Ep 369: Marcel Marcondes of AB InBev - The 'Sometimes It's Terrifying' Leader

Fearless Creative Leadership

Here’s a question. What terrifies you?

This week’s guest is Marcel Marcondes. He’s the Global Chief Marketing Officer for AB InBev.

Becoming the successful Global CMO of any major brand is a life’s dream for many people.

If you’re one of the few to make it, it’s easy to get caught up in the gestalt of the thing. The public adulation that comes with the buying power and influence that you suddenly wield.

But for the very best of them, being a Global CMO brings out the human being in you.

I’m not conscious that I’ve ever heard prominent leader publicly use the phrase, ‘sometimes it’s also terrifying’.

There are three points to make coming from Marcel’s memorable use of that phrase.

One - that business is in great hands because it’s being run by someone who’s conscious of the responsibility and is also conscious that he needs to be courageous to keep it moving forward. The fastest path to letting the status quo win is to believe that what you should be doing next doesn’t require courage.

Two - more talented people will want to work for Marcel because he is honest about the size and the consequence of the challenge. And if there is a single truth that I’ve learned, it’s that creative people want to make one thing more than anything else - a difference.

And three - leadership is a constant battle between fear and courage. It has to be.

If you feel afraid a lot, you’re probably on the right path to making a difference.

If you sometimes feel terrified, you definitely are.