I was recently privileged enough to travel with James Luo to Singapore’s Big Data and AI world conference.
It was a great adventure on many fronts. It was the first time I travelled with James, and we also got to showcase BGL Smart Docs 360 – our new product in the making that turns unstructured data into structured data. Simply upload a photo or PDF of your document to Smart Docs 360, and it will convert the content into meaningful data that can be used in any setting or context. Really powerful stuff.
What I loved most about our adventure was spending time with James. I learnt some very valuable lessons and insights that would help any business or business leader in any setting.
Here is my list:
Take an interest in their story: It was fascinating to learn about James’ upbringing. Coming from a small village in China, where his parents worked the land to live and education was a dream, helped me identify with James.
Involve people in the journey: Get input. Provide clarity. Link their efforts to the business outcomes and client experiences. Create meaning.
Express gratitude: We can all do more of this!
Show them the problem they are solving: Mindless work leads to unengaged people. Developers love it when users adopt their features to help solve their pain points. Provide the opportunity for them to engage with clients. Trust me; insight is powerful.
Listen: An art that most of us have forgotten. Engage intentionally and without interruptions. You will be surprised by what you learn.
Provide context: Clearly articulate the space you are trying to own. Through context, you develop meaning and purpose.
People love showcasing what they own: Take the time to allow people to show you what they have created. People want the opportunity to show the value they are creating and the differences they are trying to make.
Let people step into your world: Make yourself vulnerable. Drive connection. Humanise the relationship. Ultimately, our job as leaders is to serve, facilitate and guide people to their full potential. Paint a picture of what you see and the plans you have for them.
Create moments: Chilli crab ain’t what it is cracked up to be – that’s my view but not the view of countless. So much effort and mess for such little return. But the experience and joy on James’ face while watching me struggle was worth it. Sometimes you need to try different things and create memorable moments. Such times only strengthen relationships.
A memorable week that I will never forget. Thank you, James!
