What do you do if your digital strategy manager is not meeting their key responsibilities?

When your digital strategy manager is falling short on their responsibilities, it can send ripples of inefficiency and missed opportunities throughout your organization. As the backbone of your company's online presence and digital marketing efforts, their role is to steer the ship towards achieving specific digital goals. But what happens when they're not living up to the task? It's a tricky situation, but not insurmountable. You can navigate through these choppy waters with a proactive approach and clear action steps.

1 Assess Issues

Before jumping to conclusions, take time to assess the situation thoroughly. Identify the specific areas where your digital strategy manager is underperforming. Is it a lack of innovation, poor execution, or failure to follow through on plans? Understanding the root cause is crucial. Sometimes, external factors such as inadequate resources or shifting market trends can impede their performance. By pinpointing the exact issues, you can address them more effectively and set a clear course for improvement.

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Alessandro L.

I help you bootstrap marketing at scale | Digital Marketing
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Begin by comprehensively evaluating the specific areas where the manager is falling short. Is it a lack of strategic vision, poor implementation, or ineffective team leadership? Identifying the root causes of these performance issues is crucial. Consider gathering input from team members and reviewing project outcomes to get a full picture. This assessment should be objective, focusing on outcomes and behaviors rather than personal traits.

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sathya narayanan - Growth Marketer

Digital Marketing Strategist | Growth Marketer in Kerala | Helping Business owners with digital strategy | co-founder of Thinkhub
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To navigate the situation: Schedule a one-on-one meeting: Set up a private meeting to discuss your concerns. Frame it as a collaborative effort to improve their performance. Gather Specific Examples: Don't go into the meeting with vague complaints. Compile concrete examples of missed deadlines, unmet goals, or tasks not completed satisfactorily. Focus on Solutions, not Blame: The goal is to find a path forward, not assign blame. Explain the impact of their shortcomings and explore solutions together. Offer Additional Resources or Training: Is there a lack of knowledge or skills hindering their performance? Explore options for additional training or resources to help them succeed.

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2 Open Dialogue

Communication is key in any relationship, and it's no different with your digital strategy manager. Approach them with your concerns in a constructive manner. This isn't about assigning blame, but rather opening a dialogue to understand their perspective. Are they overwhelmed with their workload, facing challenges they haven't communicated, or lacking certain skills? This conversation can provide valuable insights into both personal and systemic issues that may be affecting their performance.

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Alexandra ðŸ“Š Lazarenko

IUI Honors Student | Finance + Accounting Major | LinkedIn Poll Lady ðŸ“Š
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Putting off addressing an issue will only make it worse. Thus, it's important to initiate a constructive dialogue with your digital strategy manager to understand the specifics of their situation and the challenges they are facing. Perhaps they are dealing with a death in the family. Perhaps their team is overwhelmed with responsibilities. Perhaps there is an interpersonal conflict within the team that is diminishing productivity. Seeking more information will empower you to improve the situation without resorting to subjectivity.

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3 Set Objectives

Once you've identified the issues and communicated with your digital strategy manager, it's time to set clear, achievable objectives. These should be specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART). By establishing these objectives, you're giving your manager a roadmap to success and the ability to track progress. It's important that they agree with these goals and understand the steps needed to meet them.

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4 Provide Support

After setting new objectives, ensure that your digital strategy manager has the support they need to succeed. This might mean offering additional training, access to new tools, or reallocating resources to lighten their load. Remember, the goal is to empower them to meet their responsibilities effectively. Support also includes regular check-ins to monitor progress and offer guidance. By investing in their development, you're more likely to see improved performance.

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5 Monitor Progress

Monitoring progress is essential to ensure that your digital strategy manager is on track with the newly set objectives. Establish regular intervals for review and use key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure success. This not only keeps your manager accountable but also provides opportunities for early intervention if things aren't going as planned. Continuous monitoring can also help in recognizing achievements, which can be motivating and reinforce positive behavior.

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6 Adjust Strategy

If, despite all efforts, your digital strategy manager continues to underperform, it may be time to adjust your strategy. This could involve redefining their role, redistributing responsibilities among the team, or in extreme cases, considering a change in personnel. It's important to recognize when a strategy isn't working and be willing to make tough decisions for the benefit of your organization's digital success.

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7 Hereâ€™s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that donâ€™t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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Directory

What do you do if your digital strategy manager is not meeting their key responsibilities?

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1 Assess Issues

2 Open Dialogue

3 Set Objectives

4 Provide Support

5 Monitor Progress

6 Adjust Strategy

7 Hereâ€™s what else to consider

Digital Strategy

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Directory

What do you do if your digital strategy manager is not meeting their key responsibilities?

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1 Assess Issues

2 Open Dialogue

3 Set Objectives

4 Provide Support

5 Monitor Progress

6 Adjust Strategy

7 Hereâ€™s what else to consider

Digital Strategy

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