carla Johnson speaking at The Pinnacle Experience 2024
3. Applied Curiosity
Carla Johnson introduced her Applied Curiosity Method as a framework for creative problem-solving. Her engaging session encouraged marketers to break free from tactical thinking and embrace exploratory and strategic approaches. Her method included:
- Sitting with the problem: Avoid rushing to solutions; instead, dig deeper to uncover the real issues.
- Dive Deep: Ask questions and push beyond the obvious to expand thinking and uncover unique opportunities.
- Swapping perspectives: View challenges through the lens of admired brands, other industries, or thought leaders to inspire innovative solutions.
4. Future Proofing Your Business
Detria Williamson challenged marketers to reclaim control of their ecosystems by understanding and designing the interconnected relationships that drive innovation and value. Using her HAPTIC framework—Human, Product, Planet, Technology, and Culture—she outlined how to:
- Identify and map the critical components within their industry.
- Explore the dynamic interplay between these components to uncover opportunities for convergence.
- Drive synergies that future-proof the organization.
Scott Butcher speaking at The Pinnacle Experience 2024
5. Balancing CEO Priorities with Industry Trends
Scott Butcher closed the keynote sessions with a deep dive into aligning marketing strategies with CEO priorities. He framed his presentation around six key areas—growth, talent, technology, business development, leadership transition, and operations—detailing how marketers can:
- Track market indicators to stay ahead of growth opportunities.
- Collaborate with HR to align employer branding with company values.
- Leverage AI and automation to enhance business development efforts.
- Advocate for leadership transition planning, ensuring succession strategies are in place.
- Influence operational decisions through intentional processes like go/no-go assessments.
Key Takeaways: A Roadmap for Leadership Success
The Pinnacle Experience 2024 left attendees with a wealth of actionable insights:
- Confidence is Key: Overcoming fear and embracing risk are essential to realizing both personal and organizational potential.
- Collaboration Drives Results: Strong partnerships between marketing and operations lead to breakthrough innovations and shared success.
- Be the Voice of the Future: Marketers must not only understand current trends but also anticipate future needs to stay ahead.
- Leverage Technology Wisely: AI is a tool to enhance human creativity, not replace it. Use it to streamline processes and amplify strategic efforts.
- Foster Culture and Curiosity: A thriving workplace culture and a curiosity-driven approach are critical to building resilient, innovative teams.
Closing Thoughts: Elevating the Role of Marketing
The Pinnacle Experience 2024 was more than a conference—it was a call to action for senior marketers to redefine their roles as strategic leaders. By embracing discomfort, building confidence, and taking ownership of their unique expertise, attendees acquired a toolkit of strategies to make a lasting impact on their organizations.
Whether it was the power of curiosity, the potential of AI, or the importance of culture, the Pinnacle Experience 2024 provided a masterclass in what it means to be a transformative leader. Here's to a year of growth, innovation, and inspired leadership!
As the energetic founding principal of BRANDiac Strategies (formerly STOUTStrategies), STACY STOUT, FSMPS, CPSM, knows a thing or two or twelve about enthusiastically building business, relationships and brands. In her previous work lives, Stacy held marketing director positions for two prominent architectural firms and a leading general contractor, in addition to marketing strategist roles for advertising firms and clients.
No matter where clients or creatives roam, Stacy is an expert at using her boss lady skills to wrangle the focus to marketing strategy and outcomes.
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