What can an African philosophy offer to marketing teams around the world? Turns out, quite a lot. Enter Ubuntu —a concept that loosely translates to “I am because you are.” It’s a core belief system in African culture, championed by icons like Desmond Tutu and Nelson Mandela. Yeah, heavy hitters.
But wait—what does this have to do with your marketing team? Stick with me.
I was recently watching a documentary about NBA coach Doc Rivers and how he led the Boston Celtics to their first championship in 22 years. His secret? Not a fancy playbook, not star-studded lineups. It was Ubuntu.
According to Rivers, his players weren’t clicking as a team. Everyone wanted to be the star. (Cue every team meeting where someone steals the spotlight.) Then, Rivers stumbled upon Ubuntu. His mantra? “I can’t be all I can be unless you are all you can be.” Suddenly, the Celtics went from a group of talented individuals to an unstoppable, cohesive force.
What’s Ubuntu Got to Do with Marketing Teams?
I know, I know. You’re thinking, “How does an NBA championship strategy apply to my marketing team?” It’s simple: every player on your marketing team should be united to achieve one goal—business success.
Let’s break it down. In a typical marketing squad, you’ve got your manager, designer, copywriter, social media guru, and if you’re lucky, a developer. Everyone’s got their tasks—tick a few boxes, mark it ‘done,’ right?
Wrong. That mindset is a killer. Ticking boxes and calling it a day is like shooting three-pointers without checking if the scoreboard is moving. It’s not enough. When everyone is just doing their part, you’re not really a team, you’re just a collection of individuals sharing the same Slack channel.
Task Done = Success? Nope.
Here’s the thing: when marketing teams operate like solo artists, creativity tanks, collaboration flatlines, and campaign impact takes a nosedive. It’s a surefire way to short-change your business.
Take a blog post, for example. If a task-ticker writes it, it might get published, and that’s the end of it. Boom. Done. But a team will take that post, optimise it for SEO, blast it across social channels, turn it into a press release, include it in newsletters, and maybe even spin it into a lead magnet. Suddenly, one post has 10x the impact.
It’s about leveraging every asset to the fullest—together. Task-ticking is lazy. True collaboration is where the magic happens.
How to Get Your Marketing Team in Ubuntu Mode
Let’s be real: in Western work culture, individualism rules. Everyone wants to be the MVP. So how do we get teams to adopt an Ubuntu mindset? Start by setting KPIs that reward group success. But the real answer is embracing the Ubuntu mentality: ditch the ego, help your team thrive, and rally around the shared goal.
Forget “staying in your lane.” This is about rolling up your sleeves, helping out, and getting excited for the team win. True winners know that collaboration, creativity, and continuous improvement lead to success.
Once you lay it out, it seems obvious, but this realisation hit me like a ton of bricks. Doc Rivers’ Ubuntu approach is exactly what’s missing in many marketing teams today. When every team member buys into the philosophy of collective success, the results speak for themselves.
Pro Tip – Audit your team. Are tasks organised for collaboration? Do team members understand each other’s roles and goals? If not, sprinkle in some Ubuntu, and watch the transformation.