Professional Leaders to Follow for Motivation

When we are stuck in a career we don’t want to be in or are bored of the daily mundane, it can be hard to find motivation to continue developing our professional identity. Feeling stuck might feel like it will be forever, but it can easily be squashed by surrounding yourself with those who push themselves to be better each day. There are plenty of professional leaders that we can rely on for motivation; many of them are within the tech world and can also be great leaders to follow for keeping up with industry specific trends. The following list captures a range of professional leaders who have the motivation to inspire you to be motivated about your career goals. As you read through their accomplishments, know you too can be just as successful!

Kevin MacRitchie, CEO of Tactical Rehabilitation 

MacRitchie, who comes from the high tech sector and communications industry, has earned a spot as one of the most inspiring professional leaders of our current digital economy through his commitment to making one industry better through the innovation of another.

Named one of the most successful business leaders to watch out for in 2023 by Enterprise World, Kevin MacRitchie has been instrumental in tech innovation of the U.S. healthcare industry. Through his company, Tactical Rehabilitation, MacRitchie and his team have served over 100,000 of military patients and are committed to finding ways to better the healthcare services for active and retired military personnel. Since the healthcare industry has gone through some significant changes, particularly digitalization changes, MacRitchie remains committed to maximize their patient/provider interactions. According to MacRitchie, “as long as healthcare providers do not lose sight of the heart of their operations (the patient), digitization should bring positive change to those they serve.” And as noted by Enterprise World, “by keeping patient care at the forefront of their operations and utilizing technology to improve their services, companies like Tactical Rehabilitation can continue to provide the highest level of care to their patients while also adapting to the changing landscape of the healthcare industry.”

Read more about MacRitchie and Tactical Rehabilitation’s Success here: A Visionary Leader in Healthcare and Beyond

Susan Wojcicki, Former CEO of YouTube

Before working with Google and advocating for the acquisition of YouTube in 2006, Susan Wojcicki worked in the marketing department of Intel. Hired as employee #16 of Google in 1999, she landed herself on the list of America’s 2023 self-made women, according to Forbes. Wojcicki didn’t take her first computer class until she was a senior in college; now she knows that “tech is an incredible force that will change our world in ways we can’t anticipate.” Stepping down as CEO of YouTube in the beginning of 2023, Wojcicki has worn many hats over the course of her career: managed marketing, co-created Google Image Search, led Google’s first Video and Book search, worked on the YouTube and DoubleClick acquisitions, and served as SVP of Ads, as she noted in her farewell update on Youtube.

Wojcicki lands herself on the list of inspiring professional leaders of our current digital economy because of the work and dedication she put in to not only make herself successful, but those around her successful too.

Read more about her plans after stepping down as CEO here: A personal update from Susan

Wayne Zwiers, Founder of Basalt Technology 

“Adversity is inevitable but having resilience is the single most important factor that determines success,” states Wayner Zwiers in his interview with Insight Success Magazine. Zwiers is the founder of Basalt Technology, a company that he says was built on the goal of “creating purpose-led software solutions to address areas of need from education to health, to finance.” When asked about how he stays up-to-date with the latest tech trends, Zwiers admits that while he has mastered speed reading years ago, he still turns to development and skills courses to keep his knowledge sharp.

Growth, upskilling, and taking risks is something Zwiers encourages all of his employees to take part in as it cultivates resilience across the business. Every individual has a story and strengths to go along with it and Zwiers prides himself in being a professional leader that leads his business with humility.

Read more about the success of Basalt Technology and Wayne Zwiers in the June 2022 Issue of Insight Success.

Ritu Joyoti, Group VP for AI & Automation Research at International Data Corporation

One of the most trusted advisors to some of the world’s largest tech firms, Ritu Jyoti focuses her research on “state of enterprise AI efforts and global market trends for the rapidly evolving Ai and Machine Learning (ML) innovations and ecosystem,” as noted in Insight Success. The International Data Corporation is a leading company for tech media and data and marketing services and Joyoti is responsible for envisioning the inclusion of AI in market research data collection methods. Joyoti recalls how difficult it was to blend into a male dominated industry, one that often excluded her based on gender and race. Even in a leadership role, her identity as a woman has made people second guess her. She advises that all “aspiring business leaders focus on communication, integrity, accountability, resilience, and vision.”

Ritu Joyoti joins others as one of the most inspiring professional leaders to follow due to her resilience in the face of inequality and trusted knowledge by those in the tech industry. As a “big proponent of continuous learning,” Joyoti continues to find new ways to strengthen her skills as a professional leader.

Read more about Joyoti here: Insight Success

Adela Mehic-Dzanic, Head of CSP, MAVOCO AG 

Involved in the telecommunications industry since 2015, Adela Mehic-Dzanic is a professional leader who makes it her mission to empower women in entering the tech industry world. She recently moved into her role at MAVOCO and believes that “passion, vision, perseverance, and generosity” are essential traits to possess as professional leaders. Apart from her professional role, Mehic-Dzanic started the “1,000 Women” mission in order to inspire more women to pursue a career in the tech industry, committed to working with future leaders to develop a more equal playing field for generations to come.

Mehic-Dzanic has one piece of advice for professionals: choose your boss and company wisely. It is about the values and vision of your employer, not the perks and benefits. She finds herself on our list of most inspiring professional leaders for her commitment to empowering women in the tech industry.

Listen to Adela Mehic-Dzanic speak about how to advance your career through meaningful relationships through the WU Executive Academy Podcast. 

As you evolve in your professional development, know that DWC is there for your upskilling, reskilling, and newskilling needs. Consider attending an info session with one of our student advisors to learn more about how our certificate programs can empower you to one day be as successful as those on our list of motivational professional leaders!