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Forbes Technology Council

As a tech executive, it is your job to stay on the cutting edge of technology and up to date with the latest trends. It is not enough to coast along and wait for buzz to reach a fever pitch: You need to understand when technology changes will benefit your business, and how, as well as what approaches to prioritize.

Part of this is soft-skill related, such as not losing focus on customer needs or making sure to develop team members’ talents. Another part is preparation: Leaders must work hard to identify which emerging systems matter to your business, then spend time preparing team members and fellow leaders to handle the change, all while not forgetting about ongoing issues like cybersecurity.

To help guide you toward success, eight members of Forbes Technology Council, below, share some of the most important things that technology executives need to be doing differently in today’s business environment. Here is what they suggest focusing on:

1. Leverage New Technologies

We live in a world where multiple technology revolutions are happening in parallel, including smart devices, cloud, artificial intelligence and decentralization, to name a few. Technology executives who can fully understand how these apply to their businesses, and leverage them to their advantage, can truly help themselves and their companies succeed. – Venkat Malladi, Vymo

2. Don’t Lose Customer Focus

Technology executives should be adopting the latest technology, working on simplifying applications and processes, and making a conscious effort to keep the focus on the customer. This will help achieve success for both the individual and the company. – Ajay Poddar, People Interactive (I) Pvt Ltd

3. Keep Your Eyes And Mind Open

Success is a balance between addressing raw universal user needs and responding to changes that make a difference, too. Keep eyes and minds open, while honoring your own internal drive to change the world for the better. Information flows, and tech changes life around us so quickly, it can often confine us to be reactive. Openness is crucial to finding a way to achieve your unique take on the world. – Timo Rein, Pipedrive