Latest news with #TheSystemsLeader
CNBC
20 hours ago
- Business
- CNBC
I studied 400 highly successful leaders—5 skills you need to sharpen in the age of AI: Stanford business lecturer
The rapid advancement of AI is reshaping industries, redefining job roles, and making adaptability more critical than ever. The question isn't whether it will impact your career, but how you can prepare yourself to thrive in this evolving landscape. As a lecturer at Stanford Graduate School of Business and the author of "The Systems Leader," I've spent 23 years studying how professionals can navigate disruptive changes. Resilience in the AI era requires a combination of continuous learning, adaptability and relationship-building. After studying over 400 leaders from around the world, here are the five best habits I've seen for future success: The most successful people, the ones who build thriving careers amid uncertainty, actively seek out new knowledge and skillsets. They understand that ignoring changes you don't like, especially when it comes to technology, is a dangerous trap that can lead to obsolescence. Break out of your usual information bubbles. Resist the urge to stick exclusively with people from the same background who all see the world the same way. Take a class on AI or connect with colleagues who are in different stages of their careers, especially younger folks who are immersed in technology. AI is good at logic and data analysis, but it doesn't have the capacity for genuine emotional understanding. One of the leaders I spoke to for my research was Kathy Mazzarella, the CEO of Graybar, a company that specializes in supply chain management. She has been described as leading with an "iron fist in a soft glove." Mazzarella told me that while it's important to hold people accountable, when she sees someone struggling at work, she'll start with an open conversation before making any big staffing decisions. Deciding between ambition and kindness is a false choice; successful people find a way to do both. Whether it's a skills gap, a job mismatch, or someone going through a personal challenge, how you handle each of those scenarios will not be the same. Being able to understand your place in a broader ecosystem is an increasingly critical skill. For example, Seth Bodnar, the President of the University of Montana, needs to balance a variety of constituents, from students to alumni to faculty to administrators to the government to employers and even the cities in which his campuses reside. How to balance the needs of each party, and how each interacts with others, helps ensure that friction between key parties can be reduced if it flares up. Success comes from recognizing how different sectors influence one another, and how innovation often comes from outside traditional silos. One thing I encourage companies to do is draw an influence map of their ecosystem, and look for where key constituents both influence others, and are also dependent upon others. This can help visualize very complex dynamics in their ecosystem. The most effective professionals build strong relationships inside and outside their organization to gain critical insights that they might otherwise miss. Internally, colleagues across departments provide key insights that challenge assumptions and reveal inefficiencies. An engineer may see customer obstacles differently than a marketer, and frontline employees often identify operational gaps that executives might overlook. Seeking input from people at all levels sharpens decision-making and helps prevent costly oversights. Externally, industry peers, mentors, and customers offer outside perspectives that can be just as valuable. Because they aren't embedded in your company's culture, they're more likely to ask tough questions, point out emerging trends, or challenge conventional thinking. The AI revolution is real, and rather than fearing this, we should see it as a chance to evolve and grow. During a visit to my class in 2021, Corie Barry, the CEO of Best Buy, offered some valuable advice: "You can't fall in love with how you do business today." The only employees who thrive over time are the ones who are willing to do things completely different from the past. By cultivating human skills, understanding industry ecosystems, embracing change, and focusing on internal and external relationships, you can build a career that not only survives but thrives in the age of AI.
Forbes
19-04-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Future-Proofing Your Job: 5 Steps To Remain Indispensable Amid Layoffs
It's important to know how to remain indispensable in your job amid the tariff war, layoffs and ... More economic downturns. Amid plummeting consumer confidence, massive layoffs and unrelenting trade wars, experts agree that an economic downturn isn't just coming—it's already here. Job security and experience no longer guarantee your job. AI automation, inflation threats and drastic political changes are transforming the workplace. Experts caution that if you want to remain indispensable, you must constantly adapt, remain visible and sometimes go the extra mile, future-proofing your job in the face of the uncertainty. America's workforce is stressed out by current events and global political instability. Increased automation, economic uncertainty and upskilling have spurred a greater need for workers to future-proof their careers and learn new job skills. Robert E. Siegel, lecturer at Standord GSB and author of The Systems Leader, offers five tips on how workers can stay ahead of the seismic shifts and safeguard their future in this rapidly shifting economy. 1. Adopt a learning mindset. The most successful professionals treat education as a lifelong process, according to Siegel, investing time in new skills before they become essential. 'Treat your career as a continuous learning journey,' he suggests. 'Stay ahead by developing new skills before they become essential, ensuring you remain valuable in a rapidly evolving workplace.' 2. Develop cross-functional expertise. Employees who bridge disciplines—such as technology and leadership—become indispensable. 'Traditionally, executives rose to senior management through expertise in a single function—such as operations, sales, engineering or finance.' Siegel believes leaders can no longer afford to operate in silos. He insists that forward-thinking leaders develop the ability to engage with experts across different fields. 3. Leverage internal mobility. Siegel argues that sometimes the best career growth comes from within the company. He urges employees to explore those opportunities instead of only looking outside for growth. Organizations that encourage internal movement, he explains, reward employees who are willing to adapt and take on new challenges. 4. Understand how systems interact. 'The leaders who thrive aren't just domain experts; they grasp how different parts of an organization or industry connect and evolve,' Siegel says. 'The most successful professionals don't just excel in one area—they comprehend how different parts of a business or industry connect and influence each other.' He gives the examples of how incentives offered by a sales team can disrupt production demands. A cost-saving product change might alienate customers or cause product reliability problems. Or a marketing campaign needs both internal data and external customer insights to succeed 5. Stay adaptable, not just skilled. 'The pace of change means skills alone won't be enough—flexibility and a willingness to pivot are critical for long-term career security,' Siegel argues. He recommends that you prioritize adaptability over domain specific skills. 'Some professionals dismiss disruptive trends as temporary fads,' he points out. 'But ignoring shifts—whether AI, clean energy or changing workforce expectations—can be a costly mistake. Siegel is aware that workplace communication evolves. He says assuming younger workers will naturally adopt the habits of their elders is a miscalculation, reminding us that Boomers relied on typed memos and spontaneous calls. Gen X led the email revolution. Millennials embraced texting and smartphone-based messaging. Gen Z prefers Slack and real-time collaboration tools."The reality is, adaptability--not static expertise--is the key to long-term career success," he concludes. Standing out in the workplace, especially when you could be more invisible, is critical for your career advancement. Studies show that employees who feel seen are more likely to perform better. They're also more likely to be satisfied with their productivity, levels of engagement and job security. Being invisible has been shown to be detrimental to overall earning prospects over a person's career. When employees go the extra mile, managers usually notice, respect the extra effort and it bodes well for workers. Managers believe the efforts make employees more motivated, engaged and productive—favorable impressions that translate into action. Employees who go out of their way to be noticed are more likely to receive a promotion and a raise, compared to those who don't. Knowing how to get noticed can promote your career. Although it takes extra time and effort to maintain visibility, the payoff is well worth the effort. Here are steps you can take to make sure your hard work gets noticed: 1. Develop a 'visibility strategy." 2. Make sure all of your projects keep moving. 3. Take care of small details. 4. Offer new ideas. 5. Pitch in and lend a helping hand to overwhelmed co-workers. 6. Volunteer your time. As the workforce attempts to adjust to the economic downturn, visibility isn't always easy to maintain. Yet, it's hugely important for career advancement. If you want to be seen and heard effectively, finding the right role that matches your personal set of skills and a visibility strategy that puts you in the spotlight is the ticket to future-proofing your job.
