Former CMO Maryam Banikarim asserts that executive roles are deeply political. Navigating internal dynamics, managing stakeholder expectations, and understanding the unwritten rules are just as crucial as executing the job's functional responsibilities. This political acumen is often the difference between success and failure.
Maryam Banikarim recounts being told on her first day at NBCUniversal, "you have the worst job outside of the janitor." This initial interaction was not an anomaly but a direct signal of the company's internal politics. How a team welcomes a new leader reveals everything about their resistance to change.
Initiatives like "The Longest Table" started as simple ideas tested with minimal investment. Unlike corporate projects requiring extensive proposals and ROI calculations that can stifle creativity, Banikarim advocates for just trying things. A low-investment trial reveals true viability and organic demand without the pressure of a pre-defined strategy.
In traditional C-suite roles, marketing is about command and control. However, when building authentic communities like "The Longest Table," Maryam Banikarim learned success comes from "grace and trust." Empowering volunteers and letting go of rigid control unlocks a collective creativity that top-down directives cannot replicate.
When high-achievers pause their careers, they face an identity shift where their value feels tied to their former title. Banikarim recalls headhunters warning her not to wait too long, creating anxiety. This external pressure compounds the internal struggle of decoupling self-worth from a professional role, a common but rarely discussed challenge.
Many CEOs claim they want candid feedback, but their actions prove otherwise. Maryam Banikarim advises vetting leaders as you would a friend: based on values alignment and their ability to make and stand by hard decisions. True leadership is about consistent principles, not just saying the right things in an interview.