Why The Best CRE Leaders Are Coaches Too

Mindset is crucial in honing leadership style that’s truly authentic, according to one C-suite executive – who says “being a coach and a leader are one and the same.”

Courtney Ettus, chief marketing officer at Crexi, sat down with GlobeSt in advance of her appearance at this week’s ELITE Women of Influence conference in Lake Tahoe to discuss her own leadership journey and to preview remarks she’ll make at the event’s dedicated panel on authentic leadership. Ettus’s journey to the C-suite began with a ten-year stint as vice president of global marketing at Kenneth Cole in New York City and has included SVP and global account director roles with major marketing agencies. She joined Crexi as CMO in 2018 and has since grown her team from three to 20.

“If I wanted to not just be taken seriously, but to have the credibility and own that seat at the table, I had to believe that I belonged there,” Ettus says, adding that she “had to get comfortable quickly with being often the only woman in a room full of men.”

“Ultimately, I had to have more faith in myself as a professional,” she says. “At some point, I had to really take control of the room. I was no longer just a passive or active participant – often, I was leading the conversations. And I took the time to really realize that only was I capable of doing that – I was successful without trying to be someone I’m not. It was a great personal learning lesson.”

She continued honing her leadership style as she transitioned to her current gig with Crexi, a tech company with a focus on the commercial real estate industry.

“I know how to market,” she says. “And I can market anything. But when I joined Crexi, I needed to take a step back to really understand the consumer and the customer. And that required me to recognize what I know and also where I needed support. I had to be able to ask for the help when I needed it, and to build a team around me that supported where I may be lacking.

“You will not be 100% the best at everything,” she says. “You have to build teams that support you where you may be deficient – and you have to actually listen to them.”

Ettus also believes strong leaders invest back in those teams, and her initiatives at Crexi back up that commitment.

“We’re always asking people what they’re interested in, where they want to go next and gauging how to help them pursue what they might want to do,” she says, noting that twice a year her team is “highly encouraged” to find opportunities to grow as professionals.

“Whether it’s taking a class in computer graphics animation or going to a conference to learn more about performance marketing or data, it’s sort of a requirement of them to continue to pursue those passions, she says. “It’s a way of making them feel seen, recognized, and supported.”

Check back soon for more insights from GlobeSt’s ELITE Women of Influence conference.