Leaders of tomorrow

Last week was the start of college in most of the US. It would have been 26 years ago when I myself started my freshman year and embarked on a new path. 

I’m often asked by young people at industry events or in the organizations where I am involved what advice I would give them or my 18 year old self.

Questionable haircuts aside, I’m far enough into my career to be able to outline some lessons I’ve learned about being an entrepreneur and how to become a successful leader in the corporate world.

As I continue to learn and grow, trying new experiences, I’m sure this advice will change. But here’s some things I’ve learnt so far.

Be ready to change with the world 

Over my 20+ years in business, the world has changed dramatically. Not just from a social and political perspective, but in terms of the technology we use, the corporate cultural mindset and even what’s important to business leaders. 

ESG is a great example of an idea that once was left-field in most boardrooms, then it became a political and activist trigger-word for corporate leverage and is now mired in controversy. It is a topic that was reserved for activists, but it became about becoming a better leader and creating a better business and is now a political football that is hard to take measure of and adequately address.  

The reality is that being a good steward and keeping true to the values that you hold and your core beliefs, and finding a way to make sure that you integrate them in a fast changing world should not change as much as the latest corporate governance “fad”. As much as you may feel a new idea or trend is cutting edge, another one will be along within the next news cycle and getting on the newest wave can actually leave you behind or even cast aside, but adopting a set of values you don’t believe in or even understand can come across even worse. 

Stay humble on the way up 

When you start to have success, whether that’s climbing the corporate ladder or your new business takes off, you’ll start getting a lot of praise. That’s great and you should treasure that, but let it spur you on - not overcome you. 

Stay humble and recognise the folks who have helped you on the way up and wherever possible, bring them with you. There really is no “I” in the team and you might be surprised how small the world can be. An employee or a colleague today is a boss, vendor or client tomorrow and could be a friend forever.

Become financially literate 

This is a great piece of advice for life in general, but critical for business leaders. Whether you’re the ideas or product person at the start-up, or even if you work in a non-finance role at your firm, learn the basics of finance. Don’t be afraid to take classes and ask questions. 

The business world runs on numbers and understanding them will help you to make smart choices, whether that’s in people, technology or new ventures. Being able to speak confidently about this topic will help to elevate your position. 

Keep an eye on the bigger picture, but don’t let it distract you

It’s easy to get wrapped up in the latest project or that upcoming deadline. Make sure you keep one eye on the horizon in terms of how this work fits into your company’s long-term goals, but also your personal aspirations, particularly when moving jobs. 

One mistake I see people make when they move up the corporate ladder or even in their own businesses, is that they get too siloed. They only think about what they’re responsible for. True leadership in businesses requires you to think more conceptually about how what you’re doing - whilst important - fits into the rest of the puzzle that is being put together. 

Stay curious

I’m not a huge fan of the phrase “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks”. You absolutely can, if the dog wants to learn and their human is patient and understanding. 

If you look at the world’s most successful entrepreneurs and CEOs, there’s one thing they virtually all have in common: they’re curious. They love to learn new things, whatever their age, and they never assume that they know everything. 

Whether in your business or within a company, build your team to be full of curious people and stay a life-long learner yourself. 

Don’t forget about life

My last piece of advice is simple. Work is important - it gives us direction, a sense of purpose and can be part of our legacy. But don’t forget to build a life, too. 

If you’re starting a company or leading a senior team, I won’t pretend it’s not demanding. But make sure you take time off, resisting the urge to check emails. The world won’t fall apart without you for a few days, but your mental well being and familyu life might if it's neglected for years. 

Ultimately, you’ll make your own path as you move through the business world and learn new tricks, tips and strategies for success. Don’t hoard those, pass them on to the next generation of leaders.