Thedrum

The great unknowns in work and life can be daunting. For a then-24-year-old Tami Hurwitz, general manager, Office campaigns and marketing automation, Microsoft, it was a trip to Argentina to help launch a product for the company she was working for at the time, Procter & Gamble. A competitor took the brand name and attempted to position P&G in an unfavorable light — and the team there feared that Hurwitz would get nervous about the environment and head right back to Cincinnati. Not a chance, Hurwitz took the opportunity and not only ran with it, but built a foundation that serves her today, especially in her role at Microsoft. Our conversation at the Marketo Marketing Nation Summit covered a lot of ground, but the themes of challenge, risk and realism permeated throughout. Her leadership style is steeped in the right kind of experimentation — the thoughtful variety that is willing to give things a go, not for the sake of just doing it, but seeing where results and people can grow. Not knowing what’s nex