Unlocking leadership success: 5 tips for rising leaders

A company’s culture is only as strong as the shared commitment and intention of its people. At Autodesk, our culture is manifested in our Culture Code: the Values and Ways We Work that make us a Customer Company.  

I strive to embody the Autodesk Culture Code in my own day-to-day actions and encourage the same from my employees. I was honored to receive the Construction Sales Culture Hero Award in 2021, and I’m excited to share how Autodesk’s Culture Code enables success in our organization.  

Specifically, the Culture Code elements that are resonating the most with me right now are:

• One Autodesk: Autodesk is becoming a platform company, representing one of the largest market opportunities and value for our customers. To succeed in platform sales and beyond, it’s important to know how to work and win with an expanding extended team.
  
  
• Adaptable: There is continuous change within Autodesk and the industries we serve. To succeed, we must be able to adapt to continuous change.
  
  
• Courage: If we are going to win new markets and transform our customers, we need to have the courage to do things differently, challenge the status quo, and challenge the competition.

My focus this year is to increase our sales team’s productivity, success, and happiness by leveraging data and insights. The future of business is utilizing actionable, timely, and consumable data to hit revenue goals; provide a world-class employee, partner, and customer experience; and align cross-functional teams for a consistent go-to-market motion. I look forward to the opportunity to positively impact our people and business in new ways.

After many years across several companies, I’ve seen what it takes to make a team successful from all levels. Here are my top pieces of advice for rising leaders: 

1. Build an operating cadence of balance. Take regular breaks, vacations, and time with your loved ones. You do not want your success at work to negatively impact your health, relationships, or family. Too often, leaders sacrifice their personal health and success for professional success. You will be a better leader and more successful if you build an operating cadence of balance in all aspects of your life.
   
   
2. Find mentors outside of your immediate chain of command. These could be cross-functional team leaders, leaders in other geographies, or leaders in other organizations. Be curious, listen, and have an insatiable desire to learn.
   
   
3. Be patient. Great opportunities do not manifest overnight.
   
   
4. Exhibit leadership now. You are interviewing for a future leadership position today, whether you realize it or not. Do the right things now; ask for feedback and improve. When an opportunity presents itself, you want to be the leading candidate.
   
   
5. Focus on impact instead of compensation. This helps create a culture that emphasizes collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement, which can lead to long-term success for everyone involved.

Becoming a successful leader takes time, effort, and a commitment to personal and professional balance. Remember, leadership is not just about achieving individual success but also about helping others achieve theirs. With these tips, you can lead your team to great heights while also maintaining your own well-being and happiness.

Learn more about Autodesk’s culture here.