In Conversation: How Modern Leadership Thrives in Change

Our In Conversation series highlights exclusive interviews with dynamic leaders who are shaping the future, sharing insights on innovation, resilience, and the evolving landscape of leadership.

To explore the intersection of adaptability alongside evolving technology, we spoke to Cathy Dsouza, CEO of Curiosum Tech. With decades of experience in business leadership, Dsouza has expertise in all aspects of business formation, operation, finance, IT, and management.

In our recent interview, Dsouza sheds light on how she manages her company with both agility and integrity. The insights gleaned from this interview session reveal her leadership approach in this dynamic ever-evolving era.  

Q: As an experienced professional, what do you make of the latest tech trends?

Dsouza: The strides in innovation and technology that we get to witness in our day and age is exciting. Take a look at AI and machine learning – the combined ability to process vast amounts of data at high speeds has given businesses the opportunity to optimize operations and increase possibilities for innovation. From the use of AI in speeding the process of clinical trials in drug development to the use of blockchain in financial services and supply chain management, I see these trends as part of an exciting technological evolution.

Q: What advanced tech or AI are you implementing in your day-to-day activities?

Dsouza: Yes, we do, but primarily in our marketing efforts. A few tools that we use on a daily basis include ChatGPT and Canva. ChatGPT has been helpful in helping us tailor our pitch decks and presentation materials. We have also learnt to use various prompts to create marketing campaign plans for social media for a variety of our services. Canva honestly has blown my mind. We barely use Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator any more when creating our marketing materials. For the price point, user-friendliness of the platform and AI-integrated editing tools, it has truly increased our ability to churn out marketing content faster.

Q: Do you see technology as a threat for humans in the future?

Dsouza: The quote from the popular comic ‘Spiderman’ resonates with me on this query: “With great power comes great responsibility.” To me, strides in technology must be monitored by some form of governance. Based on the user’s intentions, technology can either be used to promote greater human good or it can be used to wipe out humanity all together. Let’s consider drones for example. While this technology has increased operational efficiency in areas such as agriculture, mining and disaster-relief, it has also been used as militarized aerial weapon in wars. And if one pays attention, funding for innovation towards drone technology primarily comes from a country’s defence department.

Just recently, Geoffrey Hinton, also titled popularly as the “godfather” of machine learning, was awarded the Nobel Prize in physics. In early 2023, Hinton exited Google in order to speak more freely on the dangers of AI and insisted that governments need to place stronger guardrails on the technology. As a student of public policy, his fear resonates with my findings. Governments around the world are currently not equipped to manage new technologies like AI and the policies governing these technologies are lacking. Consider recent examples such as the use of “DeepFakes” and learnt-bias in human resource AI tools. At the speed at which technology is evolving, governments need to collaborate with scientific bodies to develop policies that set boundaries of use for new technologies and install protections in place for recipients using, or their likeness that is being used by, said technology.

Q: What strategies have you found most effective when it comes to crafting a successful team?

Dsouza: The three most important strategies that I have found useful is empowering, communicating and listening. Our company is small and each of the staff have clearly defined roles. In order to ensure that we are being effective in securing opportunities, it is important that that they are empowered to use creative tools and make decisions without being hindered by micro-management of their daily tasks. 

Communication is very important for our company to function smoothly. Since we operate under a Work From Home policy, we host weekly 1-on-1s and a team meeting in the beginning of the week. This allows us to check-in on our goals and work load, while also ensuring that the entire team is aware of what is happening across all functions.

Listening, without thinking of a solution, is something that I am learning to get better at. It is a strategy that I have recently acquired that has proven to be useful in communication practices. I always thought that I was a great listener, until I began to catch myself interrupting mid-conversation or thinking of a solution well before the dialogue was finished. Listening in all its entirety has allowed me to fully understand the context of the dialogue and understand the thought process involved. Through this practice, I have been able to acknowledge, paraphrase and inquire if I have interpreted correctly, thus letting the individual know that I have heard them out without resorting to drawing any conclusions or solutions right away.

Q: What are your thoughts on Gen-Z entering the workforce?

Dsouza: I am the only Millennial in my company at present. The rest of the staff are Gen-Z. With all the social media buzz surrounding Gen-Z on their entry into the workforce, I am grateful to be working with an intelligent, reliable and resourceful team. From my understanding, Gen-Z crave flexibility, a thriving environment at work, a decent paycheck and a healthy work-life balance. I believe we have been able to offer that at Curiosum Tech. The model may not be perfect but I have always been open to suggestions from the team on how we could do better.

Q: How can leaders prepare themselves for an uncertain future ahead? What are your thoughts about effective leadership in the age of technology?

Dsouza: I believe that leaders should be open to continuous learning. With technology advancing in large strides, keeping oneself abreast of emerging trends will help leaders become adaptable and capable of facing ambiguity. I also believe that it is important for leaders to foster collaboration and innovation within their organizations. Diverse teams are able to bring a broader perspective to approaching complex problems and providing holistic solutions.

In brief

Examining the insights shared by Cathy Dsouza, it becomes clear that dynamic leaders with the right attitude act as an anchor, a facilitator, and a sailor of the company. The leaders ability to learn and grow with change is what helps the company to survive, thrive and stay-future ready. Even during the darkest time, their deep conviction helps their company overcome challenges and become big in time.  

Leaders no longer live in a static world. They have to prepared for uncertainty, lead teams through difficult times, and foster positive change in their organizations