Powered by technology, the world is changing at a rapid rate. With significant advancements in areas like artificial intelligence (AI), virtual reality (VR), blockchain, and FinTech seeming to take place daily, predicting where the world will be in some years is an impossible task. With uncertainty at an all-time high, world-class names like business leader Brook Taube are pushing for a redefinition of leadership.
Now living in North Carolina, Taube lived and worked for more than 25 years in New York City, quickly becoming a prominent name in its financial district. Starting in the 1990s with Bankers Trust, Taube’s professional journey would see him found and build several billion-dollar companies, while also providing capital to over 500 companies across North America.
While Taube’s professional achievements speak for themselves, his success when leading diverse teams warrants closer observation. No matter if Taube is helping a young entrepreneur start a business or a mid-size company to avoid layoffs, his understanding of the bigger picture and unique leadership skills are always evident. But what is it that allows this financial expert to understand topics as different as crypto taxation and celebrity philanthropy? Two words: continuous learning.
“Any investor, mentor, or entrepreneur will eventually encounter topics and challenges that they are not ready to deal with and might not even understand at all,” explains Taube. “The willingness or curiosity to explore what is unfamiliar or what you don’t necessarily know well is a trait that is often found in the most successful leaders.”
A believer in hacker culture, Taube’s continued learning relies heavily on top-notch advisors and also on the young talent he personally mentors. While search engines and AI can now provide instant access to wide ranges of information, Taube believes that the value of human experts from varied backgrounds can provide important insights on other levels.
“Effective leadership requires accepting your own shortcomings and understanding who the best person is to help you gain insights that you are unlikely to identify on your own,” explains Taube. “People in positions of power tend to forget that there will always be people who understand certain things better than they do.”
While Taube might not be referring to it, Reddit's latest controversy comes to mind when listening to Taube’s vision of leadership. Despite widespread protest from community moderators and developers, as well as users, the social platform’s leadership has failed to engage with the disgruntled community. This is despite the developers of popular Reddit clients like Apollo actively trying to work with the Reddit team before announcing the shutdown of their platforms.
“Having a great team is about more than only your employees or colleagues, it is about everyone who supports you in any given effort,” adds Taube. “Your collaboration with your team dictates your success and in turn, you need to speak a common language to effectively collaborate with your team. Learning from each other is the only way to achieve that.”
The success of Taube’s leadership style is a clear demonstration of how continued learning can improve communication, collaboration, decision-making, and innovation. While leaders might have been able to get by with a relatively limited set of skills in the past, this is no longer the case. WIllingness and ability to adapt should now be the first thing in every leader's mind.
Photography by: Courtesy of Brook Taube
