The Marketing Academy

I’ve just woken up in Cookham, just outside of Maidenhead.

Not Dubai, where I was last week, or in fact London – where I actually live. Nope. Today I am in Cookham.

Why? Allow me to explain.

A couple of months ago my old boss dropped me an email containing two words and one link.

“Dude, thoughts?”

– http://www.themarketingacademy.org.uk

I clicked…

The Marketing Academy, launched earlier this year by The Marketing Hall of Legends (UK), has apparently been created to “develop leadership capability in talented marketers through the medium of mentoring, coaching and experiential learning” and, by the looks of things, Scroggsy was asking me if I knew anyone he could nominate.

It was a busy day, things were piling up. I didn’t get much chance to look at it but I didn’t want to leave him hanging, so later that afternoon I sent back my reply –

“Can’t think of anyone, sorry.”

“Errrr you?” came the response.

Me? I looked again.

“Dude, I’d LOVE to do that!”

and again

“Actually, that’d be really freakin’ cool… Yes please!”

and again

“OK, so I’ve now read the entire website. Twice. Yes x1million.”

Three email responses in the space of ten minutes. Scroggs confirmed, I was going in.
Not. Bad. At. All.

So, being nominated in the first instance, we’ll call that phase zero.

A few days later, confirmation arrived. This time with details about the lengthy application process. With each phase being used to whittle down the numbers to the final 28 placements. They went something like this (I’ll try and keep it brief):

Phase one, we need – :

• A full CV detailing and highlighting not only roles and responsibilities but also achievements and loyalties.
• An endorsement letter from your employer
• One two minute ‘showcase me’; a submission of your own choosing which should take no more than two minutes to read, watch or listen to.

Phase two:

• One 30min telephone interview

Phase three, psychometric testing & panel;

• Abstract reasoning
• Numerical reasoning
• Verbal reasoning
• Decision analysis test
• 15FQ+
• Panel interview (questions based on above results)

I made it through and finished the final part of it just a few weeks ago. I then found out the day before I went away on holiday that I had won a place onto the scholarship!!!

‘Over the chuffin’ moon’ doesn’t really do it justice. I’m ecstatic. <GRIN>

I’m one day in and we’ve still only just scratched the surface of what we’re here to do. The potential to learn, change and improve is massive and I am relishing the challenge before me. I’m sure there’ll be so much more to talk about once I’m up and running but for now…

Bring. It. On.

Before I sign off, some thank yous:

• Benny Crime, for shooting my ‘showcase me’ vid. You sir are a diamond.
• Ben Smith, Abul Hussain and Richard Hyndman for the great recommendations.
• James Scroggs for nominating me in the first place
• And 1000heads for giving their endorsement, support and the best of write ups, you guys… 🙂

I’ll link you all shortly, I’m late for class!

Last updated by James Whatley at January 6, 2013.