When I joined CAIRS in 2012, I admittedly didn’t know that much about the adoption industry. However, it didn’t take long to wrap my head around the struggles that the industry began facing toward the end of the first decade of the 21st century. With the crash of print advertising, the rise of digital technology and the widespread adoption of smartphones, how we work changed faster than anyone anticipated.

Soon after I joined the company, it became clear to me that there was one common trait that all of the more successful adoption organizations possessed. It was confident leadership.

The leaders that I’ve been privileged to work alongside in this industry have succeeded by knowing their mission, developing a plan of action and pursuing that plan with full confidence. They’re the type of leaders who don’t ask their staff for permission to evolve their organization. Fear of the unknown isn’t recognized. They inspire their staffs to embrace the change. New technologies and practices are studied, accepted and implemented. They’re the type of leaders who make tough decisions about personnel or marketing contracts, knowing that despite personal relationships, the decision is the best for the company.

When looking at back at my experiences with some of the top leaders in this industry, I’m struck with how they truly lead their organizations. I hope my time here at CAIRS is marked by that same level of commitment and foresight. I encourage you to think about how you lead your team or organization.