Leadership is a vital part of any business and organization. Since the beginning of the civilized age, leaders have been at the forefront of societies, shaping how we view and see our world through business-driven decisions. There is always a leader pulling the strings from governments to conglomerates. 

Along the way, there have been bad leaders as well as some remarkable ones. In politics, leaders such as Winston Churchill and US President Franklin D Roosevelt have stood the test of time as some all-time greats. In business, leaders mobilize resources and inspire long term changes in our values, culture and habits. Some plan to take us to other planets, while others want us to extend our destinies into vast digital confines.

In this issue of DDIntel, we dive into leadership. We tackle tough questions about whether great leaders are born or made, alongside what it takes to be a leader in the digital world. Similarly, we examine whether the term “fake it to you make it” is justified when climbing the career ladder alongside other insightful topics.

We have added a few new and requested features to the new DDIMario (promo link below):

Julian March has 23 years of experience in leading digital change in media companies. He is a former CEO, managing director, and vice president with a wealth of experience working in SMEs, bluechip companies, and the publishing/consultancy sectors. 

Julian has expertise in digital transformation, leadership, commercial impact, alongside other areas. He has worked in some of the biggest media companies on earth and is fluent in several languages. Julian can offer you his leadership advice and coaching, as well as writing, marketing and management/corporate consulting. Book a DDIChat with him today. 

Data science is like magic. It enables you to turn large amounts of often unwieldy data into information that industries and businesses can use to make informed decisions. Thus, being a data scientist is much like being a wizard! Jokes aside, Christopher Kokoski outlines how you can become a data scientist in his latest article and five popular lies about data science that most people believe. It is a great read suitable for those in the field and those who want to get into it.

Are great leaders born or made? A question that has been asked for countless generations. Are leaders naturally born gifted, or does hard work determine whether you will become a leader of consequence? In his latest article above, Tavian Jean-Pierre explains the answer to this question. He concludes that we are all responsible for our own leadership abilities.

There has been a paradigm shift towards web 3.0/ the Metaverse. Currently, Meta, helmed by Mark Zuckerburg, is taking center stage in the Metaverse development, using its Oculus technology and its rebrand to focus on Metaverse technologies. Eventually, when the Metaverse becomes a reality, a clash of the titan’s scenario will emerge between big businesses. More specifically, between Apple and Facebook. Thus, the ownership of the Metaverse will be determined by which company innovates enough and evolves.

It is a common phrase used nowadays, “fake it to you make it”, but is it strictly true? Is it good to be deliberately deceptive to employers to achieve your career ambitions? Shivangi Agrawal goes into more detail in her article above, explaining that instead of faking it until you make it, you should fake it to learn it.

Saving money is hard, especially when you want to save for a house, a mortgage or another big purchase. However, tracking your cash may solve your bad spending habits. Marx D. outlines in his article above how tracking your money can help you stay on top of your spending and how it can lead to you making money. It is an insightful read that will help you get back on track with your savings and how much money you spend.

Digital leaders are already becoming the next generation of managers. With tech’s constant development and innovation, digital leaders are at the forefront of change across industries - They need to be on top of their game. In Jim Katzaman’s article above, he sits down with digital leaders from across sectors to talk about their leadership strategies and what it takes to be a leader in the digital world.

Currently, the world has been turned on its head by online currencies such as Bitcoin, NFTs like Bored Apes and even digital land sales, seen in The SandBox. Web 3.0 is becoming a reality, and its hype is unreal. However, the hype has led to a lot of confusion with over two thousand cryptocurrencies on the market and many crypto exchanges, making navigating the crypto space more challenging than ever. Stephen Dalton’s article summarizes the difference between Fantom (FTM) and Polygon (MATIC) and which one is a better investment.

The crypto space is difficult to navigate and dangerous if you don’t do your research. It is quite easy to get scammed by fake currencies. In her sobering article above, esteemed writer Jenn Leach explains how a fake cryptocurrency scammed her and how she managed to lose her investment. It is a brutal account that shows that the market is full of scammers and hackers.