Execution is a leadership behavior, not an operational task
By Nick Colisto - Feb 09, 2026
April 16, 2026
Sr. Vice President and Chief Information Officer, Corporate
When we look at some of the most admired leaders of our time, it is easy to focus on the technologies they champion. These are the innovative products they introduced and scaled that reshaped entire industries. However, extraordinary success with technology is not reserved for a small group of iconic leaders or tech giants. It happens every day inside organizations like ours when exceptional people are given exceptional tools alongside the clarity, confidence and commitment to use them well.
At Avery Dennison, we are investing in modern digital platforms and emerging technologies to support growth, efficiency and innovation. Our UNITY platform of standard business processes and digital technologies is a foundational part of that journey. But as powerful as these tools and processes are, they do not create value on their own. Tools and processes do not create outcomes; people do.
Digital transformations often fall short not because the tools are insufficient, but because adoption and enablement do not keep pace. Exceptional tools amplify human capability rather than replacing it. When the right tools are placed in the hands of people who are curious, disciplined, and collaborative, insights surface faster, decisions improve and work scales more effectively. Conversely, when tools are misunderstood, underused or treated as someone else’s responsibility, their potential is never fully realized. Success with digital solutions is never just an IT story. It is a leadership story.
Turning capability into impact
Across industries, three actions consistently determine whether digital technology becomes an accelerator or a constraint. These actions apply to leaders at every level and across every function.
Learn it: Exceptional people stay curious. Learning does not mean becoming an expert in every platform, but rather developing enough fluency to ask better questions and recognize where digital solutions can unlock value. With platforms like UNITY, this involves understanding what the system enables today, seeing how it connects data across teams and identifying opportunities to simplify or scale. When leaders invest time in learning, they move beyond reacting to needs and begin shaping outcomes.
Do it: Confidence and credibility grow through use, and one of the most powerful signals leaders send is how they use technology themselves. When leaders adopt new tools and integrate them into their daily work, they send a clear message that the transition matters. This active participation builds empathy for the user experience and provides practical insight into what works. Adoption accelerates when people see technology functioning in real contexts rather than just in presentations or pilots.
Enable it: Finally, digital technology delivers value when it makes success easier. Enablement is not about adding complexity; it is about removing friction and helping ideas move from concept to execution. This requires partnering early across the business's lines and functions, translating needs into actionable roadmaps, and helping teams focus on outcomes over outputs. When leaders focus on enablement, technology becomes a multiplier that extends human impact.
Why this moment matters
The pace of technological change continues to accelerate as AI and automation reshape how we create value. The question is no longer whether digital technology will influence our future. It already is. The real question is how intentionally we choose to lead through it.
Exceptional tools give organizations leverage, but exceptional people give them direction. When both are present, technology becomes a source of sustained advantage rather than short-term disruption. This success does not come from perfection. It comes from effort, pride and persistence, especially when change is complex.
Many of us were taught early on to simply do our best. This does not mean flawless execution or instant mastery, but rather thoughtful, committed progress. That mindset is what turns platforms into progress. UNITY and our broader digital ecosystem provide a strong foundation, but what happens next depends on how we show up as learners, practitioners and enablers. When exceptional tools are placed in the hands of exceptional people, technology becomes a catalyst, innovation becomes repeatable, and progress becomes shared. That is how we build extraordinary success together.
By Nick Colisto - Feb 09, 2026
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