Digital technology redefined the way we do business. It not only changed the manner in which we communicate with our customers but also the way we interact with each other, while we’re working on our tasks. Digital has transformed our entire workflow, teamwork, and disrupted our entire concept of leadership. To be successful in the world of digital business, you need modern leaders, the ones that embrace the digital revolution and recognize its power. While many are still holding on to behaviors that are now redundant or obsolete, to be competitive in a digital economy, leaders need to upskill, keep up with the changes and take their organizations to the next level. Here are some of the essential traits and characteristics that this new Leadership 2.0 requires. Embracing the Tech Not all modern leaders need a degree in coding, but they need sufficient knowledge to be able to recognize the importance of current tech trends across different sectors and to have a vision of how to use them most effectively. The success of every business and its future growth can now completely depend on leaders' capability to recognize the possible applications of the latest technologies, such as automation, AI, big data and cloud computing. After they acknowledge the role digital technology plays in business, digital leaders should not fear or be reluctant when it comes to implementing it. If not tech-savvy themselves, they should also be able to accept the feedback of others who know more than they do regarding tech matters. Give a Sense of Purpose and Direction Even though technology is directly impacting our business practices, leadership in the digital age is much more than accepting and implementing the latest technology solutions. Leadership is all about giving a vision and direction to people who are so immersed in technology that they can hardly see the purpose of their tasks. Leadership is there to clarify goals and actions so that each member understands what the team is trying to achieve, as well as recognize their own role in the process. Encourage Participation and Accountability Emerging leaders nowadays see themselves as learners, and they don’t have a need to own and be responsible for everything – they’re willing to delegate and pick the best person for each task based on the experience and skillset. They are quite aware that they don’t (and can’t) know everything, so they empower their team members to take ownership of their own tasks and be accountable for fulfilling them. They believe in freedom, autonomy, and trust and are open to learning from team members at all levels. The Right Mindset According to the MIT Sloan Management Review, the primary challenge of leadership in the digital age isn’t adopting behaviors or skills, but developing a mindset – attitudes and beliefs that guide behaviors. During their leadership study, MIT SMR identified four specific mindsets reflecting the principles, values, and norms of digital economy trailblazing leaders. Producers are focused on solving customers’ problems, as well as on digital savviness, analytics and using all these resources to improve customer experience. Investors have higher purposes in their mind besides making a profit. They are dedicated to growth and development, but in a sustainable manner, looking for the best ways to benefit the community. Connectors are driven by a sense of belonging, and they aim at creating networks, developing meaningful relationships and creating trusted partnerships. Explorers are creative and curious, extremely open to change and flexibility. They are not afraid to experiment, fail and move on. These leaders have the power to create great workplace communities and motivate their team members to achieve some great results. Empowering People Modern leadership is a continuous management of change, and the will and the ability to evolve should be at the very core of every organization. However, all the team members should be empowered so that they don’t fear change. Many employees fear automation and the different changes digital transformation brings about . But the change gives them the position to upskill, progress, grow and learn. Leaders should improve their teams’ comfort levels regarding risk, uncertainty, and ambiguity. Only when they feel free to fail, employees will give their best to succeed, experiment and innovate. And that’s when some really great things start to happen. They Strive to Build Trust Trust is often underrated, but it is one of the most important aspects of business and leadership in the digital age. Especially when we know that it’s not something that can be built overnight, neither with your employees nor with your customers. To be successful, leaders need to be able to form meaningful connections with their followers, and trust is at the very essence of such relationships. The only way leaders can instill credibility in their followers is by doing the trustworthy thing all over again, until their followers are sure they are acting in a genuine manner. Data-Driven Decision-Making While traditional leaders usually rely on their intuition when it comes to decision-making, digital leaders tend to make data-driven decisions. With highly advanced predictive and analytical tools they now have at their disposal, doing it the old-fashioned way would be like a shot in the dark. Digital leaders make use of all the available resources so that they have enough relevant data to make an informed decision. They Are Hyperaware Emerging leaders are constantly scanning the world around them, looking for new opportunities and possible threats. Their perception is a source of valuable information and it helps them adapt faster to the current situation or any unexpected changes. As they are always actively engaged, nothing can surprise them, so they are able to remain level-headed and perform, always keeping their calm when there is an ongoing crisis. Leaders who rate higher on these traits and behaviors will outperform their peers when it comes to their efficiency in managing teams during transitions and disruptions. They will be able to identify and recognize good opportunities for improvements and lead the way through. Leaders of this new digital age are game-changers and they never put their subordinates down - they treat themselves as first among equals, and that’s their superpower.

Running a real estate business is always a good idea, seeing as how it’s one of the most profitable industries out there, with a demand that’s (by its very nature) not likely to decline. Moreover, there are so many benefits to starting a real estate business you need to consider. First of all, it’s relatively easy to get started and provide yourself with high tangible asset value. There is also a plethora of financing options and the numerous tax benefits make it all just so much more appealing. As the cherry on top, you have the competitive risk-adjusted returns to keep in mind. However, how does one run a successful real estate business? There are some who believe that efficient outsourcing is a part of the answer. Here are a couple of reasons why. Cost reduction Having full-time employees in the real estate industry is not quite cost-effective. This means that outsourcing various tasks and hiring specialists when you need them can save you a substantial amount of money annually. Keep in mind that this surplus is clear profit, seeing as how these outsourcing agencies/specialists still provide the necessary service, without taking up a spot on your regular payroll. So, when asked why real estate businesses outsource, the first obvious answer to this question would be – because it reduces operational costs . Operational functionality increase Another major boon to your organization can be seen through the operational functionality increase that comes from outsourcing. Instead of having to hire and train specialists, you get already seasoned and well-trained individuals to enhance your organization. Keep in mind that even in the real estate industry, there are so many tasks that can be done remotely. This means that you even have the option to outsource various tasks to freelance telecommuters . This gives you so many options to fully customize your enterprise and even start providing services that were previously unavailable in your narrow niche (at least locally). Better focus Previously, we’ve mentioned the concept of saving money as one of the major reasons for outsourcing. The reason why the figures are so strongly in favor of outsourcing is due to the fact that you often lose money by having your highly-paid employees do low-value tasks on a regular basis. So, other than saving you a fortune, smart real estate outsourcing can help improve productivity and save you a world of trouble when it comes to your administrative responsibility. This means that you get to focus on a single field while leaving all the menial administrative tasks to someone else. Access to a greater talent pool The next thing worth keeping in mind is the fact that, when outsourcing, you’re accessing a lot bigger talent pool than you would otherwise have available. You see, a recruitment process is incredibly complex and expensive, especially when conducted carefully and effectively. Prospecting people, screening them, talking to them and, ultimately, hiring and training them takes so much time and energy. By outsourcing, you can just entrust this task to someone else and get the very top of the talent pool available to your agency right away. Better customer service The last thing you need to understand is the fact that your clients want to know that they’re talking to professionals, the very top of their field. As we’ve already discussed, the simplest way for you to get this is to outsource to specialists. Keep in mind that your clients have no input into who’s on your payroll and who comes from the agency that you’re outsourcing to. This means that, from their point of view, you’re providing an outstanding end-to-end service. Sometimes, you need to put their perspective first. Conclusion In the end, one of the best things about outsourcing as a concept is the fact that it’s highly flexible. What this means is that there’s no one out there to tell you what you should outsource and which tasks you should handle in-house. This is on you alone to decide, which gives you a lot of freedom when it comes to your outsourcing model.

Entering a construction business is not an easy task, but it can be well worth your while if you love the work and are familiar with what it takes to succeed in a market that is so competitive. There are a lot of factors one needs to consider before starting a construction company. You need to see whether there is room on the market for you, what areas you want to focus on, and you also need to find other companies you can partner with to ensure that your future clients get the best possible treatment. So, let’s see how you can go about getting answers to some of the steps mentioned. Make sure you have the right business plan A business plan is a must if you want to ensure that your ideas work in the real world and that they can lead to an actual return on investment for your company. This means that you are clear on what you want to start a construction business, as well as on the steps you need to take to get your company off the ground. Now this includes finances, equipment employees and of course getting to know the market you are about to enter. Keep in mind that most business plans follow a specific template, which takes some of the guesswork out of the process. And if you are inexperienced with business plan creation you can always turn to experts so that you ensure that you are on the right path. In construction, it is all about the equipment Now, for a business that is just starting out it might be a problem to acquire the more expensive equipment like bulldozers and cranes, it is far more advisable to opt to rent these things is that you can get skilled labour that comes with it and use it only when it is necessary. That way you can save on the initial investment and consider getting them as your company grows. But for other equipment like scaffolding and folding stools you should turn to reputable sellers like Skyequipment to ensure that you get the top-quality equipment that will keep your employees safe and enable you to go about the construction tasks with ease. Make sure you have all the necessary licenses Proper licensing is essential if you want to run a successful construction business. Each municipality has a set selection of licenses each construction company needs in order to operate within their boundaries. There is a whole array of licenses that you need to consider obtaining in order to be allowed to do any construction work within a certain municipality. There are those general that you need to be recognized as a licensed construction company within that city or state. But then there are others that need additional consideration , for some you need to be licensed, for some certified and for some registered. Yes, it is a lot of bureaucracy, but if you don’t have your paperwork in order your whole project can very easily get shut down and you would have to pay numerous fines putting your newly established business in a very bad financial situation. This is why it is essential to take the time to obtain all the necessary licenses. There you have it, some of the most important steps to get your construction business off the ground and up and running. Keep in mind that you should not rush it, create a good and sound business plan, secure the necessary funding and licenses and then and only then can you move on to obtaining equipment and labour so as to take on your first project.