With the growing influence of disruptive technologies and incorporation of digital into our every day, it is natural to assume that organizational leadership needs to adapt to a new, digitally-charged business world. So how should leaders perceive this new change, and what does it mean to be a 'digital leader' within today’s framework of technological transformation?

To begin with, leaders need to be able to effectively draw insights from large amounts of data, and then combine that with out-of-the-box creativity. With smart phones, social networks, big data analytics and the cloud having become a big part of our personal and professional lives, today’s business leaders need to possess a new battery of capabilities (in addition to IQ and EQ) in order for their product offerings to remain appealing to digital natives (those who grew up during the age of digital technology, who became familiar with computers and the Internet at an early age).

A truly digital leader is one who understands the significance of inbound data and the processes it supports, as well as the gravity of outbound digital content and information produced by the company. 20th century digital leadership places value on communication, collaboration, egalitarianism, creativity and enthusiasm to explore new ways in which digital information can be used to positively impact the bottom line. A digital leader must also focus on the quality and functional value of a company's digital assets; if information is reliable, business decisions are made quicker and more likely to be trusted as sound, due to the integrity of the data upon which they are being based.

Naturally, a big part of being a digital leader is keeping up with the times and constantly looking out for the next big thing. When it comes to digital, you never know what could catapult your business to the next level – hopefully you jump on it before your competition does. A sweet spot is found by constant experimentation and sampling. It could be the most unexpected of things, but the only way to know is to be constantly on the prowl and note what suits your business and your target audience best. New platforms emerge every day – whether in the sphere of advertising, marketing, social listening, database collection or consumer targeting. What works for someone else may not necessarily work for you, but with today’s endless digital offerings, there is certainly something for everyone. Leaders should empower their teams to help them with this task – and for that, team members should be able to understand the business, the brand the audience and the product perfectly.

Culture is key especially in this particular context; the success of finding that one tool or hack is largely dependent on employees sharing information with each other, collaborating and unceasingly educating themselves. This occurs when you build a shared, transparent and genuine culture. CEOs who are digital leaders need to be continuously reinforcing the right kind of culture and aligning people toward the correct goals, rather than being fixated with their bottom lines.

Even the best CEOs will have to start thinking of themselves in terms of digital leaders. If you’re a C suite level executive, it’s your job to keep the organization focused, encourage experimentation, innovate, and scale through digital technology – only this will lead you to success in the disruptive years to come.