Intelligent CXO Issue 12 | Page 35

BUSINESS PROFILE
What ’ s helped a business be successful today may not be the catalyst for future growth . Change is inevitable . Risk-averse organisations that do not innovate their business , products , processes and technology may be quickly outpaced and disrupted by competitors and new entrants .
Leaders should empower others to affect change and encourage ideation . But to truly empower , you need to give people the authority to make decisions , provide stretch opportunities , and facilitate coaching and mentorship .
Managers and leaders should also prioritise the needs of their teams first and foremost . This involves listening , empathy , authenticity and truly caring for others – through not just encouraging words , but through action .
One soft skill that often is an impediment for career growth is public speaking skills – especially if you aspire to become a team lead , director or vice president . I recognise that many introverts look forward to public speaking as much as they enjoy going to their dentist .
What do you think is the current hot technology talking point ?
Whether it ’ s called hyperautomation or next level process automation and virtualisation , businesses are looking to rapidly automate business processes at scale . This involves a combination of AI , Machine Learning , RPA , IoT , content services platforms and low-code tools .
Laserfiche has been talking about the democratisation of IT for years . We ’ ve seen this dramatically accelerate hyperautomation initiatives starting in 2020 with the need to rapidly accelerate to a digital business . Today , that conversation has shifted to sustaining a
Thomas Phelps IV , CIO at Laserfiche and Chair of Innovate @ UCLA
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