Empowering Tech Leaders

The career-limiting belief that keeps technology leaders in service mode. "My job is to deliver what the business requests." This mindset feels responsible and professional. It's actually a career trap. Here's why. When you position yourself as a service provider, you become valuable for execution but invisible for strategy. When requests come in, you respond efficiently. When strategies get planned, you're not in the room. I observe this constantly in technology organizations. Brilliant leaders who can build anything asked of them but struggle to influence what should be built in the first place. The shift requires moving from reactive excellence to proactive value creation. Instead of waiting for requirements, you identify opportunities. Instead of responding to problems, you anticipate solutions. This changes your entire relationship with the business. You're no longer the person who implements their ideas. You're the person who helps shape their thinking. The transformation happens when you start asking different questions. Not "How do we build this?" but "What should we build?" Not "When can we deliver?" but "What would make the biggest impact?" Your technical skills remain essential. But your innovation perspective becomes your differentiator. Challenge for this week: Before accepting your next project request, ask "Is there a more strategic approach to solving this business challenge?" Tell me about a time when you suggested something that wasn't requested and it led to significant value. #TechLeadership #TechnologyLeadership #Innovation #Growthmindset

Your deep expertise: Is it a bridge or a barrier? That internal nudge when asked a question, or when presenting complex data. The urge to showcase the full breadth of our knowledge. We've all felt it. We want to prove we're prepared, that we know our stuff. But here’s a lesson I’ve learned (often the hard way!): When our main focus is on demonstrating how much we know, we often miss the chance to truly help the person right in front of us. They're rarely there to be dazzled by a data dump… they're looking for clarity, a solution, or a path forward. So, stop trying to impress. Start aiming to be profoundly valuable. This means, before you speak or present, consciously: ✨ Tune In: What does this person (or room) actually need from me to make progress? ✨ Target Their Goal: Are they aiming to decide, solve, or understand? Tailor your input directly to their objective. ✨ Translate, Don't Just Transmit: Convert your complex knowledge into their actionable insight. Make it clear, concise, and immediately relevant. When you prioritize being valuable, you're not just sharing information; you're empowering others. You move from being a repository of knowledge to an enabler of their progress. Our deep knowledge is foundational. But making it valuable to others? That’s our most crucial role as leaders. – 👉 Follow me, Rony Rozen, for more real-world insights on tech leadership.

A dangerous myth in today’s technology space: Technical skills alone make you a leader. In my experience, highly technical people, while brilliant, are often not the most inspiring leaders. Make no mistake: Technical expertise is essential, especially in the tech industry. But it should serve as a foundation - not the whole structure - for leadership. True leadership requires a blend of emotional intelligence, vision, and the ability to inspire a diverse team to meet their KPIs and OKRs day by day - and year after year. Granted, brilliant technicians might know more about a given widget or whiteboard equation than anyone else in the room. But here’s the problem: They don’t understand the people part of the equation. For that, you’ll need a leader with the right blend of expertise and high EQ. That person should have a profound understanding of the tech they’re building, true. But they should have an even deeper understanding of the team they’re looking to create. True leaders in tech understand the importance of surrounding themselves not only with talented engineers, but also with brilliant product specialists, marketers, salespeople, and customer success teams: a range of different skill sets to engage in different types of problem-solving. And they know when to take charge of a project directly - and when to step back, delegate, and empower others to do the troubleshooting. To succeed in tech, find a brilliant technician who also comes with one of the oldest skill sets in business: high-EQ leadership. #LeadershipInTech #EmotionalIntelligence #DisruptOldThinking

What Tech Leadership Continues to Reveal (Through the Leaders I Coach) Leading well isn't about knowing more. It's about noticing more. Noticing how we respond. Noticing how others grow when we get out of the way. Some of the shifts I help tech leaders explore: 🔹 From Control to Trust Trying to own every decision is heavy. Letting go creates space. Space for others to rise. Often, that’s when real growth begins. 🔹 From Answers to Questions Quick answers can feel helpful. But real learning starts with a pause. “What’s your take on this?” That one question can change everything. 🔹 From Image to Integrity You don’t have to look perfect. You have to be real. People learn more from what you model than what you say. 🔹 From Success Stories to Real Stories Telling the truth about missteps builds trust. When leaders share what didn’t work, others feel safe to do the same. 🔹 From Tasks to Meaning When people see how their work matters, they care more. Purpose is fuel, not fluff. 🔹 From Pressure to Possibility Growth doesn’t happen from pushing. It happens when there’s support. And when the stretch feels right, not forced. 🔹 From Results to Reflection Not all progress shows up in the numbers. Sometimes the real win is how the team thinks, listens, and learns. What My Clients Often Explore in Our Work Together: How to offer structure without creating control. How to support others without taking over. How to create a culture where people feel safe, and still stretch. These aren’t easy shifts. But they often lead to the kind of leadership that lasts. If something here made you pause, you're likely not the only one. Leadership doesn’t have to mean more pressure. It can mean more presence, more clarity, and more alignment. ➕ I, Meenu Datta, share insights for leaders who want that kind of shift. 🔁 Feel free to share to help someone in your network sitting with similar questions.

I’ve seen the tech industry evolve firsthand. The secret to impactful leadership: Over the last decade, I’ve watched tech leaders shape the future. I’ve also led teams through rapid innovation and change. During that time, I’ve identified 5 key traits of impactful tech leaders. I call it, The Impact Leadership Framework. This powerful framework outlines the 5 essential qualities for tech leaders to drive lasting impact: → Vision: to set a clear direction and inspire innovation → Adaptability: to thrive in a fast-paced environment → Communication: to foster collaboration and alignment → Empathy: to build a positive and inclusive culture → Ethics: to navigate complex dilemmas responsibly ... And what happens when each is missing. Lack of vision = "Stagnation" Inflexibility = "Obsolescence" Poor communication = "Misalignment" Absence of empathy = "Disengagement" Ignoring ethics = "Mistrust" Remember, these qualities can be developed. Here’s how to cultivate them: 1/ Vision: Stay informed on emerging trends and technologies. Set a compelling vision for your team. 2/ Adaptability: Embrace change and encourage your team to experiment and learn from failures. 3/ Communication: Clearly articulate goals and expectations. Foster open dialogue and collaboration. 4/ Empathy: Create a supportive environment. Value and respect diverse perspectives. 5/ Ethics: Consider the broader impact of your decisions. Lead with integrity and responsibility. Impactful tech leaders continuously learn and evolve. Start applying this framework today. And become the leader who shapes the future of tech.

60%. That's the amount of time technology leaders should spend developing their teams, I recalled one of my CTOs sharing with his leadership team many years ago. That was pretty shocking to me when I heard him share it. But he was a world renowned and respected technology leader in the wireless industry, with our Verizon world-leading wireless build out and performance to prove it. So there had to be something to it. I believe his is logic was simple and what I experienced and observed was this: ✅️He expected his leaders to be an expert in a technology domain. You could always learn new domains, and he moved his leaders around. ✅️He expected his leaders to hire and groom technical experts that they would hold accountable. ✅️He and his leadership team managed to this by promoting leaders who had BOTH technical and people leadership proficiency, AND demoted leaders who were better suited to heavy technical roles (didn't care for the people or culture as a priority). If you weren't a great people leader you eventually didn't have a place on the team. ✅️He practiced this by bringing in a female leader from outside the wireless domain, and grooming her to be CTO. When she did, it completely changed the diversity makeup of the team because even more females were ATTRACTED to the organization, GIVEN MORE CHANCES to prove their ability and grow technically, and this created a much stronger female technical pipeline than ever before. We grew stronger and outperformed competitors, as it continues today. ✳️ This philosophy formed the foundation for many, many Verizon technical leaders like me. It works. In this age of BOTS and #AI, companies should make leadership a part of their #digitaltransformation differentiation strategy. These leaders will know how to juggle the complexities of emerging technologies, ask the right questions, drive seemingly impossible transformations, all while nurturing the power of the people who will maximize the technology potential and outcomes. #tech4good

New Year, New Role: Advices for Aspiring Technology Leaders 👩💻🧑💻 We are stepping into the new year, and I could not be happier to see several mentees taking on new roles (sometimes their first leadership role in Tech) setting fresh goals, or tackling bigger challenges. If you’re stepping into a technology leadership role, here are five key lessons I’ve learned in my years in Technology that can help you thrive in 2025: 1️⃣ Don’t Panic: I am serious! In tech, things go wrong — often — before they go right. Stay calm under pressure because your team will mirror your energy. Focus on turning problems into solutions and use the opportunity to grow your team. 2️⃣ Hire Smarter Than You: This is SO important! Build a great team by hiring people who challenge you, bring fresh perspectives, and elevate everyone’s game. Ask: Will this person make us better together? 3️⃣ Embrace Ignorance: You don’t need to know all the answers. Be curious, listen to your team, and let them teach you. A growth mindset will make every day more rewarding. 4️⃣ Choose to Lead: Leadership isn’t just about managing work — it’s about championing the strategic value of technology. Be the voice that drives the value of Technology in your organization. 5️⃣ Advocate for Technologists: Technologists bring rare skills that power every organization. Advocate for their work and ensure their value is recognized across the business. Let’s commit to growing as leaders, supporting our teams, and driving customer value. Every day you learn, lead, and inspire is a step toward a rewarding career... take it from my 20+ years of experience: nothing pays better than paying it forward! Happy 2025! 🥂 ✨ #NewYear #TechnicalLeadership #LeadershipLessons #TechCareers #Innovation (Views in this post are my own)

Throughout my career, I found myself leading in highly complex environments. Emerging technologies, shifting market demands, fierce competition, chase for talent, geopolitical challenges. There were no playbooks, no clear roadmaps, just unprecedented trials that demanded adaptability, strategic thinking and execution, and the conviction to point the direction with confidence despite the uncertainty. Those moments shaped my resilience as a leader. I see similar dynamics with AI, automation, and digital assets reshaping our established rules at speed. Businesses are facing unpredictable opportunities, or challenges, and rapid shifts in customer expectations, leading to a need to rethink strategies and leadership culture. And this is where resilience matters. Some of what I have learned about leading in a fast-changing world: - Instead of fearing disruption, ask ‘how can this challenge make us stronger?’ The best outcomes are from leaders who want to get ahead of the change rather than resist it. They turn uncertainty into opportunity. - Technology never stands still, and neither should we. A learning mindset across teams and leadership ensures we stay ahead rather than struggle to catch up. Build a culture of continuous learning, starting with yourself! - In times of uncertainty, people look to leaders for direction. The authentic words, vision, and transparency keep teams engaged and motivated. Communicate with clarity and energy, consistently living up to the organization’s culture that you are establishing. As tech leaders, we should not just react to change; we are expected to anticipate it, adapt to it, and inspire confidence amidst uncertainty. #Leadership #Technology #Resilience #Innovation #LeadingChange #AILeadership #FutureOfWork #AIUpskilling #EmployeeGrowth

A few years ago, leadership was about making tough decisions, building strong teams, and setting a vision. But in today’s world, that’s no longer enough. The best leaders aren’t just decision-makers—they’re AI-empowered strategists. I’ve worked with CEOs who still rely on gut instinct and manual processes, and I’ve worked with those who fully embrace AI, automation, and predictive analytics. The difference? One is struggling to keep up, while the other is scaling faster, making smarter decisions, and actually working less while achieving more. AI isn’t here to replace leaders—it’s here to elevate them. The leaders of tomorrow won’t just work harder; they’ll think smarter, automate intelligently, and use AI to turn data into power. If you’re still running your business like it’s 2020, don’t be surprised when someone running on AI leaves you behind in 2030. The question is—are you ready to lead in the AI era? #AILeadership #FutureOfWork #Automation #CyborgCEO #BusinessIntelligence #AITransformation

Great engineers often fail at one critical skill. It's not technical. I spent years pursuing my technical skills. But my non-traditional background left me feeling I could never match the elite developers and data scientists I was working with. That changed when I discovered what truly sets top performers apart. The most impactful technical leaders are not purely technical. Their leadership abilities amplify their technical skills and create outsized influence. This perfectly illustrates John Maxwell's Law of the Lid which teaches, "𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗱𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀 𝗮 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻'𝘀 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 𝗼𝗳 𝗲𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀." 🎯 Your impact grows through leadership behaviors anyone can develop. Building support for initiatives, mentoring teammates, and driving strategic projects can deliver more value than technical skills alone. 🔑 Technical expertise has diminishing returns, but leadership skills compound over time. At senior levels, improving technical abilities becomes increasingly difficult. Leadership capabilities offer a clearer path to expanding your influence. ⚡ Technical excellence gets you noticed, but leadership skills make you indispensable. They enable you to scale your impact beyond individual contribution. This multiplier effect transforms good technical professionals into exceptional leaders. Technical skills will get you a seat at the table, but leadership skills combined with technical skills make you indispensable. 💬 What leadership behavior has most amplified your technical impact? Share your experience in the comments. ♻️ Know someone hitting the technical ceiling? Share this post to help them break through. 🔔 Follow me Daniel Bukowski for daily insights about technology leadership and innovation.