Adia Interview (9/2/2020) by Jamie Stewart https://padlet.com/jamiestewartjs/dgr343z1ystlssxz Made with serendipity en-us 2020-09-02 12:06:50 UTC 2020-09-02 15:32:47 UTC hello@padlet.com My Profession jamiestewartjs https://padlet.com/jamiestewartjs/dgr343z1ystlssxz/wish/714533955 Build "platform companies" that connect two people. 
Example - Uber connects people who drive cars to people want be driven. ]]> 2020-09-02 12:07:19 UTC https://padlet.com/jamiestewartjs/dgr343z1ystlssxz/wish/714533955 Why this profession jamiestewartjs https://padlet.com/jamiestewartjs/dgr343z1ystlssxz/wish/714535590 What I've done over the year is follow what I have found to be interesting and do it to the best of my ability  - works to be better each day
Sometimes, I can predict what will be the best thing, sometimes a friends "kicks me into gear."
Crossroads of Luck and Preparedness]]> 2020-09-02 12:08:15 UTC https://padlet.com/jamiestewartjs/dgr343z1ystlssxz/wish/714535590 Example: Credit Company (Migo) jamiestewartjs https://padlet.com/jamiestewartjs/dgr343z1ystlssxz/wish/714538132 A company that wanted to make a "thin file" - someone who needs more to get a credit score, but the company had an algorithm that could do better. 
They had the algorithm and data, but they didn't know how to get to scale - users and money to lend. I suggested two things: 1. Going to banks and finding the safest investment and the company worked out if they could do better with returns. 2. To gain users, partnered with other companies that had users that needed credit. 
This created scale. ]]> 2020-09-02 12:09:44 UTC https://padlet.com/jamiestewartjs/dgr343z1ystlssxz/wish/714538132 How did you get to Migo? jamiestewartjs https://padlet.com/jamiestewartjs/dgr343z1ystlssxz/wish/714546935 They showed up in Legos with an algorithm and a smile. In a low-trust environment this is "just an engine" not a car. At the time I was working at a mobile operator. I was the person they worked with at [mobile company] - they recruited me. ]]> 2020-09-02 12:14:24 UTC https://padlet.com/jamiestewartjs/dgr343z1ystlssxz/wish/714546935 Video Ideas jamiestewartjs https://padlet.com/jamiestewartjs/dgr343z1ystlssxz/wish/714550656 The kinds of companies: Selling an engine, not the car 

Spending time making sure you are asking the "right question" 

Humility as a leader - know your team and what they will need (think about it in relation to what you know about yourself) 

Before people assume something about my job, they presume something about me

Just say "hi" - find a way to connect with humor or other touch-points - you can make it easier (don't want to feel like I "owe" people something). 

Video: Initiative as a building block for freedom in work - it's how I found interesting opportunities.

Video: Critical Thinking - how to personalize it and create a structure. ]]> 2020-09-02 12:16:26 UTC https://padlet.com/jamiestewartjs/dgr343z1ystlssxz/wish/714550656 Work History -> Solving all kinds of problems jamiestewartjs https://padlet.com/jamiestewartjs/dgr343z1ystlssxz/wish/714553164 "There is something about the way you get to the problem." - feedback she has been given
It is something about the questions I ask

Engineer 
Business School
Management Consultant ]]> 2020-09-02 12:17:45 UTC https://padlet.com/jamiestewartjs/dgr343z1ystlssxz/wish/714553164 Playlist jamiestewartjs https://padlet.com/jamiestewartjs/dgr343z1ystlssxz/wish/714555064 Adia's List ("super powers")

Playlist Ideas:
"Become a leader like Adia - practice mentoring others and being your own best mentor."

Initiative, Perseverance, Critical Thinking 

- Critical Thinking: Questioning - what is the important questions - about managing the other person you are taking to
- Critical Thinking: Understand a Problem (Know your constraints) 
- Empathy: Understand your impact (know how people will persevere you)
- Leadership - Build trust
- Initiative: Know your end goal (to help you get started) 

- Check your reaction
- Negotiate for both sides to win



]]> 2020-09-02 12:18:44 UTC https://padlet.com/jamiestewartjs/dgr343z1ystlssxz/wish/714555064 How do you identify the right problem jamiestewartjs https://padlet.com/jamiestewartjs/dgr343z1ystlssxz/wish/714558181 In Africa is can be disrespectful to ask "why" questions. Tricky to find ways to get those questions in. 
When there is a pattern - notice
Know when there might be a biases ]]> 2020-09-02 12:20:19 UTC https://padlet.com/jamiestewartjs/dgr343z1ystlssxz/wish/714558181 Spend time "Blaming" myself first jamiestewartjs https://padlet.com/jamiestewartjs/dgr343z1ystlssxz/wish/714564082 You can't stop someone from going off on you, but you can stop yourself from yelling back

My goal is to be difficult 
When you allow people to "fuck with your zen, it's like mud in your brain." ]]> 2020-09-02 12:23:24 UTC https://padlet.com/jamiestewartjs/dgr343z1ystlssxz/wish/714564082 Humility as a leader jamiestewartjs https://padlet.com/jamiestewartjs/dgr343z1ystlssxz/wish/714568467 When you want your team to behave a certain way; you have to make space for different personality types
There is "scene setting" that needs to happen as you figure out what individual need (i.e. introvert vs. extrovert)
It is easier to perceive offense from someone you don't know or like. 
Example: I ran into someone who runs a bug bank in Africa. It was just his birthday. I saw his Instagram, he starts the post the same way and an agency put his insta quote on a shirt for him - it made a connect relevant. Establishing something like this is how you start to warm people up. ]]> 2020-09-02 12:25:30 UTC https://padlet.com/jamiestewartjs/dgr343z1ystlssxz/wish/714568467 Before people assume something about my job, they presume something about me jamiestewartjs https://padlet.com/jamiestewartjs/dgr343z1ystlssxz/wish/714577456 Recognize the environment you are in, and know how people might see you - be aware of these for yourself. These things "walk into the room before you do." ]]> 2020-09-02 12:29:43 UTC https://padlet.com/jamiestewartjs/dgr343z1ystlssxz/wish/714577456 Me being the job, or the job being me jamiestewartjs https://padlet.com/jamiestewartjs/dgr343z1ystlssxz/wish/714602214 Now every job I take will be because I want to do it and I'm going to kick-ass while I do it. 

It is easier not to define who you are about your job title. ]]> 2020-09-02 12:40:44 UTC https://padlet.com/jamiestewartjs/dgr343z1ystlssxz/wish/714602214 As a Mentor jamiestewartjs https://padlet.com/jamiestewartjs/dgr343z1ystlssxz/wish/714606097 Example - a new mentee did not know which job to take. Encouraged him to find a place to be valued and fulfilled. Take the job that 

He was trying to work himself into a pretzel. "I don't see a pretzel here." 

Find the place that values - match what you are good at to what you are being asked to do. ]]> 2020-09-02 12:42:27 UTC https://padlet.com/jamiestewartjs/dgr343z1ystlssxz/wish/714606097 Joy/Optimism/Energize jamiestewartjs https://padlet.com/jamiestewartjs/dgr343z1ystlssxz/wish/714612651 "I'm crap at empathy" 
(From Jamie: You are great at making connections.) 

Talked about "means of expression" as a value at a start-up; in relation to perseverance

Do these come naturally to you? 

Are these dispositions something you identify with? ]]> 2020-09-02 12:45:14 UTC https://padlet.com/jamiestewartjs/dgr343z1ystlssxz/wish/714612651 Initiative jamiestewartjs https://padlet.com/jamiestewartjs/dgr343z1ystlssxz/wish/714624798 Video: Initiative as a building block for freedom in work - it's how I found interesting opportunities.

Find a way to learn about something before I need it, or as soon as I think I might need it

Seek solutions

Don't wait for boss to give direction

Value people who take initiative

Lesson Ideas:
  • Find an interesting blog and see where it takes you. 

  • Ask "what if" and if you like where you go, then ask how. This can be a very enjoyable internal conversation. The "what if" should add value.

Example: I started learning about Fintech before I started working there - for months, maybe a year
]]> 2020-09-02 12:50:14 UTC https://padlet.com/jamiestewartjs/dgr343z1ystlssxz/wish/714624798 Perseverance as Grit (Maybe it's resilience?) jamiestewartjs https://padlet.com/jamiestewartjs/dgr343z1ystlssxz/wish/714646504 Nigerians have more problems before 9:00 am than most people have at all. The mental stamina that is required to be ready for that many things to wrong, you get used to pushing through and perseverance.

What are the circumstances that lead to grit. Example - kid roller skating. What conversation did you have to get the kid to try again.

There was no one around to help you if you fall out of a tree or get bit. Either cry when no one can hear you, or push on.

Goes back to Initiative - finding the impossible roadblock .

Lesson: Keep a store of your energy. What can you do to build your energy? Have routines that recharge you and feel good.

 ]]> 2020-09-02 12:58:07 UTC https://padlet.com/jamiestewartjs/dgr343z1ystlssxz/wish/714646504 Critical Thinking jamiestewartjs https://padlet.com/jamiestewartjs/dgr343z1ystlssxz/wish/714675537 The ability to personalize critical thinking makes it an art as well as a science.
 
Critical Thinkers are charismatic - it comes down to a function of communicating.

Every interaction - give a feeling of being understood. "That person gets me"

Connecting a solution to a problem.

Being able to sift through problems so you get the most actionable ones.
Create a plan around it and put it in some logical order.

Questioning - understanding how to make your way to the root problem.

Underlying it all - structure in the way you speak, ask questions, and find solutions - people need to understand what you are talking about

Lesson: Feasibility within your constraints - thinking about how constraints impact the work - Migo example, raising 20M from a white guy who doesn't know where Nigeria is. 

]]> 2020-09-02 13:07:31 UTC https://padlet.com/jamiestewartjs/dgr343z1ystlssxz/wish/714675537