When Someone On Your Team Is Lacking Common Sense: Here’s What To Do

1. Assess the Skill Gap:

   Understanding the specific areas where your marketing manager is lacking is crucial. Identify the skills they need to improve, whether it's social media management, email marketing, data analysis, or graphic design. This assessment will help you make informed decisions about training, hiring, or outsourcing.

2. Engage in Constructive Conversations:

   Start with open and honest conversations with the marketing manager. Discuss their performance, areas of improvement, and potential solutions. This dialogue can provide valuable insights and guide the next steps in their development.

3. Educate and Train:

   Invest in training programs that address the identified skill gaps. This could include workshops, online courses, or on-the-job training. The aim is to enhance their knowledge base and improve their practical skills.

4. Consider Outsourcing:

   For skills that are significantly lacking or for specialized tasks, consider outsourcing. This can fill immediate gaps and allow your marketing manager to focus on areas where they are stronger.

5. Clarify Roles and Responsibilities:

   Clear job roles and responsibilities help reduce confusion and improve efficiency. Make sure your marketing manager knows exactly what is expected of them and the specific areas they are responsible for.

6. Set Specific KPIs and Goals:

   Use Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to measure performance and progress. This helps in setting clear objectives and targets for the marketing manager to achieve.

7. Enhance Communication Skills:

   Strong communication is fundamental. Encourage the manager to improve both verbal and written communication skills. This might involve training sessions or practical exercises.

8. Foster a Collaborative Environment:

   Encourage teamwork and collaboration within the marketing team. This can lead to better ideas, solutions to problems, and an overall more cohesive team effort.

9. Regular Feedback and Monitoring:

   Provide regular feedback on their performance. Monitoring progress over time allows you to make necessary adjustments to their development plan.

10. Promote Time Management and Capacity Understanding:

    Help your marketing manager understand time management and workload capacity. This involves teaching them to prioritize tasks and manage their time effectively.

Developing a marketing manager with a lack of common sense involves a combination of assessment, training, clear communication, goal-setting, and continuous feedback. The process requires patience, but with the right approach, it can lead to significant improvements in their skills and performance.