What I am working On?

Quantum Computing/Mechanics

It is just so fascinating to me how many complex the world actually is and how there are still so many things about the world we do not understand. To be honest, I think my knowledge is far is only scratching the surface. You can find a intro article on Quantum Computing/ Quantum Mechanics here.

Thinking About Thinking

As awkward as may sound, it is actually so fundamental in how you process information that comes your way. The realization came from a poker player of all people. To quickly highlight this podcast, Annie Duke went into the double edge sword of pain for learning, importance of being surrounded by a group where everyone spots each other’s bias, and completely changing your outlook on your thoughts and ideas to make you a better decision maker and more rational thinker. If you are interested in here is an article on some lessons to be learned and implemented in your everyday life.

Failures:

This is the month included 2 big failures that really made me put things into perspective.

1. Presentations

I always used to think I was such a good presenter, I honestly did not know where that came from. In this situation, I was under an extreme time pressure only being given 45 minutes to explore an emerging technology and present as if I was an expert. If you watch any part of that presentation, it safe to say I was nothing close to an expert.

Reflections:

1. I am mediocre presenter

2. Let go of your EGO

Lessons Learned:

1. Be Intentional with body posture (I literally looked like a flappy bird)

2. High School Slides, the one with the bullet points and with the low res pictures. Is not GOOD. Good means best in the world. I don’t think I have enough ego to assert that, but I am slowly building myself to that.

2. AI Hackathon

I always used to think I am a great team manager (you should be seeing a pattern of I used to I see myself). As painful as this is to say, I did a very TERRIBLE job as a project manager. Here is my retrospection for this 2 week event.

Mistakes:

1. Did not ask about commitment

   Problem: It makes me badly judge how work should be distributed. I assumed everyone was 100% committed to this project. Some tasks were not thoroughly done because people were had other priorities

   Importance: Once I know how much time people can dedicate, then I can judge how much work makes sense for them to do.

2. Did not ask how other want to be managed

   Problem: I did not ask things like do you want to be micromanaged or macromanged

   Importance: This lead to directing (and not directing) at the wrong times, creating 1-on-1 conflict between me and the other members

3. Not Constantly Checking In with people 1-on-1

   Problem: Sometimes teammates misunderstood their tasks and gave some that I did not want

   Importance: Checking in with people during the beginning of their research/work clears up any misunderstandings, ensuring less time is wasted on things that were not needed in the first place

4. Cutting General Communication

   Problem: I reached a point where I wasn’t happy with the progress of group (due to bad management on my part) and started only communicating with 1 out of the 5 people in my group.

   Importance: I ran away when it mattered most. I was scared as I could not face the fact that I was doing a bad job.

5. Not going through the ways we can fail

   Problem: Not going through the exercise that could have predicted all of our downfalls

   Importance: Once you recognize how things can go wrong, it makes it so much easier to see the red flags from a mile away