Ad Lib: Media & Marketing - Wisdom on tap from Maggie

First and foremost, she espouses being brave. Executive life today is tough with devices and TV on 24/7. Marketers should not be afraid to step outside their comfort zone. At one stage she did "a left swing" into HR, despite having no previous experience.

Secondly, pause and think: what do you really love to do? Go ahead, act now and do it, Timoney suggests. Ask yourself, who's your first team? Who's leading the marketing team? Functionally, don't just think on one level, go up, down and across - or you sell yourself short. Be yourself, everyone else is taken. Having one persona at work and another outside the office is "bloody exhausting". Timoney insists that when you show up as you, it creates transparency and gives you the upper hand. Remember the saying "the fish rots from the head down" - so it starts with those at the top taking a lead.

Be vulnerable. That doesn't mean tissues on the table, rather it's about knowing you don't have the answers to everything. Marketers must make the transition from marketing leader to business leader. Don't pigeonhole yourself or get distracted by the sales people who often think they have all the answers. Have a tolerance for ambiguity. Use your gut instinct. You can't control everything. Marketers love facts, but let them go.

Nurture learning by noting the words of Albert Einstein: "Once you stop learning, you start dying." Reject my way, or the highway. To be the next ceo, you need to be flexible. Spend more time with your high performers. Low performers and must be let go. You don't always have to be numero uno, step back and let other team members lead. Make one change. Don't wait and you'll be surprised what happens. Most people have it in them to succeed. But circumstances impact on how people act. "Being the youngest child, I know, it's all about me," Timoney remarked wryly. With business lines becoming more blurred, it's important to bring in people from outside marketing.

The Rising star of commemorations

As this year's Marketer of the Year award winner is announced today, Ad Lib notes that the 2010 winner has been seconded by the Minister for Arts Heather Humphreys to spearhead the 1916 centenary commemorations. Fáilte Ireland's director of market development, John Concannon, knows a thing or two about crowd sourcing.

As well as managing Discover Ireland's 'Fun Starts Here' marketing push - which persuaded 42pc of Irish holidaymakers to book a staycation rather than head abroad - he helped Unilever roll out its Magnum ice cream. Concannon worked with one time Fine Gael general secretary Jim Miley in coaxing visitors from home, the global diaspora and non-Irish living abroad to organise get-togethers for The Gathering. An estimated €26m is required to fund plans for the 1916 commemorations, including a renovation of Kilmainham Courthouse and an interpretative centre at the GPO.

He has been given the green light by the minister to recruit appropriate sponsors for local and community events honouring the Easter Rising. Presumably drinks companies and other non-PC brands need not apply.

Expert training at Core of business

Core Media has launched a learning centre at its Dublin quayside offices. Core Knowledge provides training for advertisers, the media, ad agencies and anyone using digital platforms. Headed by broadcast director Nick Fletcher, the unit offers three-hour sessions or course series in setting ad budgets, use of data and media sales presentations.

The courses are created and led by senior Core execs. "What sets Core Knowledge apart from courses out there already is our emphasis on practical tuition," Fletcher told Ad Lib.

"After running in-house training, we got calls from clients wanting to get up to speed on trends. Media people speak a totally different language and use jargon like SEO (search engine optimisations) and PPCs (pay per clicks). We intend to simplify things."

Core group boss Alan Cox is a stickler for ensuring agencies get properly paid for services. He believes adland has been guilty of providing expertise for little or nothing. Core Knowledge fees will be set at above average rates and there will be no 'freebies'. Core's MediaVest, Starcom, Radical, Mediaworks, ZenithOptimedia, Clear Blue Water, Ignite Research and Publicis Engage agencies report annual billings of €172m.

Michael Cullen is editor of Marketing.ie magazine; cullen@marketing.ie