Born in Sherbrooke, Canada, I’ve spent my entire career in the technology industry. From my university days, to my early work as a mainframe programmer analyst, and now, as an executive for the world’s largest technology distributor, I’ve had the privilege and honor to work with and learn from many innovative minds, seasoned executives and successful entrepreneurs.

Without a doubt, the technology industry offers one of the most dynamic and innovative career environments. Over the years, I’ve discovered that diversity is what drives the ongoing growth and evolution of this global business – diversity of cultures, people and products. The most successful organizations and executives know how to use that to their advantage.

When I look at what defines and differentiates a successful IT executive, three underlying attributes come to mind.

The first is having the ability to work outside of your comfort zone. It’s easy to stay with what you know, but to grow as an executive and thrive as a leader you have to take on new and different opportunities and embrace change. You can’t wait for the opportunity to present itself; you have to go find it.

The second is a desire to raise the bar – even during difficult times. The technology industry is fiercely competitive, so to achieve success you must always be at the top of your game. Don’t be afraid to challenge the status quo and find new and better ways to deliver greater value.

The third is to master the art of setting and managing expectations. The last thing anyone wants to do is set themselves up to fail. Understand the obstacles that lie ahead and identify how you will overcome them. Set realistic goals, develop a plan and share with your team and other stakeholders what success will look like. Then, it’s a matter of executing and exceeding these goals.

For anyone looking for a career rich with opportunity, diversity and challenge, I highly recommend the technology industry. In a world that’s constantly changing, there’s one thing my experiences in this dynamic business have taught me – the best is always yet to come.