The digital age is upon us! Almost everything we come into contact with has some digital competent associated with it, and because of this, you’ll want to make sure the leadership in your company possesses the same digital savviness as your youngest employee (arguably, your youngest employee may also be the most digital-savvy).
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According to research from the Randstad US Workplace 2025: The Post-Digital Frontier study, many organizations are struggling to conquer the post-digital frontier. In fact, the majority of companies (52%) are developing and still in the very early stages of digital transformation. In order for a company that is still finding its way in the “digital” landscape to succeed, you’ll need to start with the top and work your way down.
Randstad US found that among the most successful companies surveyed, the common trait among them was a digital-savvy leader. According to the report, digital leaders may emerge from anywhere within an organization, but Randstad US finds that they can have the greatest impact when they operate from the C-suite.
Not surprisingly, then, Randstad’s research revealed that while nearly 34% of proficient organizations completely agree that they have a strong digital leader in place, that figure drops to around 10% for companies that are still developing.
If your company is still developing and is looking for a leader to fill the digital void, you’ll want to be on the lookout for these five traits. It’s also worth noting that these five traits should be easily identifiable in all your leaders, especially going forward, as the digital era is here to stay.
1. Leaders Who Inspire Others
Leaders who are competent in inspiring other workers have the ability to keep workers connected and engaged. According to Randstad US, “it’s a fundamental competency for the development of future digital leaders. Uniting the entire organization with a bold, clear vision and path is critical to achieving your digital transformation goals.”
Randstad adds that “inspiring others is vital to keeping employees engaged and excited when working towards a digital destination together.”
2. Leaders Who Leverage Technology
Your leaders need to be pioneers in the technology space with the ability to navigate digital tools and innovations, and your leaders who are tech-savvy expect the same of their peers. According to Randstad US, this goes beyond a general willingness to embrace new technologies. Randstad US suggests that digital leaders need to understand and appreciate the effects of technology on the broader business environment.
3. Leaders Who Encourage Collaboration
According to Randstad US research, 72% of employers strongly/completely agree that “having exceptional knowledge and skills when it comes to collaboration and team-building” is a key trait required for future digital leaders.
“As digital disruption continues to alter how businesses are structured and the way that they operate, more leaders are moving away from traditional, hierarchical organizational structures to a more team-centric, knowledge-sharing model,” says Randstad US. “Understanding the distinct roles both technologies and people play within the organization is essential to building this competency. But companies that attempt to adopt more team-centric models will likely fail if they don’t have leaders capable of encouraging collaboration.”
4. Leaders Who Drive Innovation
In order for leaders to be successful, they must keep an open mind and be curious from the get-go—which will help them solve problems and be innovative down the line. Randstad US says that leaders who possess this trait will be able to help stimulate creativity and persuade others to experiment. This trait will help organizations find cutting-edge alternatives to outdated programs and legacy systems.
5. Leaders Who Manage Risk
Leaders who are willing to put themselves out there and take a chance on something new and innovative are more likely to succeed in the digital era. According to Randstad US, leaders who aren’t willing to take risks are setting themselves, and your company, up for failure.
According to Randstad US, “Digital leaders must rid themselves of any fear of failure. Leaders who aim to protect their current practices, or are hesitant to consider new ideas that may threaten their expertise, will likely fall short of becoming a digital leader. Digital leadership requires healthy risk-taking—and that can’t happen when a fear of failure exists.”
The times are certainly changing, and your executive team must be able to adapt and change with them. If you’re currently looking to fill executive positions, keep these five traits in mind.