👉Why even “resigned” leaders need to maintain their technical acumen

I recently caught up with someone who used to work for me in my MSP era. When he was working at Lindenttech, I signed him to a client and just did a mismatch in the Perth office of 30 people.

Fast forward 20 years and he is now responsible for one-third of the IT function of the same global oil and gas service company, but now he has 28 direct reports in 10 countries and has been a expat along the way in Malaysia for several years.

Quite a journey.

But that’s what impressed me: He never stopped studying and getting a certificate. 📚

Although now firmly in the field of human leadership, he continues to build his technical knowledge. This year? He is doing CISSP.

I’ve noticed this among many powerful IT leaders:
🪛When they “distance out of the tool”, they not only leave technology behind.
🪛They stayed on it. They continue to learn.
🪛They keep enough depth to ask the right questions, even if they are no longer a matter of doing the job.

It reminds me of the story of Indra Nooyi, former CEO of Pepsi. Before the global SAP launch under Green Light, she spent six weeks studying the questions she needed to ask and making sure she got enough answers from SAP and its partners to ensure a successful project.

Whether it’s technology, business or recruitment, solving the right problems and constantly learning can change everything.

This is the leadership skills we are talking about.
Stay curious and keep asking the right questions until you get the right answer.