A Habit All Successful Leaders in Technology Have in Common
Most successful people share the same handful of things in common:
They are disciplined with their time
They know how to stay focused on one goal at a time
They have mentors and other influential people they can turn to for advice
They have mastered one (or multiple) valuable skills
Etc.
But Leaders in the Technology Industry in particular, I have noticed that the most successful people have this 1 habit in common:
Reading (& applied reading)
By applied reading, I mean the ability to visualize & operationalize a particular reading back into work. It reminds me of the quote I once read:
> Knowledge isn’t power, applied knowledge is power
And here's why applied reading is important:
Technology moves fast:
Yesterday’s technology is today’s old school. New technology comes in at a rapid pace. A good case-in-point is Artificial Intelligence—every leader has had to up their game in AI almost over night. If a leader isn’t up to speed, they are obsolete.
Not applying the reading is a wasted opportunity:
Old habits, old methodologies continue in the organization unless they are changed proactively. A leader and their company can quickly slide down the slippery slope of obsolescence if a leader isn’t heralding change within the organization.
If you are working for a successful leader, pay attention to how current they are. Ask them how they do it and incorporate what works for them in your daily life.