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Forbes Technology Council

Young leaders, especially in the technology fields, have a lot on their plates. Not only do you need to keep track of the latest developments of newer technologies, as well as how they’re being used in multiple industries, but you also need to handle the day-to-day needs of managing an organization. This means not only paying attention to who you’re hiring — and why — but also establish long-term priorities. After all, your budget is not limitless.

When it comes to hiring staff members, smart technology executives favor people with soft skills, and for good reason. While the ability to do the job is vital — you don’t need dead weight on a team, especially if it is small or well-knit — the ability to not only clearly convey information to others, but do so in a friendly manner, is something to be treasured. Focusing on key goals, while avoiding distractions or shiny new tech that doesn’t actually add to the company’s well being, is also important, as it shows not only your ability to distinguish between objectives in order to find the best one, but your ability to guide a group toward achieving larger goals.

These aren’t the only things you need to be aware of. Below, six members of Forbes Technology Council discuss what technology executives need to be doing differently today to develop new habits and ensure the success of their teams. Here is what they had to say:

1. Focus And Simplify

Most technology executives need to focus and simplify. Once you are able to do the work of developing the point of view and direction for the product or business line, it’s important to put a stake in the ground and go after it with focus and single-minded execution to reach the goal. In complex organizations, the ability to have key pillars and guide posts will set leaders apart for years to come. – Marlyne Pierce, Citi

2. Understand That You Manage People, Not Tech

“Technology executive” is a misleading term: You’re not managing a technology, you’re managing people. Executives who strive for a humanistic understanding of the world will be successful leaders, whatever the technologies of tomorrow turn out to be. – Philip Soffer, test IO 

3. Improve Your Business Skills

Technology executives need to improve their business skills. The ideal technology executive should be able to operate the business by themselves. By having these skills, they are able to identify and implement new technology in the organization based on business value and growth objectives, not on the “coolness” of new technologies. – Carlos Melendez, Wovenware, Inc.

4. Don’t Forget The Human Factor

The human factor is often underestimated when technology executives are looking for collaboration systems. Understanding the importance of next-generation integrated collaboration technology, how it is used by people and the long-term impact, will be the crucial factor in becoming a successful company. – Georg Thingbo, Kinly

5. Move At The Speed Of Business

In today’s world, disruption and change are the norm. To stay relevant, companies need to move fast. Technology executives must move at the speed of business. To do so, they need to know how the company’s cash register works. Success requires business acumen, knowledge of industry and competitors, and being customer focused. – Ken Piddington, MRE Consulting

6. Help Your Team Develop Soft Skills

Developing their people to be more business-minded technologists. Too often, technologists are evaluated on and lauded for hard skills. While these are important, “soft skills” like collaboration, leadership, and communication are deprioritized, and that’s a miss. Translating IT speak into business terminology is the key to driving tech-based projects forward. And what isn’t a tech-based project? – Kevin McCarty, West Monroe Partners