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All issuesVolume 340, Issue 5IT NewsCxO Podcasts

442 - Listen, Understand, Execute: The IT Leadership Edge w/ Farhan Zakir (45:04)

You've Been Heard, Tuesday, July 28th, 2026

IT leader Farhan Zakir shares how understanding business operations and mastering communication drives IT leadership success.

Farhan Zakir discusses his unconventional path from medical school to IT leadership through ERP implementation work. He emphasizes that IT leaders gain influence by understanding business operations and translating technology into business language.

Key themes include making support interactions feel safe for users, teaching cybersecurity through personal relevance, protecting historical data during migrations, and communicating value to executives.

Zakir advocates for IT professionals to embrace a three-step framework: listen, understand, execute.

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