Executives have many responsibilities as leaders, but ensuring their organizations remain competitive and relevant is one of the most important. Staying current with trends is the simplest way executives can accomplish this. But with incredibly busy schedules and long to-do lists, how can executives successfully keep up with trends and stay ahead of the curve?
We recently asked our busy executives how they stay current with trends.
Here are their responses...
Ana Smith, Talent Architect & Global Learning Strategist
As a busy executive, it can be challenging to stay current with the latest trends and developments in your industry. However, it's essential to remain up to date to ensure that your organization stays competitive and relevant. Here are five key strategies to help you stay current with trends as a busy executive:
- Prioritize learning: Make learning a priority and carve out time in your schedule to stay informed about the latest trends and developments in your industry.
- Build a network: Build a network of peers and experts in your industry to stay informed about the latest trends and developments. Attend conferences, seminars, and networking events to connect with others and gain insights into emerging trends.
- Utilize technology: Utilize technology to stay current with trends. Subscribe to industry newsletters, set up Google alerts for relevant keywords, and follow industry influencers on social media.
- Delegate responsibility: Delegate responsibility to other members of your team who can help you stay current with trends. Assign someone to monitor industry news and report back to you regularly.
- Read widely: Read widely to stay informed about the latest trends and developments in your industry. Set aside time to read industry publications, blogs, and books regularly.
In summary, staying current with trends as a busy executive requires prioritizing learning, building a network, utilizing technology, delegating responsibility, and reading widely. By implementing these strategies, executives can stay informed and ensure that their organization remains competitive and relevant in today's rapidly evolving business landscape.
Ana Smith helps people & organizations achieve their full talent potential by developing and co-creating people strategies and customized solutions, and turning them into impactful outcomes and collaborative relationships, using coaching as the "red thread."
Michael Willis, Sports Business Operations Executive
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In the world of sports, as the NFL continues to rise in popularity, challenges and adversity also come. The NFL must find ways to predict the future to get ahead of these challenges and remain a leader in the industry.
4 Trends That Remain a Constant in the NFL’s Planning:
1. Millennials – The sports world faces an uphill battle of finding ways to entice millennials to attend games. The rise of technology has made it easier to consume games in the comfort of their homes. Many major sports leagues have made it easier to consume the games on their mobile devices or networks, like NFL Network.
2. Technology Integration – The pace of technology keeps changing. Fans want to connect to the games on their social media accounts, like Facebook and Twitter feeds. If teams are not proactive with social media and cannot entice fans with modern technology, fans will not follow them or go to the games.
3. Gameday Experiences – The NFL wants to give the fans an experience that can only be achieved at the stadium. This includes pregame tailgating and shows, halftime entertainment, and post-game celebrations.
4. Predicting the Future – The world is constantly changing. The sports industry faces the challenge of predicting the next trend, the next big idea that will capture its audience. While the future is nearly impossible to predict, it will be worthwhile for sports leagues to continue to study trends.
Michael Willis has 18+ years of experience working with accounting & sports organizations and has managed P&Ls of $10M - $125M+ with budgets of $3M-$50M+. He worked for the NFL for 22 1/2 years, mainly with the game officials working on the financial/accounting side of the business.
Lisa Perry, Global Marketing Executive
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As a busy global marketing executive, staying current with trends is crucial to keep up with the ever-changing business landscape. While staying on top of the latest developments can be challenging, it’s essential to remain relevant and competitive in today’s fast-paced business world. Here are five things I do weekly as a brand marketing executive to stay current with trends:
1. Leverage Technology: In today’s digital age, technology can be your best ally in staying up to date with trends. With many online tools and resources, you can easily keep track of the latest developments in your industry. I use ChatGPT, Canva, Grammarly, and SaveTik daily. You can follow thought leaders or industry experts on social media, subscribe to podcasts or newsletters, sign up for Google alerts for keywords related to your industry, attend webinars, or take online courses that focus on specific industries and trends.
2. Collaborate with Peers: Collaborating with peers can be an excellent way to stay current with trends. Consider joining industry-specific associations or forming a peer group with other executives in your field. By sharing ideas and insights, you can learn from each other and stay up to date on the latest trends.
3. Read: Industry-specific publications are a valuable source of information and insights. Subscribe to publications that cover your industry, and make it a habit to read them regularly. You can also follow relevant blogs and thought leaders in your industry to stay informed about the latest trends. I joined a marketing book club to stay current on the latest brand marketing trends.
4. Attend Conferences and Networking Events: Conferences and networking events provide an excellent opportunity to learn about the latest trends and connect with like-minded professionals. As a busy executive, it may be challenging to attend every event, but try to prioritize the most relevant to your industry.
5. Continuous Learning: It can be easy to fall into the trap of feeling like you don’t have enough time to learn new things. However, committing to learn new things continuously can help you stay current with trends in your industry. This can involve taking online courses, attending webinars, or even reading books related to your field. I’m learning how ChatGPT can assist me as a brand marketer while reading a few brand marketing books to improve my skills.
Staying current with trends is essential for any executive looking to remain relevant and competitive in today’s fast-paced business world.
Lisa Perry helps companies build leadership brands, driving loyal customers & delivering profitability. She does this through a process that builds brands consumers love. Her goal is to help companies develop, monetize, and grow their brands.
How do you stay current with trends as a busy executive? Join the conversation inside Work It Daily's Executive Program.
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