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Summary

The answer to unknown questions should be “I don’t know” but CMOs, who are unwilling to appear weak and therefore lose power, employ three defense mechanisms when they are unsure of an answer. The CMO will present whatever data they have, cause other people to feel fear, uncertainty and doubt, or they will say nothing and avoid the question. These tactics result in misalignment of expectations between the CMO and their CEO or CFO and can cause the loss of power for the CMO.

CMOs need to first understand that power and acknowledge that some areas of marketing do not have enough actual data to give precise answers. After these steps are complete, the CMO can establish credibility and trust. The best CMOs realize that knowledge involves learning and does not require them to have all the answers all the time.

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