A version of this article was originally published in Fast Company.

At MichiganLabs, we get the opportunity to spend time with many executives from middle-market and large-enterprise global companies.

They often share their points of anxiety with us and commission us to help solve their technological challenges.

We are consistently seeing three things right now in terms of how executives are tackling the challenges they are facing.

1. They’re adapting to the changing landscape

The best executives are not stuck in the old ways of doing things. They are being innovative and even a bit disruptive at times.

For example, a vice president at a large enterprise is forming a predictive analytics team. They are doing a 1-for-1 model by hiring people from outside the company to collaborate with people inside the company. This approach helps the company gain internal expertise while leveraging the experience of outside experts.

This is new for this executive and there is a lot of uncertainty, but the future value they are creating for their business is much higher than the career risk of taking on this new responsibility. They are not experienced in IT or predictive analytics, so they are hedging their bets by talking with a lot of people who have done this before and staying curious about the new opportunities.

As a result, they have already been able to deliver on a key metric predicting what inventory would be needed at what time. This has saved the company both time and money, resulting in a 106% ROI for Q2.

2. They’re forming deep, trusting relationships

Harvard Business Review completed a 10-year study about what separates successful executives from the pack.

They found that the most successful executives from across industries had a long waiting list of people who wanted to work for them. They were the ones to actively solicit feedback about how others were experiencing their leadership and remained vulnerable about their shortcomings. They would conduct short informal surveys (at least twice per year). The study also found that among executive teams, 60% of bad behavior could be accounted for by the executive’s fear of appearing incompetent, underachieving, and dealing with verbal attacks from others. Meaning, a fear of what others thought was holding them back from becoming vulnerable and learning from their mistakes.

A simple five-question survey asking others what they could improve on really helped to move the needle. For example, a highly technical executive realized they were not as successful with the people aspects of the job. Since they were no longer responsible for doing the technical and highly scientific work, they relied on their team to complete these tasks.

Rather than deciding they would never be good at the people aspects of the job, they turned it into a science experiment. They created a simple research study about their performance and areas for improvement. The result was that people felt like the executive was more transparent and easier to work with. The “ask me anything” type approach was helpful for learning what others were concerned or excited about.

3. They’re running a marathon, not a sprint.

Several of our team members—including me and my business partner—recently completed a version of a local triathlon. This was my first time training for a sprint-style triathlon, and I’m enjoying being done with it for a while!

Similar to training for and competing in triathlons, we’ve found that the most successful executives set a deliberate pace. They don’t sprint to each milestone and drive their teams into the ground. Rather, they set a pace that they can keep up with.

S&P Capital recently completed a study showing how top performers take off in year three. The first two years are mostly about building confidence and aligning value; the third year is about harvesting the previous work. Once a team knows you are in it for the long haul, they are more likely to join you in the difficult and important work that needs to be done.

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The landscape of executive leadership is continuously evolving, and the most effective leaders are those who embrace change, foster deep relationships, and maintain a sustainable pace.

At MichiganLabs, we are privileged to witness firsthand the innovative strategies that forward-thinking executives employ to overcome their challenges. By adapting to new technologies, forming trusting relationships, and pacing their efforts like a triathlete, these leaders are not only achieving extraordinary results but also setting new benchmarks for success.

Their stories of resilience and adaptability serve as powerful reminders that the path to success is not a sprint, but a journey of continuous learning and growth.