tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20278340949876206762024-03-19T09:29:04.356+02:00Mo Khan's Outlet!Started in 2011 as my outlet to share my experiences on personal life and work topics. My handle is khanmjk. My friends & colleagues call me "Mo". This blog is an experiment, work-in-progress.
Life: Self-awareness, personal development, growth hacking (quantified self).
Work: Software and Systems Engineering, Leadership, Management, New Ideas and OpEds.khanmjkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12719457132019410132noreply@blogger.comBlogger294125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2027834094987620676.post-34665835741860682092024-03-18T07:23:00.002+02:002024-03-18T07:24:37.730+02:00My 2024 Clifton Strengths Assessment<div style="text-align: justify;">I took the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CliftonStrengths">CliftonStrengths</a> assessment on <a href="https://www.gallup.com/home.aspx">Gallup</a> this morning (20th Feb-24, 6am). I'm having my leadership team complete the assessment as part of my team building. As usual, I have no qualms sharing my psychometrics online as I feel it will help save people time in getting to know me (my teammates) as well as potential headhunters searching for executive candidates. I was as awake as I could be for this assessment, it was a little tricky having to make a judgement call in less than 20 seconds to choose my responses to statements as part of the assessment. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Reflecting on these results - I think these assessments reflect a period or stage one is going through. For the last four years, I decided to disrupt myself professionally and also personally - and I'm still transitioning from this big change: Relocating to a new city with no friends or family, taking a new job in a new area I knew nothing about and having to start from scratch building a network, earning trust and social credibility (during covid remote working), wrestling with the ramifications of my decision to walk-away from a domain I was expert in, to being a newbie in a very large global company with its own unique norms and culture, etc. So these results took me a little by surprise. In another post I will share what ChatGPT analysed and recommendations offered from the <a href="https://khanmjk-outlet.blogspot.com/search/label/Psychometric">history of all my psychometrics</a> to map how my strengths/motivations profile changed over the years.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Looking at the providers terms and conditions, there isn't anything preventing me from sharing this content as long as I link to the original documents with the copyright notice: </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #3d3d3d; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><b><i>Any reference whatsoever to this document, in whole or in part, on any webpage must provide a link back to the original document in its entirety.</i></b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">So here's my results:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRX3p7GeTLJuiCiZJqpDPUWEZhPHX8_vEQVXGJXmINABfSYjWM3EvEfrryDB050EFFMPrhgEUjWtgR_9HQhTBOIoox28rwDLpoQt8TSP_fJF73M8EJoVXw1MxrJ8_hLfDeN863KDhv5BRVr5qQwJmihM81Po8T5PJ6mRNAVbBRSOr6_hUQzLcPX8yu8quI/s1030/Screenshot%202024-02-20%20at%2006.48.13.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1030" data-original-width="968" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRX3p7GeTLJuiCiZJqpDPUWEZhPHX8_vEQVXGJXmINABfSYjWM3EvEfrryDB050EFFMPrhgEUjWtgR_9HQhTBOIoox28rwDLpoQt8TSP_fJF73M8EJoVXw1MxrJ8_hLfDeN863KDhv5BRVr5qQwJmihM81Po8T5PJ6mRNAVbBRSOr6_hUQzLcPX8yu8quI/w602-h640/Screenshot%202024-02-20%20at%2006.48.13.png" width="602" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Here are my reports:</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1gz_6wEd2dcUhdiLq27hg3oizocornae_/view?usp=sharing">Completion Report</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1bTWOMt93eGwxALAL8ZmBVzO1YayD-uhj/view?usp=sharing">All 34 Strengths Report</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/12OP88P58xoAlOVLxMKO9Pz2eg2YyMpAr/view?usp=sharing">Top 5 Report</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1x5mJZWSdyzIB9jElUahipYrSILlsxZEP/view?usp=sharing">Theme Sequence Report</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-F2qBklMEbGwYX5iKOBZ-v4h8ERtVJ2Y/view?usp=sharing">Signature Theme Report</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><b>The rest of this post includes content from ChatGPT</b></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(227, 227, 227); box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(13, 13, 13); color: #0d0d0d; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 1.25em; text-align: justify; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The CliftonStrengths model, formerly known as StrengthsFinder, is a psychological tool developed by Donald O. Clifton, Ph.D., along with Gallup researchers. It's designed to help individuals identify, understand, and maximize their unique strengths. In essence, the model is built on the premise that every person possesses a distinct combination of talents, knowledge, and skills (referred to as "strengths") that can be leveraged to achieve success and fulfillment in both personal and professional life.</p><h3 style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(227, 227, 227); box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(13, 13, 13); color: #0d0d0d; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"; font-size: 1.25em; line-height: 1.6; margin: 1rem 0px 0.5rem; text-align: justify; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Purpose of the CliftonStrengths Model</h3><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(227, 227, 227); box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(13, 13, 13); color: #0d0d0d; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 1.25em; text-align: justify; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The primary purpose of the CliftonStrengths model is to facilitate personal and professional development by shifting the focus from remediation of weaknesses to the enhancement of natural talents. The model posits that individuals can achieve more, be more engaged, and feel more fulfilled when they understand and apply their strengths. It encourages a strengths-based approach to development, where individuals and teams invest time and energy in what they naturally do best, rather than trying to improve areas of weakness.</p><h3 style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(227, 227, 227); box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(13, 13, 13); color: #0d0d0d; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"; font-size: 1.25em; line-height: 1.6; margin: 1rem 0px 0.5rem; text-align: justify; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Usefulness of the CliftonStrengths Model</h3><ol style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(227, 227, 227); box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(13, 13, 13); color: #0d0d0d; counter-reset: list-number 0; display: flex; flex-direction: column; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"; font-size: 16px; list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 1.25em; padding: 0px; text-align: start; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><li style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(227, 227, 227); box-sizing: border-box; counter-increment: list-number 1; display: block; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 28px; padding-left: 0.375em;"><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(227, 227, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span color="var(--tw-prose-bold)" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(227, 227, 227); box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 600;">Personal Development</span>: By identifying their unique strengths, individuals can tailor their personal growth efforts towards areas where they have natural potential, leading to more efficient and effective development.</p></li><li style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(227, 227, 227); box-sizing: border-box; counter-increment: list-number 1; display: block; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 28px; padding-left: 0.375em;"><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(227, 227, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span color="var(--tw-prose-bold)" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(227, 227, 227); box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 600;">Career Advancement</span>: Understanding one's strengths allows for better alignment with roles or tasks that match an individual's natural talents, leading to increased job satisfaction, performance, and career progression.</p></li><li style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(227, 227, 227); box-sizing: border-box; counter-increment: list-number 1; display: block; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 28px; padding-left: 0.375em;"><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(227, 227, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span color="var(--tw-prose-bold)" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(227, 227, 227); box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 600;">Team Dynamics and Performance</span>: Teams that understand and leverage the diverse strengths of their members can improve collaboration, innovation, and productivity. The model helps in assigning roles and responsibilities that align with each member's strengths, enhancing overall team effectiveness.</p></li><li style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(227, 227, 227); box-sizing: border-box; counter-increment: list-number 1; display: block; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 28px; padding-left: 0.375em;"><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(227, 227, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span color="var(--tw-prose-bold)" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(227, 227, 227); box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 600;">Leadership Development</span>: For leaders, the CliftonStrengths model provides insights into how to motivate and develop their team members by recognizing and cultivating each individual's strengths, rather than focusing solely on addressing weaknesses.</p></li><li style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(227, 227, 227); box-sizing: border-box; counter-increment: list-number 1; display: block; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 28px; padding-left: 0.375em;"><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(227, 227, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span color="var(--tw-prose-bold)" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(227, 227, 227); box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 600;">Organizational Culture</span>: Adopting a strengths-based approach can foster a positive organizational culture that values diversity, encourages continuous learning, and promotes well-being by allowing employees to do what they do best every day.</p></li></ol><h3 style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(227, 227, 227); box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(13, 13, 13); color: #0d0d0d; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"; font-size: 1.25em; line-height: 1.6; margin: 1rem 0px 0.5rem; text-align: justify; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Implementation</h3><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(227, 227, 227); box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(13, 13, 13); color: #0d0d0d; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 1.25em; text-align: justify; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Implementing the CliftonStrengths model involves individuals taking an assessment that measures their natural patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving, resulting in the identification of their top strengths from a list of 34 themes. These themes are categorized into four domains: Executing, Influencing, Relationship Building, and Strategic Thinking. Understanding these themes and domains helps individuals and teams to strategize and execute tasks more effectively, capitalizing on the natural talents present within the group.</p></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><b>I asked ChatGPT to analyse my CliftonStrength reports for criteria like next level roles I believe I'm ready for: Group CTO, CIO, VP or Director of Technology.</b></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(227, 227, 227); box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(13, 13, 13); color: #0d0d0d; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 1.25em; text-align: justify; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Your CliftonStrengths report highlights a unique combination of talents that are highly beneficial for leadership roles in technology and innovation, especially as you aspire to Group CTO, CIO, VP, or Director positions. Here's an analysis based on the strengths identified:</p><ol style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(227, 227, 227); box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(13, 13, 13); color: #0d0d0d; counter-reset: list-number 0; display: flex; flex-direction: column; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"; font-size: 16px; list-style: none; margin: 1.25em 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: start; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><li style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(227, 227, 227); box-sizing: border-box; counter-increment: list-number 1; display: block; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 28px; padding-left: 0.375em;"><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(227, 227, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span color="var(--tw-prose-bold)" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(227, 227, 227); box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 600;">Learner</span>: Your innate desire to continuously improve and embrace the process of learning is crucial for staying ahead in the fast-evolving tech sector. This trait enables you to quickly adapt to new technologies and methodologies, ensuring your organization remains competitive.</p></li><li style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(227, 227, 227); box-sizing: border-box; counter-increment: list-number 1; display: block; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 28px; padding-left: 0.375em;"><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(227, 227, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span color="var(--tw-prose-bold)" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(227, 227, 227); box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 600;">Arranger</span>: The ability to organize and optimize resources for maximum productivity is essential for executing complex projects and managing cross-functional teams. Your flexibility complements your organizational skills, allowing you to effectively adapt to changing priorities and challenges.</p></li><li style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(227, 227, 227); box-sizing: border-box; counter-increment: list-number 1; display: block; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 28px; padding-left: 0.375em;"><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(227, 227, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span color="var(--tw-prose-bold)" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(227, 227, 227); box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 600;">Restorative</span>: Your knack for problem-solving is invaluable in technology leadership. The ability to identify and resolve issues swiftly can enhance system reliability and innovation, contributing to the overall success of your organization.</p></li><li style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(227, 227, 227); box-sizing: border-box; counter-increment: list-number 1; display: block; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 28px; padding-left: 0.375em;"><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(227, 227, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span color="var(--tw-prose-bold)" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(227, 227, 227); box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 600;">Strategic</span>: The capacity to spot relevant patterns and issues and to think several steps ahead is critical for strategic planning and decision-making. This strength supports the development of forward-thinking strategies that can steer your organization towards long-term success.</p></li><li style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(227, 227, 227); box-sizing: border-box; counter-increment: list-number 1; display: block; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 28px; padding-left: 0.375em;"><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(227, 227, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span color="var(--tw-prose-bold)" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(227, 227, 227); box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 600;">Individualization</span>: Recognizing and leveraging the unique qualities of each team member can foster a more productive and collaborative work environment. This strength is key to building diverse teams that can innovate and operate efficiently.</p></li></ol><h3 style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(227, 227, 227); box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(13, 13, 13); color: #0d0d0d; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"; font-size: 1.25em; line-height: 1.6; margin: 1rem 0px 0.5rem; text-align: justify; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Recommendations for Job Roles:</h3><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(227, 227, 227); box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(13, 13, 13); color: #0d0d0d; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 1.25em; text-align: justify; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Given your strengths, roles that require continuous learning, strategic thinking, and the ability to manage and optimize resources effectively would be ideal. Positions such as Group CTO, CIO, VP of Engineering, or Director of Technology Innovation would suit your profile. These roles demand a leader who can not only envision the future of technology within the organization but also inspire and orchestrate teams to achieve these visions through innovative solutions and strategic planning.</p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(227, 227, 227); box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(13, 13, 13); color: #0d0d0d; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"; font-size: 16px; margin: 1.25em 0px 0px; text-align: justify; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Your profile suggests that you possess the qualities needed for these high-level roles, with a strong foundation in both problem-solving and team management. Focusing on positions that leverage your ability to learn, adapt, and strategize will not only align with your strengths but also position you to make significant impacts within your organization.</p></div>khanmjkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12719457132019410132noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2027834094987620676.post-57128201023678421532024-01-26T09:47:00.001+02:002024-01-29T08:30:15.931+02:00Beyond Bars: Transforming Adversity into Career Triumphs<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: justify;">I was thinking about the prisoner's life during my morning walk today. How do they get by each day. Every single day is the same, there is some routine - but confined to a small cell, sometimes alone, sometimes sharing a cell - not in control, subject to the mechanisms driven by the prison. Day in, Day out. The same thing. How do they last so long. What do they do? How do they handle the reality. What is it that keeps them grounded and motivated? What do they look forward to? Some serve prison sentences that are short, some really long, 5, 10, 15, 20 years in prison, and they still get out -- they wait, they endure, the have hope, they stay the course. Not all of them are Nelson Mandela! Not all are working toward a grand cause, an aspiration to free their people. No, they're got other motivations. That's not to say their motivations aren't any less than Mandela's. Must be very personal, right? What gets them through their daily grind? What can we learn from folks who served time and got out in the end? Yeah, I know critics might say that prison isn't a useful reference, because in the real world, you're free to choose, you're free to act, you have agency - so if you find things getting too tough and unpleasant for you, you have options, demonstrate agency and take control of life/career through intentional action. Indulge me anyway...</span></p><div style="text-align: justify;">So, ask yourself - especially if you find yourself tempted to quit, to leave, to run to the exit -- or say you find yourself entrapped, imprisoned by the corporate you work for, or you feel like life/work in general is just a grand prison -- ask yourself, how can you stay the course -- how can you wait, how do you adopt a prisoner's mindset / behaviours / attitudes to unlock resilience, serve the time and leave with the joy of knowing you've transitioned to a better version of yourself..</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>< ! The rest of this content was generated by ChatGPT as my copilot ></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4jl-lo936KeY4TOc501XpJrIc6HDHvekorkP3fKHJ_qU6D6qXO3VSF9VLzWunXDEvwl0CEVaSIfCVe_da0VQyImHaAyslVhtzleGU6xnPwvbx75ghQvnFdskOULSHn2L2f6Uj-lufnUzGEhGrT9iu3X0tUmmEDlgcJDWBOXnAi6OebsdPL3qVAFrvmo7g/s1024/DALL%C2%B7E%202024-01-26%2009.36.03%20-%20An%20image%20depicting%20a%20bald-headed,%20bearded,%20brown-skinned%20man%20with%20thick%20black-rimmed%20glasses,%20embodying%20the%20typical%20look%20of%20an%20IT%20professional,%20walkin.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4jl-lo936KeY4TOc501XpJrIc6HDHvekorkP3fKHJ_qU6D6qXO3VSF9VLzWunXDEvwl0CEVaSIfCVe_da0VQyImHaAyslVhtzleGU6xnPwvbx75ghQvnFdskOULSHn2L2f6Uj-lufnUzGEhGrT9iu3X0tUmmEDlgcJDWBOXnAi6OebsdPL3qVAFrvmo7g/w320-h320/DALL%C2%B7E%202024-01-26%2009.36.03%20-%20An%20image%20depicting%20a%20bald-headed,%20bearded,%20brown-skinned%20man%20with%20thick%20black-rimmed%20glasses,%20embodying%20the%20typical%20look%20of%20an%20IT%20professional,%20walkin.png" width="320" /></a></div>Imagine, for a moment, the life of someone like <a href="https://prisonthehiddensentence.com/">Michael Liebowitz</a>, whose story I came across in the "Prison: The Hidden Sentence" podcast. Incarcerated for 25 years, Michael's journey wasn't just about survival; it was about transformation. He realized early on that the only way to truly free himself from the confines of his cell was through self-improvement and preparing for a future beyond the prison walls. Just like Michael, we can look ahead and plan for a future where we're not just surviving, but thriving, even in our most challenging professional periods.</div><div><br /></div><div>Or take <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-prison-post-46-tommy-deluna-lwop-sentence-now-free/id1524428237?i=1000555381801">Tommy DeLuna</a>'s story from "The Prison Post." Sentenced to life without parole, Tommy's narrative is one of accountability and remorse. It wasn't just about serving time; it was about owning his actions and learning from them. In our professional lives, how often do we take a step back to own up to our mistakes, learn from them, and move forward with a renewed sense of responsibility? Tommy's journey teaches us the power of accountability in transforming our own lives.</div><div><br /></div><div>And then there's <a href="https://theprisonpost.captivate.fm/episode/the-prison-post-45-jarad-nava-sentenced-to-162-years-to-life-as-a-teenager">Jarad Nava</a>, also featured in "The Prison Post," who turned a sentence of 162 years to life into a story of hope and redemption. His transformation came through faith, education, and the support of his community. Jarad's resilience reminds us that no matter the depth of our struggles, be it in our personal or professional lives, there's always a path to betterment and growth.</div><div><br /></div><div>So, what do these stories tell us about handling our own 'prison-like' situations in life and work? They remind us that our circumstances don't define us; our actions and mindset do. They show us that growth, change, and liberation are possible, even in the most restrictive environments.</div><div><br /></div><div>You see, it's not just about enduring the hardships or waiting out the tough times. It's about actively shaping your journey, learning from every experience, and finding meaning in even the most mundane tasks. It's about realizing that the keys to your 'prison cell' are, in fact, in your hands.</div><div><br /></div><div>Let these stories be a source of inspiration for you. Whether you're feeling stuck in a rut at work, facing personal challenges, or just trying to make sense of the daily grind, remember the lessons from these individuals who turned their prison sentences into life lessons.</div><div><br /></div><div>Your 'prison' might not have bars, but the lessons on resilience, transformation, and hope are just as relevant. And it's not just about knowing these stories; it's about applying their essence to our own lives. Here's how we can do that:</div><div><div><ul><li><b>Purpose is Your North Star</b>: Just like those prisoners who found strength in personal goals or aspirations, we need to pinpoint our own driving force. What gets you out of bed in the morning? Is it the desire to innovate, to lead, or perhaps to create a positive impact in your workplace? Hold onto that purpose. It's your beacon through the foggy days.</li></ul><ul><li><b>Rhythm in Routine</b>: There's comfort in routine, much like the structured days in a prison. Setting a daily rhythm for yourself, be it in your work or personal life, isn't about monotony; it's about creating a framework within which you can thrive. This could mean setting aside time for your professional development, for exercise, or even for those small moments of reflection.</li></ul><ul><li><b>The Classroom of Life</b>: Every challenge is an open book, a chance to learn something new. Those walls around you? They're not just barriers; they're teaching you resilience, patience, and perhaps even creativity. Embrace every hurdle as a learning opportunity.</li></ul><ul><li><b>The Strength of Connections:</b> Relationships can be your lifeline, just like they are for many prisoners. Nurture your network of colleagues, mentors, and friends. They're not just contacts; they're your support system, your sounding board, and sometimes, the push you need to keep moving forward.</li></ul><ul><li><b>Reflection and Mindfulness</b>: Just as prisoners often turn inward, introspection can be a powerful tool for us too. Reflect on your day, your decisions, and your interactions. How did they align with your goals and values? Mindfulness isn't just a buzzword; it's a practice that helps in keeping your thoughts focused and your emotions in check.</li></ul><ul><li><b>Keep Moving:</b> Physical activity and mental exercises are vital, even more so in confined spaces. They keep your body healthy and your mind sharp. Find activities that challenge you, that keep the gears in your brain turning, and your heart pumping. It's as much about physical health as it is about mental agility.</li></ul><ul><li><b>Visualize Your Success:</b> Imagine yourself overcoming your current challenges, reaching your goals. This isn't daydreaming; it's a powerful exercise in motivation and planning. What does success look like to you? Keep that image in your mind's eye, especially on the tough days.</li></ul><ul><li><b>Joy in the Little Things:</b> In prison, a small joy can mean the world. In our everyday 'prisons,' it's no different. Find happiness in the little achievements, the small steps forward. Celebrate them. These moments of joy add up, creating a collage of a fulfilling journey.</li></ul><ul><li><b>Remember, our 'prisons' </b>- be they our jobs, our personal struggles, or just the routine of daily life - can become places of immense growth and learning. It's about changing our perspective, finding our purpose, and making the most of every moment, every interaction, every challenge.</li></ul></div><div>These stories of resilience and transformation behind bars are not just tales of survival; they're blueprints for thriving in any environment, no matter how restrictive it may seem. Your 'prison' has lessons to teach; are you ready to learn?</div></div></div>khanmjkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12719457132019410132noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2027834094987620676.post-30831614742016220902024-01-14T16:14:00.005+02:002024-01-15T08:46:16.419+02:00My experiment with ChatGPT as a recommendations engine using Netflix data<div style="text-align: justify;">As some readers might have learnt about me by now, is that I enjoy data analytics, and more recently been curious about the capabilities of ChatGPT. So I decided to take my Netflix data and give it to ChatGPT code interpreter to see what it comes up with.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">If you didn't know, as a Netflix user, you can get access to all your data by requesting it from under account management on the web site:</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAuF9-zZ0GYaXUap9XBJ9G-rmWR8U_Omw2SLJonugXcHUEdBTMZd4QgAv8pmVpHOoMRtcqYPA9aAC5RalBtxRg9PwKONAVq00aCnc_OIrRKYvJvGnrianKR3mqGqwkeO-RseOSs64JshIjGgIjD4m9wVvAxE-Fqv88Wwq7m9XkMuneq4l3AWgiNnTXhSKc/s1073/Screenshot%202024-01-14%20at%2012.31.15.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="126" data-original-width="1073" height="48" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAuF9-zZ0GYaXUap9XBJ9G-rmWR8U_Omw2SLJonugXcHUEdBTMZd4QgAv8pmVpHOoMRtcqYPA9aAC5RalBtxRg9PwKONAVq00aCnc_OIrRKYvJvGnrianKR3mqGqwkeO-RseOSs64JshIjGgIjD4m9wVvAxE-Fqv88Wwq7m9XkMuneq4l3AWgiNnTXhSKc/w400-h48/Screenshot%202024-01-14%20at%2012.31.15.png" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">After a couple of days, you will receive an email from Netflix with a zipped file "netflix-report". Here's what my archive looks like:</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWdkXxhkZYktXZQI_UhZNArPTzO8JX2PtGwKsrIvtCCVtLA9aAdfh2A5xl1U5XKyYup59t3qYbFvO4yyC2pWGk5ySj2TnRumG2Xltp2MKc52ul41ZmnrNOBYmfsGOuR7_zGC-sMX6itBaQYTE-8Y-WsRDfSv1U4x8SR900EwwzIdT1H3MXQZ-vHPaZ-maC/s743/Screenshot%202024-01-14%20at%2012.27.02.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="743" data-original-width="356" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWdkXxhkZYktXZQI_UhZNArPTzO8JX2PtGwKsrIvtCCVtLA9aAdfh2A5xl1U5XKyYup59t3qYbFvO4yyC2pWGk5ySj2TnRumG2Xltp2MKc52ul41ZmnrNOBYmfsGOuR7_zGC-sMX6itBaQYTE-8Y-WsRDfSv1U4x8SR900EwwzIdT1H3MXQZ-vHPaZ-maC/w306-h640/Screenshot%202024-01-14%20at%2012.27.02.png" width="306" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The section that's important is CONTENT_INTERACTION. Recommendation engines are all about understanding a user's viewing behaviour: their content preferences, search history, viewing history, events that happen during playback, viewing activity - all inputs into what is called "viewer engagement". </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">For 20 years I worked as a software professional building video technology systems. In 2004, I joined a research team building video recommendation engines. At the time, we focused on rules-based engines and used Amazon as the general poster-child, north-star - even then, Amazon's retail recommeder system was making headwaves. In 2004, it was still the early days of the internet. Set Top Boxes, the devices that enabled you access to satellite TV, were not always online. So the scope of our work was constrained to the embedded world of this device: limited compute, memory and storage power. We knew there needed to be a multi-pronged approach to video recommendations back then, with the bulk processing intelligence being done in the "back end" - headend - and recommendations eventually broadcast to the set top box over the air. Anyway, building software that learns viewing behaviours of users was an art back then - and even almost two decades later - remains still an art - although with the proliferation of many software-as-a-services providers, we now have so many options available "Recommendation engines-as-a-service". In my previous role as CTO for Africa's largest video entertainment company, over the years built our own stack, leverage open source recommendation engines. With new capabilities like Amazon Sagemaker and other services, I got our team to start thinking differently and transform to out-of-the-box recommender systems. Don't reinvent the wheel. Build flywheels instead. I left that team in 2020, 4 years later, I'm told the team's completed their transformation and using almost all their recommendation components off-the-shelf instead of building their own.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">So what happens to content recommenders now that we have tools like ChatGPT, code interpreters and powerful data analysis? Could video recommendation engines be further disrupted - i.e. democratizing content recommendations to the new world of personal intelligent agents?</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: justify;">Experiment: ChatGPT as a content recommendation expert - Epic Fail</h3><div style="text-align: justify;">First, I asked ChatGPT to analyse the Netflix data set, then provide an analysis as a video recommendations expert. <i>I've shared my Netflix data. Act as an expert video recommendations engine, recommender system, using all the state-of-the-art concepts for understanding viewer behaviour. Analyse the datasets and produce a detailed analysis and insights report into my viewing habits. What are my preferences? If you were a video content expert, how would you categorise me? What content will you recommend to me? Etc.</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Feedback - Results, much better luck with DeepNote</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A bit disappointing - ChatGPT struggles to analyse consistently, without errors. Too many errors, load failures and errors analyzing. It starts strong and then bombs out. I find it to be rather inconsistent. Had to wait a while and create a few sessions to get going. A bit of a time waster. It's a shame that ChatGPT has to restart its chain of analysis everytime there's a failure. "Regenerate" kicks off the process all over again. 3 sessions later, then I get bombed out as I've exhausted my time window - come back later. I pay for ChatGPT and still have to accept limited time-based usage. Crazy times. Switched over to Claude to see if it gave better results. Nope, Claude has severe limitations in file size uploads. Waste of time. Google Bard, equally useless. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I then switched to Deepnote (an <a href="https://deepnote.com/compare/noteable-vs-deepnote">alternative to Noteable</a> which is now dead), my experience was much better there. It turns out the Netflix data is sparse enough, missing vital data attributes like content genre classifications (like action, comedy, drama, romance, history, etc.) which makes it difficult to draw conclusions on viewing behaviour. This means we need to find a content database like <a href="https://developer.themoviedb.org/docs/faq">TMDB</a> to map my Netflix data to (i.e. complete the dataset by appending vital content attributes like genre, actor, director, studio, etc.), then we can build up a complete profile view of my usage, the content my household is inclined to and the for the last phase of the experiment, get the AI to recommend content from another catalog to surface recommendations for me. To get a glimpse of the potential power of an AI-coPilot used in DeepNote, I've shared my project as public <a href="https://deepnote.com/workspace/khanmjkanalytics-bd33c1ce-ab47-4890-a652-8e07fd255bfc/project/Netfix-Data-1a88fddd-ae93-4813-a87b-3e7f48904b54/notebook/NetflixData-84a78e8722354295895628ca941ab4ec">here</a>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I'm not investing more time going down this rabbit hole today! However, it is certainly food for thought on potential new GPT-agents one can build now that OpenAI have released its GPT store. I suspect it's only a matter of time that someone builds a content recommender-gpt on ChatGPT's store, that can provide more diverse recommendations outside the closed walls of a streaming provider. I suspect we will have a resurgence in Content-Aggregator Wars in 2024!</div>
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</script>khanmjkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12719457132019410132noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2027834094987620676.post-79082886667038038522024-01-10T17:21:00.003+02:002024-01-15T08:46:05.830+02:00Personametry 2023 - Wheel of life streams, hours logged<div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi43Wk99QOHW6TM5fgDkfFG5p2b7WtJEZzpL0GPp2PGn73PzC9ZT7e3oAchrygR_4n_d5dlvyebv9hSmeXSWTW6mVIHDkKiDLYYlVlKRkdCMqX7SFrdL5e5RvlZ3hJ3dfo6Di2x-kU763RcGaPX_DAwjOqsVZFEbGT-5JcmFgKNKF61EZIDG7rYMowqjDOz/s1024/DALL%C2%B7E%202024-01-10%2017.27.12%20-%20An%20abstract%20representation%20of%20a%20person's%20life%20showing%20various%20aspects%20like%20professional%20work,%20family%20time,%20health%20and%20fitness,%20spiritual%20growth,%20and%20p.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi43Wk99QOHW6TM5fgDkfFG5p2b7WtJEZzpL0GPp2PGn73PzC9ZT7e3oAchrygR_4n_d5dlvyebv9hSmeXSWTW6mVIHDkKiDLYYlVlKRkdCMqX7SFrdL5e5RvlZ3hJ3dfo6Di2x-kU763RcGaPX_DAwjOqsVZFEbGT-5JcmFgKNKF61EZIDG7rYMowqjDOz/s320/DALL%C2%B7E%202024-01-10%2017.27.12%20-%20An%20abstract%20representation%20of%20a%20person's%20life%20showing%20various%20aspects%20like%20professional%20work,%20family%20time,%20health%20and%20fitness,%20spiritual%20growth,%20and%20p.png" width="320" /></a></div><br />It's that time of the year when I sit down and review my time tracking data for the year. This time round, playing around with ChatGPT (whilst still maintaining my AWS Quicksight dashboards). I was quite looking forward to continuing to use Noteable's AI/Data tools, sadly the <a href="https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=38659315">service shut down </a>:-(</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I've shared my dataset openly and also you can look at the ChatGPT transcript of the conversation and prompts <a href="https://chat.openai.com/share/fc456aca-bec4-49e7-888b-28ec0eb970e7">here</a>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">ChatGPT's overall summary:</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><ul><li><span color="var(--tw-prose-bold)" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 600;">Rest and Sleep (Individual)</span>: A substantial 2,856.11 hours, akin to the restorative power of a long, rejuvenating sleep every night.</li></ul><p></p><span color="var(--tw-prose-bold)" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box;"><ul><li><span color="var(--tw-prose-bold)" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 600;">Professional Work</span><b>: </b>Impressively, 2,051.20 hours were dedicated to your professional life, showing a solid commitment to career growth and achievements.</li></ul></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><ul><li><span color="var(--tw-prose-bold)" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 600;">Family Time (Family-Man)</span>: A heartwarming 1,398.79 hours spent with family, which is like embarking on a year-long road trip with your loved ones, filled with bonding and cherished memories.</li></ul></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><ul><li><span color="var(--tw-prose-bold)" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 600;">Spirituality (Individual)</span>: A profound 1,106.44 hours in spiritual pursuits, reflecting a journey akin to a spiritual retreat, deepening your inner peace and understanding.</li></ul></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><ul><li><span color="var(--tw-prose-bold)" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 600;">Personal Time (Individual)</span>: 467.55 hours of 'Me Time', ensuring a healthy balance of personal space and activities, like taking a short, refreshing break each day.</li></ul></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><ul><li><span color="var(--tw-prose-bold)" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 600;">Marital/Wife (Husband)</span>: 451.91 hours dedicated to marital life, resonating with the quality time spent in building a strong, supportive partnership.</li></ul></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><ul><li><span color="var(--tw-prose-bold)" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 600;">Knowledge and Learning (Individual)</span>: 202.88 hours of enriching your mind, like attending a series of insightful lectures throughout the year.</li></ul></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><ul><li><span color="var(--tw-prose-bold)" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 600;">Health and Fitness (Individual)</span>: 145.07 hours, a commitment to staying active and healthy, similar to a consistent routine of short, daily workouts.</li></ul></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><ul><li><span color="var(--tw-prose-bold)" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 600;">Social (Friend)</span>: 117.06 hours, akin to enjoying meaningful social gatherings, reinforcing bonds and making memories.</li></ul><div><br /></div><div>Looking back, my time tracking is reaching steady state. Not sure I'm going to keep reporting these stats going forward, but I'll probably keep fine-tuning. For 2023 <a href="https://khanmjk-outlet.blogspot.com/2023/12/wrapping-up-2023-with-my-personal.html">Scorecard</a>, I'm glad to have focused and met largely my spiritual goals, work/professional goals was maintained year-on-year, despite the spike in work hours in the last quarter (I got "promoted", with extra responsibilities which means more work hours). Health and Fitness hours took a dive compared to 2022, but it seems that my Strava/Garmin activity tracking shows better performance in 2023 compared to 2022 (so more time logged doesn't necessarily equate to being for fit, or achieving more). Social time decreased because we lost some friends to emigration, and generally our year was focused on the kids as my son approached his final high school matric exams, we prioritised staying at home.</div><div><br /></div><div>If you've read all my previous posts on <a href="https://khanmjk-outlet.blogspot.com/search/label/personametry">Personametry</a>, you would've learnt that as part of this experiment, even way back when I started in 2016, I wanted a personal-assistant AI to help me with my <a href="https://khanmjk-outlet.blogspot.com/search/label/RAGE">RAGE / Personametry</a> framework. I wanted to engage in meaningful conversations with an AI-assistant, coach me, act as my council, gatekeeper, motivator, etc. I believe there is still a need for this and the current state-of-the-art still has some catching up to do. Nevertheless, I am quite enjoying my interactions with ChatGPT. It was able to understand my personametry data, derive some insights, create the views I would generally take a couple hours doing myself. It's just a matter of time until we get truly personalized agents, like a personametry-gpt agent. Here's what ChatGPT offered I should look into for 2024:</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi_LsDlCscFPm7Skc7oosyOkNLVZs55tCJEAwtlZ98gSByqIDIWnsDpfHNWVqIXU1hf8fhbxZUu41I3jRdYiHNUN29TYv4YOnNVJ4cWUmWEnIeRTs0MpQo5CulCuRP-BzE_9oBsYY_HU2NKVW3FIzcYaA0q4bgZiQBJ6qjoVUUz_47uFV4Bv4Fb9RajI-tV" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1036" data-original-width="673" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi_LsDlCscFPm7Skc7oosyOkNLVZs55tCJEAwtlZ98gSByqIDIWnsDpfHNWVqIXU1hf8fhbxZUu41I3jRdYiHNUN29TYv4YOnNVJ4cWUmWEnIeRTs0MpQo5CulCuRP-BzE_9oBsYY_HU2NKVW3FIzcYaA0q4bgZiQBJ6qjoVUUz_47uFV4Bv4Fb9RajI-tV=w416-h640" width="416" /></a></div><br />Here's my Personametry slides as usual:</div><div><br /></div><div><iframe allowfullscreen="true" frameborder="0" height="560" mozallowfullscreen="true" src="https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/e/2PACX-1vSEYd3sAZLuWNqMrM16ZdR242M2pgyzAgIEYbiYKzOxdAU4PdQxLKLH6e7b4MMNHHXm3JZ_Ubjtmhfw/embed?start=true&loop=true&delayms=3000" webkitallowfullscreen="true" width="760"></iframe></div><div><br /></div></div>
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</script>khanmjkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12719457132019410132noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2027834094987620676.post-49287923842639630072024-01-05T04:27:00.003+02:002024-01-15T08:45:55.210+02:0046 today<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm2muH4F9j7zGkM9gVyHs9Ehwnl96ARVDlgZUS8DG53dVfcbcC3qtMrRvNCD0-av1ZJvo9qdEfZB5u1WGzUQjG908zeyBxI2PU550Y6kbc9FDbqfinDdaPgH1CXoVWsqDcCL3yQGCmIlNWCmyImuhhAolxnEuVG4faenv85h3_WACVuzaP2_f91cX-SKsd/s916/IMG_5332.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="745" data-original-width="916" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm2muH4F9j7zGkM9gVyHs9Ehwnl96ARVDlgZUS8DG53dVfcbcC3qtMrRvNCD0-av1ZJvo9qdEfZB5u1WGzUQjG908zeyBxI2PU550Y6kbc9FDbqfinDdaPgH1CXoVWsqDcCL3yQGCmIlNWCmyImuhhAolxnEuVG4faenv85h3_WACVuzaP2_f91cX-SKsd/s320/IMG_5332.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div>I asked ChatGPT to write a poem, I turned 46 today. <div><br /></div><div><div>In honor of your journey and the resilience you've shown, here's a poem that weaves in elements of your life story:</div><div><br /></div><div>From Natal's fields to corporate climbs,</div><div>In the land where the sugar cane twines,</div><div>A boy with a dream, in apartheid's times,</div><div>Grew with a flame that brightly shines.</div><div><br /></div><div>Hitching a ride, 600km through the night,</div><div>To an interview held in morning's light,</div><div>Persistence his creed, ambition his might,</div><div>Against all odds, he would take flight.</div><div><br /></div><div>Engineering called, though medicine's voice was clear,</div><div>Yet no regret, for tech was near.</div><div>In computers found, a passion so dear,</div><div>Self-taught, self-made, amidst career.</div><div><br /></div><div>Mo, at forty-six, your story's just begun,</div><div>The lion's roar can't be undone.</div><div>Your flame rekindled, the past is spun,</div><div>Into a future brightly won.</div><div><br /></div><div>On this day, let's not be remiss,</div><div>Celebrate the life that is Mo's bliss,</div><div>Forty-six years, it's hit or miss,</div><div>But Mo's tale, is one of grit and wist.</div><div><br /></div><div>So happy birthday, with a cheer so loud,</div><div>For Mo stands out, in any crowd.</div><div>At forty-six, be humbly proud,</div><div>For your life’s story speaks volumes, unbowed </div></div><div>————</div><div><div><br /></div><div>At forty-six, the heart still ticks,</div><div>A journey through life’s blend and mix.</div><div>Not young nor old, but squarely mid,</div><div>With years of wisdom, no longer a kid.</div><div><br /></div><div>Each wrinkle earned, a tale to tell,</div><div>Of laughs and tears, and times we fell.</div><div>At forty-six, life’s sweet refrain,</div><div>Plays on in joy, despite the pain.</div><div><br /></div><div>So raise a toast to all those days,</div><div>The quiet growth in subtle ways.</div><div>At forty-six, still much to do,</div><div>Another year of being true.</div><div><br /></div><div>For in the mirror, the truth’s not stark,</div><div>It’s just a number; light a spark.</div><div>Embrace the day, let’s not be brisk,</div><div>Life’s rich at the age of forty-six.</div></div><div><br /></div><div>———</div><div><br /></div><div><div>At forty-six, not just a number, but a force,</div><div>Rekindling fires from a powerful source.</div><div>A story of grit, hard work, and might,</div><div>From Natal's fields to tech's soaring heights.</div><div><br /></div><div>A father's legacy, a machinist's son,</div><div>To a leader of tech, second to none.</div><div>In every challenge, a lion's heart,</div><div>Against life's storms, a steadfast part.</div><div><br /></div><div>So rise, be bold, reclaim your flame,</div><div>In this year's chapter, make your name.</div><div>Forge ahead with courage, let passion dictate,</div><div>At forty-six, it's your story to create.</div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>
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</script>khanmjkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12719457132019410132noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2027834094987620676.post-65042881924807469322023-12-19T16:33:00.006+02:002024-01-15T08:45:45.403+02:00Wrap up '23 with my Personal Scorecard RAGE / Wheel of Life review<div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj23RkzP0QgO-S9eE6MH6nipYcaiwiFkVY92kwz8aN-36K6OaQhb6h2M1OEfvpDELvwX1e_p9KxKBNDJivLhyphenhyphenhy2r6yOTCy0l4jW4I_esTK8TAUejg6dqciuDyqQifOvVC9_I2xPsgTDBjhbRE9i0zJfdA8F-5EagjxrTsjm_zuntaTOZUZN0dA-kmdABvT/s1024/DALL%C2%B7E%202023-12-19%2016.30.59%20-%20Create%20a%20conceptual%20image%20for%20Mo%20Khan's%20RAGE%20Model.%20The%20image%20should%20feature%20a%20dashboard%20with%20sections%20labeled%20'Reality,'%20'Aspirations,'%20'Expectations.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj23RkzP0QgO-S9eE6MH6nipYcaiwiFkVY92kwz8aN-36K6OaQhb6h2M1OEfvpDELvwX1e_p9KxKBNDJivLhyphenhyphenhy2r6yOTCy0l4jW4I_esTK8TAUejg6dqciuDyqQifOvVC9_I2xPsgTDBjhbRE9i0zJfdA8F-5EagjxrTsjm_zuntaTOZUZN0dA-kmdABvT/s320/DALL%C2%B7E%202023-12-19%2016.30.59%20-%20Create%20a%20conceptual%20image%20for%20Mo%20Khan's%20RAGE%20Model.%20The%20image%20should%20feature%20a%20dashboard%20with%20sections%20labeled%20'Reality,'%20'Aspirations,'%20'Expectations.png" width="320" /></a></div>In 2016 I started to be more intentional with designing my lifestyle across my personal and professional streams. Without studying deeply the literature or taking personal development training courses, I used my own work experience as a professional engineer to guide me in designing the framework, which I've called "<a href="https://khanmjk-outlet.blogspot.com/2016/02/my-rage-model-for-personal-development.html">RAGE</a>" that stands for Reality Aspirations Goals Expectations. At the time, I treated myself as a product I'm building, using similes from agile software development, using the concept of Personas (typically products are designed to meet the needs of different user types, i.e. "personas"). Bringing these concepts into personal lifestyle design, I described my aspirations, goals and expectations in the form of agile user stories. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This helped me in framing my goals to realise tangible outcomes. Almost eight years later, I've maintained discipline in applying the RAGE framework, year-on-year in my pursuit of the various aspirations defined in each persona, i.e. as a Husband, Father, Professional, Friend, Individual, etc. Coming from an engineering background, I dived deep into prioritising these streams of life, first starting with 20+ personas, having stabilized on a handful of core personas from 2020 onwards.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Interestingly enough, <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7142400717360726017/" target="_blank">this post</a>, led me to learning about something called "<a href="https://www.mindtools.com/ak6jd6w/the-wheel-of-life">The Wheel of Life</a>". It so happened, according to ChatGPT, the exact date of the creation of the "Wheel of Life" model by Paul J. Meyer is not well documented in public sources -- but it is known that <a href="https://positivepsychology.com/wheel-of-life-coaching/" target="_blank">Paul J. Meyer</a> founded the Success Motivation Institute, Inc. in 1960. Honestly, I'm not sure how I missed Meyer's model all this time, but I'm also comforted by the fact that I've created my own model from scratch through my own attempts in crafting a better version of myself through my RAGE model. Anyway, ChatGPT has helped summarize the differences between Meyer's model and Mo Khan's RAGE model in <a href="https://khanmjk-outlet.blogspot.com/2023/12/my-rage-model-compared-to-wheel-of-life.html">this post</a>. I do like the radial diagram, which is something I hadn't included in my <a href="https://khanmjk-outlet.blogspot.com/search/label/personametry">personametry</a> insights as yet.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I'm writing this post in December 2023, the last post for the year - as I break away from the world and embark on a journey making the minor pilgrimage to Mecca (Makkah) for the first time in my life. I've waited a long time to save up for this journey, I made intention at the start of 2023 to do the <a href="https://www.ivisa.com/saudi-arabia/blog/what-is-umrah#:~:text=Umrah%20is%20a%20journey%20to,journey%20of%20devotion%20to%20Allah.">Umrah</a>, and by the grace of Allah (God), it is about to come true, finishing off 2023 with my most important '23 goal realised - Subhanallah (Glory be to Allah)! And aiming for <a href="https://www.vox.com/2016/9/12/12814258/hajj-2018-islamic-pilgrimage-mecca-what-is-explained">Hajj</a> (the major pilgrimage) in 4 years time insha Allah (God willing).</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Work-wise, my last week was spent completing end of year performance reviews. At Amazon, we treat performance reviews with such seriousness, due care and attention to detail -- that I've never seen done before in other companies I worked with (a post for another day). For some time now, I have taken mechanisms from my work life and adopted to my personal life. Just as in my RAGE model, breaking down the different domains of life-work streams, I've used business performance scorecards in my tracking progress through the year of my personal performance. If we maintain work logs, performance cards, "baseball cards" for our jobs, is not more important to track our all our streams of life?</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Why should we only focus on professional performance reviews and not spare a moment to deeply reflect our performance as a human on this earth? How are we doing personally? How are we performing across the various dimensions of our life? If we live by a value system, how do we know how we're measuring up to that value system? When the year has come and gone, how do you measure progress? Is it only career that matters? Surely not? If not, then why don't we spend as much time, if not more time, doing our own self-assessment and scorecards?? Are we afraid of the reality check? How serious are we in terms of changing ourselves for the better? How are we improving? Do we need to improve? When someone asks you "How's life? How you're doing?" - what's your frame of reference for answering that question? What's the first thing that comes to mind? Is it our work, career? If we're going through a bad patch at work, does this mean our whole life is negative? Often this is exactly what happens. People anchor on the immediate negatives, closest, most recent experiences because without a holistic value system to reference, how should one respond to "How are you doing, really?"</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>So how am I doing, really - what's my 2023 Performance Scorecard like?</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I am sharing my own personal tracking here, not as a means to show off - but as a means to help people, providing an example of how I've managed to use a system that is working for me. This system, called RAGE, may not work for you - but it should give you an idea of the kind of work you need to do, the kind of thinking you need to apply, and the kind of discipline your should consider -- if you are indeed determined to make a concerted effort at changing your current situation, and creating a new trajectory you can aim for to improve the quality, outcome and other aspirations you desire. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Inspired by <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/vaugann/">Vaugan</a> from <a href="https://www.scarymanagement.com/" target="_blank">Scary Management</a> <a href="https://www.scarymanagement.com/c/scary-management-playbook" target="_blank">Playbook's</a> LinkedIn post, here is my Wheel of Life, unpacked in detail, according to my RAGE model. In January '24, I will follow up with the data analytics on time spent in my personas. Given my RAG status, it looks like my wheel of life pretty balanced and aligned with my life-work-stream choices.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
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<h1>Comparative Report: Meyer's Wheel of Life vs. Mo Khan's RAGE Model</h1>
<h2>Introduction</h2>
<p>This report provides a comparative analysis of two influential personal development tools: Meyer's Wheel of Life and Mo Khan's RAGE Model. Both models are designed to enhance self-awareness and personal growth, yet they differ significantly in their approach and methodology.</p>
<h2>Meyer's Wheel of Life</h2>
<ul>
<li><b>Overview</b>: The Wheel of Life is a holistic self-assessment tool designed by Paul J. Meyer, a pioneer in the field of motivational thinking and self-improvement.</li>
<li><b>Components</b>: It typically includes segments such as Career, Personal Growth, Health, Family & Friends, Finances, Spirituality, Recreation, and Physical Environment.</li>
<li><b>Function</b>: Users rate their satisfaction in each area, visually representing life balance and identifying areas for improvement.</li>
<li><b>Application</b>: Widely used in coaching and self-help, it guides personal development and goal setting.</li>
<li><b>Learn More</b>: <a href="https://www.smi.com/" target="_blank">Success Motivation Institute</a></li>
</ul>
<h2>Mo Khan's RAGE Model</h2>
<ul>
<li><b>Overview</b>: The RAGE Model, an acronym for Reality, Aspirations, Goals, Expectations, is a framework for personal development conceptualized by Mo Khan.</li>
<li><b>Components</b>: It involves introspection across various life 'personas', assessing the current reality, setting aspirations, establishing goals, and managing expectations for each persona.</li>
<li><b>Function</b>: The model uses agile management techniques and a detailed scoring system for prioritization and tracking progress.</li>
<li><b>Application</b>: Khan’s approach is detailed and systematic, suitable for those who prefer an analytical approach to personal development.</li>
<li><b>Learn More</b>: <a href="https://khanmjk-outlet.blogspot.com/2016/02/my-rage-model-for-personal-development.html" target="_blank">Mo Khan’s Blog</a></li>
</ul>
<h2>Similarities</h2>
<ol>
<li><b>Holistic Approach</b>: Both models provide a comprehensive view of personal life, emphasizing multiple areas or aspects.</li>
<li><b>Self-Reflection</b>: They encourage self-assessment as a means of identifying areas of focus.</li>
<li><b>Goal-Oriented</b>: Each model promotes setting and pursuing personal goals.</li>
<li><b>Personal Development</b>: They are tools for enhancing self-awareness and guiding growth.</li>
</ol>
<h2>Differences</h2>
<ol>
<li><b>Complexity</b>: The Wheel of Life is simpler and more visual, while the RAGE Model is more complex and analytical.</li>
<li><b>Approach</b>: Meyer’s model is qualitative, focusing on self-rated satisfaction, whereas Khan’s model is quantitative, employing a scoring system.</li>
<li><b>Focus Areas</b>: The Wheel of Life has predefined life segments; the RAGE Model allows for personalized 'personas'.</li>
<li><b>Tracking</b>: The RAGE Model includes rigorous tracking mechanisms, unlike the Wheel of Life.</li>
<li><b>Background</b>: Meyer's model stems from motivational training, while Khan’s is influenced by agile product management.</li>
</ol>
<h2>Conclusion</h2>
<p>Meyer's Wheel of Life and Mo Khan's RAGE Model, while sharing the goal of fostering personal growth, differ in structure, complexity, and application. The Wheel of Life is a straightforward tool for periodic self-assessment, ideal for a broad audience. In contrast, the RAGE Model offers a detailed framework for systematically setting, prioritizing, and tracking personal development goals, appealing to those who prefer a more structured approach. Both models provide valuable insights into personal development, and the choice between them depends on individual preferences and the desired level of detail and structure in personal growth planning.</p>
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</script>khanmjkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12719457132019410132noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2027834094987620676.post-45000236775307746852023-08-29T05:05:00.006+02:002024-02-15T10:24:49.823+02:00Be the leader you wish you had<div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUo4DAGzBDOjbsY1c9PtN5EwzcqFZdJB4NGHvsH-9h1exmP3xDPSBGA_NfZwyxESl1eYd_elA2KWshOA1mU2wtougmQfn3ene6bdirkhjRJVj6Q3Z21i2gvuk5MypLGGO6HwOs4OVZtEHolmCfmURFoNIWGpDU0gmcKP2D6iDTMK2MubGaq_ud_G6Axc3Q/s358/892-Good_Leader.jpg.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="358" data-original-width="350" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUo4DAGzBDOjbsY1c9PtN5EwzcqFZdJB4NGHvsH-9h1exmP3xDPSBGA_NfZwyxESl1eYd_elA2KWshOA1mU2wtougmQfn3ene6bdirkhjRJVj6Q3Z21i2gvuk5MypLGGO6HwOs4OVZtEHolmCfmURFoNIWGpDU0gmcKP2D6iDTMK2MubGaq_ud_G6Axc3Q/s320/892-Good_Leader.jpg.jpeg" width="313" /></a></div><div>BE THE LEADER YOU WISH YOU HAD</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I use this saying often in my 1:1s with my directs and in my private coaching sessions. It is a powerful way to make one pause for a moment, reflect, adjust to the discomfort, then embrace the excitement of a new energy that is created.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Adopting this mindset has transformed me from standard "manager" to empathetic "leader". Reading <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wMUSx03QzR4" target="_blank">Seth Godin's "The Song of Significance"</a> reinforced my instinctual leadership practices. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Quoting from "13. Let's Get Real or Let's Not Play", Seth says this:</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><blockquote><quote> <i><b>No one goes to the gym to willingly get punched in the face by the senior vice president of boxing. But some folks eagerly pay for a sparring partner when it's time to get better. The difference is obvious, but we've forgotten to say it out aloud. No grades, no check marks, no badges. I'm not in charge of you, and I'm not manipulating you. I'm simply establishing the conditions for you to get to where you said you wanted to go. You tell me where you're going and what you need. You make promises about your commitment and skills development. I'll show up to illuminate, question, answer, spar with, and challenge you. I'll make sure you're part of a team of people who are ready to care as much as you do. We can get real. Or let's not play</b>.</i> </quote></blockquote></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This is not some leadership mumbo jumbo. Some time ago, I developed a model for personal development that borrowed concepts from agile product management by way of user stories (search RAGE tag on this blog). I then used the same methods in the way I work with my direct reports. HR people might call this "contracting with the employee" but I take it further. I get real. It's not about objectives, KPIs & deliver results. I put myself on the line. I reach out. And so when it comes to performance reviews, my reviews are a two-way conversation. My direct also evaluates Mo's performance - because as a leader, I believe leaders mirror & contribute to the performance of their direct reports. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>What's my mechanism then?</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I ask each person to write a user story in this format:</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>In order for me, [Name] to do [XYZ] (e.g. my job | grow | be inspired | learn | etc.) I need my manager (Mo) to support me by doing [....insert your wish-list here] so that I can ....</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">So I start the year with level setting on our contracts together, and in our 1:1s, we check-in and inspect, comment, re-calibrate, adjust. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Guess what? </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This mechanism might seem simple but it's quite challenging for people. Usually, it's the first time they're experiencing a manager doing it this way. There's hook both ways. Often, it takes a few iterations to get the user stories crafted in way that is mutually relatable and agreeable. My mechanism goes beyond the standard business SMART goal setting. I make it human. Real. Personal. For me, this is my song of significance.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Here's some real-world examples in play, from senior managers that report into me - See how doing so puts me, Mo, on the hook?</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">* In order for me to do my job, I need my manager (Mo) to support me by throwing me in the deep end and exposing me to as much as possible so that I can quickly learn and understand this business</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">* In order for me to do be inspired, I need my manager (Mo) to support me by leading by example so that I can learn from his vast experience</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">* In order for me to do grow, I need my manager (Mo) to support me by pushing me out my comfort zone so that I can grow in all directions.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div>* In order for me to do my job. I need my manager (Mo) to support me by throwing me in the deep end and exposing me to as much as possible so that I can quickly learn and understand this business</div><div><br /></div><div>* In order for me to grow my skillset, I need my manager to support me in blocking out time on my calendar so I can complete the ‘make great hiring decisions’ course (5hrs)</div><div><br /></div><div>* In order for me to get promoted to L7, I need my manager to support me by identifying key opportunities so that I can start building a roadmap of promotional milestones</div><span><a name='more'></a></span><div><br /></div><div>* In order for me to learn more about AWS/Amazon PMT roles and guidelines, I need my manager to support me by identifying mentorship opportunities so that I can both learn and teach in the PMT space </div><div><br /></div><div>* In order for me to be inspired, I need my manager to support me in attending Product Manager conferences so that I can learn more about industry standards from external PMs and also grow the internal PMs</div><div><br /></div><div>* In order for me to work towards my career progression to L7, I need my manager (Mo) to support me by doing 1. identify L7 level tasks/opportunities that I can own 2. track my progression and callout on misses 3. set milestones for me and guide</div><div><br /></div><div>* In order for me to do my job I need my manager to support me by giving me opportunities to apply my skills and strengths, enough autonomy to approach tasks my own way and help me improve in applicable growth areas so that I can be a better manager..</div><div><br /></div><div>* In order for me to do my job I need Mo to support me by: Support the product within the bigger higher level audience. I agree the summit worked very well and the group wants a get together virtual and onsite as well. </div><div><br /></div><div>* Providing me with opportunities where I can get exposure for the work that I am doing with my product when the time comes and we are ready</div><div><br /></div><div>* Provide input, guidance and regular feedback on my promo doc.</div><div><br /></div><div>* In order for me to grow into a valuable employee (bar raiser / builder) I need Mo to support me by:</div><div>Providing weekly constructive feedback on my performance in our 1:1</div><div>Discuss progress on my goals in our 1:1 to ensure I meet and exceed expectations</div><div>Assist with improving my writing skills by providing guidance and allowing me to work with Bar Raisers to improve my quality of writing.</div><div>Call out any gaps and blind spots I might have weekly in our 1:1.</div><div><br /></div><div>* In order for me to learn, i need my manager to support me by looking out for L7 opportunities for me to explore, learn and become competent in L7 requirements so that i can build my skill set and become an L7 Product Manager</div></div></div>
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</script>khanmjkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12719457132019410132noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2027834094987620676.post-24065599087398745832023-07-03T07:47:00.002+02:002024-01-15T08:46:41.135+02:00Personametry + ChatGPT = personametry.ai (a truly personalised AI)<div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfNYN13FrGBuCTGq27SDEXD2OZW3T6tEqJF7yP8rvf6ijfHnFdPnBzlIkGDpgiRnuk3itJp9KQ9etYKRQw3kCH40FM2Ey8OCuw2Vt2dvYHk3WZnnFN7CASmmPMbyHZARZRt2vD-EjWdCdEseCDky_2F_P8YQuQshT7moy64ibvUAV-oA3wJ40o6cgsiiGd/s2048/stable-diffusion-xl.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfNYN13FrGBuCTGq27SDEXD2OZW3T6tEqJF7yP8rvf6ijfHnFdPnBzlIkGDpgiRnuk3itJp9KQ9etYKRQw3kCH40FM2Ey8OCuw2Vt2dvYHk3WZnnFN7CASmmPMbyHZARZRt2vD-EjWdCdEseCDky_2F_P8YQuQshT7moy64ibvUAV-oA3wJ40o6cgsiiGd/w320-h320/stable-diffusion-xl.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>Around this time of year with 6 months already past us, I spend some time reflecting on my <a href="https://bit.ly/3PGZQy3">Personametry</a> and <a href="https://bit.ly/3CXZiMM">RAGE model</a> - keeping in check how I'm performing against my own personal and professional goals -- just like we do in business with mid-year performance reviews. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">If this is the first time you've come across my work on <a href="https://bit.ly/3PGZQy3">Personametry</a>, here's a view of my time spent in 2022 compared to 2021, <a href="https://khanmjk-outlet.blogspot.com/2023/01/2022-personametry-tracking-worklife.html">click here</a>. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">My workflow until then was:</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1) Export data from <a href="https://www.getharvest.com/">Harvest</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">2) Update <a href="https://aws.amazon.com/quicksight/">Amazon Quicksight</a> dataset by importing the Harvest export, creating transforms</div><div style="text-align: justify;">3) Create a new analysis</div><div style="text-align: justify;">4) Modify all the charts and views to include the latest data, publish a new dashboard</div><div style="text-align: justify;">5) Create a Google slide deck </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>NO MORE!! ENTER <a href="https://openai.com/blog/chatgpt">CHATGPT</a> and the <a href="https://noteable.io/">NOTEABLE</a> plugin!</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">My new workflow is now much more simplified:</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1) Export data from <a href="https://www.getharvest.com/">Harvest</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">2) Import to <a href="https://aws.amazon.com/quicksight/">Quicksight</a>, creating transforms</div><div style="text-align: justify;">3) Export CSV from <a href="https://aws.amazon.com/quicksight/">Quicksight</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">4) <a href="https://chat.openai.com/share/ef966b5b-bd7c-4cb5-8eb2-f21fa53b5895">Prompt ChatGPT </a>to produce the <a href="http://bit.ly/433J1QY">insights in Noteable</a> I would normally have manually created</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Okay, so I spent my Sunday locked up in my office playing around with ChatGPT geeking out on data analysis & visualisations. So not much gain in time productivity there - but the learning was fun and immensely rewarding. Yes, a good investment of time, spent learning and preparing to adapt for the new world of AI disruption!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I've been on my data capturing journey since 2015. My end goal to end up with an AI personal assistant that truly understands me. I suspect realising my aspiration isn't that far off and neither far fetched for that matter. My entire workflow would be a fully integrated AI assistant that has the ability to track all my activities, by the minute (imagine "personametry.ai"). To get there, the next simpler step would be to automate the data ingestion piece, leaving me with the only manual entry of starting and ending tasks. My next experiment would be to use the raw data export from Harvest, without doing any data transforms and let the AI do that for me. If that works, I can build in automation that does monthly data imports and produces insights for me automatically. Ideally, I would build personametry.ai as a task into my personal assistant. Imagine a time when we're all wearing a device that "just knows" what we're doing, who we're interacting with, and what we're spending our time on? This device, i.e. "my AI" or "personametry" will act as a guide, coaching us along the way to improve - and hold us accountable - calling us out on what we're paying attention to (i.e. deviating from our goals.)</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: justify;">Lessons Learnt - Still early days but very hopeful</h3><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>The tools are still early days, but still nevertheless very powerful and will definitely improve my productivity in future.</li><li>It takes a few attempts to load data files with the plugin, CSV seems to cope much better than XLS files.</li><li>ChatGPT/Noteable uses different methods each time for approaching the data analysis - some coaxing on the nature of the dataset produces better insights.</li><li>I didn't need to edit any code myself so there's an immediate empowerment driver right there.</li><li>Don't trust every output though, as the AI can get things wrong</li><li>Double check calculations, ChatGPT still doesn't seem to get some simple math right the first time round</li><li>It is amazing what one can accomplish with simple, clear prompting</li><li>I am definitely going to learn more</li><li>I had so much fun learning, I was in a state of flow for 10 hours and couldn't stop thinking about the world of possibilities of this technology!</li></ul></div><h3 style="text-align: justify;">Here's a video of ChatGPT prompts - Play at fastest speed (sorry, no time to edit)</h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/zBMlrC04SIw" width="577" youtube-src-id="zBMlrC04SIw"></iframe></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: justify;">Here's the conversation history with ChatGPT</h3><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://chat.openai.com/share/ef966b5b-bd7c-4cb5-8eb2-f21fa53b5895" target="_blank">Round 4</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://chat.openai.com/share/718b121e-6a61-4c3b-a0b4-845091185115">Round 3</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://chat.openai.com/share/65cd1c33-8ac1-4e7f-af77-7dc8fc8dd4e3" target="_blank">Round 2</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://chat.openai.com/share/5e198b51-53fd-4d5b-8169-5e031318d80f">Round 1</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://bit.ly/433J1QY">Here's the Noteable</a> project that I've released publicly</h3><h3 style="text-align: justify;">Here's a screen grab of the visuals in a nice slide view</h3><div style="text-align: justify;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="true" frameborder="0" height="540" mozallowfullscreen="true" src="https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/e/2PACX-1vSIr7oxv4XkhTdYhU8oA4OFrLVWtKrCpNpqjZ0exGKoxE9-3_ZKWpVoIXnOLf7w_w7Sg6ynZmtrHAMZ/embed?start=true&loop=true&delayms=3000" webkitallowfullscreen="true" width="100%"></iframe>
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: justify;">Here's all the questions ChatGPT answered in various sessions</h3><span><a name='more'></a></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;">First provide insights on the following - remember to give each one a heading in your response and a new section in the Noteable notebook:</p><ol class="ol1" style="text-align: start;"><li class="li1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Stats for nerds - Table showing the number of data points captured for each NormalisedTask by year (basically a count of each NormalisedTask)</li><li class="li1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Stats for nerds - Table showing the total hours logged for each NormalisedTask by year (basically a sum of hours for each NormalisedTask)</li><li class="li1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">A bar graph showing for each MetaWorkLife, a bar graph of how time was spent in each year</li><li class="li1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Create a dashboard scorecard for each persona going back 5 years</li><li class="li1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Show a pie chart of work-life balance for 2023 and provide a summary if it’s looking good or bad</li><li class="li1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Show a table for YoY comparison between 2023 and 2022, using indicators (up/down) to show where changes are coming from</li><li class="li1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Show a waterfall graph using the first 6 months of 2022 hours as total start, and show how 2023 hours contributes to increases or decreases across the top level personas “PersonaTier2”</li><li class="li1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Analyse my work hours Year-on-Year for 2022 compared to 2023, month by month, and conclude the percentage increase or decrease of work hours? That is, give me a percentage increase/decrease for 2023 work hours. Include bar side-by-side bar graphs and show a reference line of 168 hours for monthly work hours.</li><li class="li1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Provide a heat map of work hours over all the years. The focal point for heat map work hours should be 168 hours. Values above 168 hours considered hot, values less than 168 hours is cool.</li><li class="li1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Analyse my spirituality over time. How am I tracking? Give me a deep analysis and insights. Which year was the watershed year for me?</li><li class="li1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">What insights can you give me about my family time? Go as deep as possible.</li><li class="li1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tell me how am doing in the social context? {NormalisedTask}='[Friend] Social','Social’. Use the SocialContext and SocialEntity field as inputs and provide your insights.</li><li class="li1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Please provide me a breakdown of “Me Time”. As an Individual, where am I spending my time in?</li><li class="li1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Provide insights on my health, fitness and well-being<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>NormalisedTask='[Individual] Health, Fitness & Wellbeing'</li><li class="li1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Show me “real me time” including everything containing “Individual” but excluding sleep time.</li><li class="li1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">How am I doing as a Husband?</li><li class="li1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Am I overworking?</li><li class="li1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Which year did I work the most hours?</li><li class="li1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Which year did I work the least hours?</li><li class="li1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Since starting my new job in 2021, which months have seen the most hours?</li><li class="li1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Since 2021, how many weekends did I work (show me for each year)?</li><li class="li1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Since 2021, when do I start logging work hours (“StartedAt), and when do I end my work (“EndedAt)?</li><li class="li1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Show me a table for each year from 2021, my average daily work hours?</li><li class="li1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Compared to first 6 months of 2022, how am I performing in 2023?</li><li class="li1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Which of my personas seen the most improvement in 2023 compared to 2022? Dive deep into the personas using “NormalisedTask” as well.</li><li class="li1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Which of my personas seen the most improvement in since 2015 to date?</li><li class="li1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Am I getting enough sleep?</li><li class="li1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Am I getting enough hours for physical exercise, health and well-being?</li><li class="li1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">At which days am I most spiritual?</li><li class="li1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Given my goal at maintaining a healthy work-life balance or harmony, what inisghts can you provide me in this area? Use a benchmark of a 40 hour work-week and 160 hours work-month.</li><li class="li1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">How many hours extra did I work each year?<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></li><li class="li1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Since I started a new job in 2021, how many hours extra did I work from 2021 to date (last available data point). Show the results in table format that shows only the extra hours above 168 hours (168 is what consultants use as the typical monthly work hours). Assume my billable hourly rate is R2000 per hour. How much income did I lose due to extra work hours?</li><li class="li1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">In 2022, my data showed an improvement in my work hours (that is, my work hours must be trending down to meet the recommended 168 hours/month). In 2023, how am I doing?<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></li></ol></div><h3 style="text-align: justify;">Credits to my learning</h3><div>Here are two videos that kick-started my learning:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="365" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/g7ZK0kGItfQ" width="439" youtube-src-id="g7ZK0kGItfQ"></iframe></div><br /><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="374" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/b48NCYLkawk" width="450" youtube-src-id="b48NCYLkawk"></iframe></div><br /><div><br /></div>
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</script>khanmjkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12719457132019410132noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2027834094987620676.post-31161811678016916142023-06-14T12:54:00.005+02:002024-01-15T08:46:54.007+02:00A blast from the past: my experience building a large-scale tech platform<div style="text-align: justify;">In the years 2003-2011, I worked for a pure technology service provider, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cisco_Videoscape">NDS</a> (acquired by Cisco in 2012, then later became <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synamedia">Synamedia</a>) which was considered at the time, the world leader in end-to-end digital TV software systems. I was fortunate enough to experience as an engineer every major area of platform development for this complex ecosystem; and then later as a software manager, I would own the software delivery for a core piece of the software stack known as "middleware", for NDS's primary anchor customer <a href="https://forums.digitalspy.com/discussion/1476329/darwin-software">BSkyB/Sky Darwin</a> and then later would own the full stack delivery of NDS's flagship Mediahighway <a href="https://www.cisco.com/c/dam/en/us/services/collateral/acquisitions/spvss-product-list.pdf">Fusion</a>/Unity product. <a href="https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20110712005294/en/NDS-Set-Top-Box-Software-Powers-BSkyB%E2%80%99s-SkyHD-STB-Anytime-VOD-Service">This experience</a> would mark my entry into very complex large-scale technology delivery initiatives, which even to this day, thirteen years later, as I work with the world's largest cloud provider, Amazon AWS, in building out its enterprise cloud support systems (AWS Support Center / Technical contact systems), Fusion still takes the prize for the most intense professional experience, learning and growth, technical complexity, risk and high-stakes projects. So yeah, I find myself having to dig deep into my memory to recall this work experience because it's funny that 13 years on, I'm encountering the same topics of engineering management even though it is supposed to be a different domain, turns out "software is just software"!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">NDS had captured almost every top-tier PayTV operator around the globe at the time: <a href="https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20110712005294/en/NDS-Set-Top-Box-Software-Powers-BSkyB%E2%80%99s-SkyHD-STB-Anytime-VOD-Service">Sky</a>, <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna4845988">DirecTV</a>, <a href="https://www.broadbandtvnews.com/2010/05/12/liberty-home-gateway-brings-in-samsung-intel-and-nds/">UPC</a>, <a href="https://advanced-television.com/2012/03/14/nds-mediahighway-for-sky-italia/">Sky Italia</a>, Sky Deutschland, <a href="https://www.webwire.com/ViewPressRel.asp?aId=102322">Foxtel</a>, <a href="https://www.pressebox.com/pressrelease/nds-group-ltd/NDS-Mediahighway-Middleware-Deployed-Across-DIRECTV-Latin-America/boxid/93414">Sky LA</a>, <a href="https://www.telecompaper.com/news/yes-launches-vod-service-with-nds--725771">Yes</a>, <a href="https://www.pressebox.com/pressrelease/nds-group-ltd/Bharti-Airtel-selects-NDS-to-protect-and-power-new-Digital-Satellite-Service/boxid/133674">Bharti</a>, etc. NDS was prominently known for its conditional access product, a video content protection system call <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VideoGuard">NDS Videoguard</a>, however, NDS offered more than just security and offered customers a fully vertically integrated ecosystem (think "Apple" ecosystem for PayTV customers). Whilst digital TV was built on open standards and interoperability, most customers limited their integration points. So when they opted for NDS as their security provider, they also had the option of integrating all other services - from broadcast backend services in the headend to consumer device hardware development and software service integration with chipset vendors. The consumer device software was known as <a href="https://tvangelist.com/category/standards-for-television/">TV Middleware</a>. At the time, the main players were NDS Mediahighway, OpenTV & <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/2027834094987620676/3116181167801691614#">TiVo</a>. NDS was known for convincing customers to migrate to NDS Mediahighway, its technology migration programs were demanding, complex and executed flawlessly. As an engineer, I contributed software to <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/2027834094987620676/3116181167801691614#">replace TiVo</a>, an overnight win for 40 million devices. Later as a software delivery manager for the <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/2027834094987620676/3116181167801691614#">Sky Darwin</a> migration project, we would replace OpenTV software almost obliterating its presence from Sky, save for a few ancient, ageing hardware profiles.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">NDS, with an increasing number of customers using its security, middleware and application services, couldn't afford to scale out with engineering teams for each custom build. A platform strategy was needed, consolidating the best of software from across the globe (US, UK, India, Israel, France) into a new shared technology stack, that offered flexible customisation and tailoring for any type of customer profile (Tier-1 customers like Sky for advanced applications to Tier-3/4 customers in territories just starting off with basic digital TV), using a shared engineering resource pool - and extensible configuration engine for producing tailored custom releases. So was borne, NDS Mediahighway Fusion.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The flagship customer for Fusion was Sky, which went live in 2010, replacing up to ten variants of its consumer device software services, with new Fusion components and Sky's own custom-developed consumer application "EPG" known then as the "Orchid EPG". Fusion provided an SDK/API for customers to develop their own primary applications, along with an interactive HTML engine, that allowed PayTV operators to add additional mini apps to their devices, like games and weather apps. With Sky being the anchor customer, Fusion had proved itself in the market and thus was ready to onboard new customers like Sky Italia, UPC, Foxtel, Yes, etc. Post Darwin launch, I took the lead for building the new platform vision, called Fusion Snowflake EPG through <a href="https://khanmjk-outlet.blogspot.com/2023/06/an-example-product-roadmap-visual.html">project Sunrise</a> - birthing the platform that would create customer, tailorable configurations for any customer, maximising reuse and minimising customisation but allowing for a selection of custom user experiences.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: justify;">Why am I claiming Fusion as large-scale (even in 2023, 13 years later)?</h3><div style="text-align: justify;">I write this in 2023, after spending 2.5 years with Amazon AWS. I am part of the group that build AWS Support Center and related Contact Center services. We are a team of under 100 people, deemed large- scale and building complex systems. Yet, if I have to be brutally honest with myself, I'm mildly impressed by my exposure to date, because my current work pails in comparison to my work on Fusion, 13 years ago. Yes I know it's a different domain, a different paradigm and culture of Amazon's 2-Pizza team model for software product ownership (which I actually find quite cool)...still I'm finding it hard to rationalise my move to AWS almost 2.5 years on, have I gone too far backwards? Am I living too much in the past & not ready to view things from a new perspective? What am I not seeing? (Topics for another post). So whilst I've defintely adapted my mental models since joining Amazon, yet I really can't ignore some software engineering truths which is the reason for my bringing up the past now. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In 2012, I wrote the <a href="https://khanmjk-outlet.blogspot.com/2012/05/managing-large-scale-projects-using.html">first story</a> about Fusion, introducing the term LSSDP I coined to mean Large Scale Software Development Project. I also dived deep, writing lengthy white papers about the product and engineering management processes:</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><ul><li><a href="https://khanmjk-outlet.blogspot.com/2012/05/managing-large-scale-projects-using_08.html">How we "scaled agile" to adapt to our unique global challenges</a></li><li><a href="https://khanmjk-outlet.blogspot.com/2012/06/managing-large-scale-projects-using.html">How to design a global org-structure to deliver a large-scale project in a scaled agile way</a></li><li><a href="https://khanmjk-outlet.blogspot.com/2012/06/managing-large-scale-projects-using_28.html">What mechanisms are needed to deliver a large-scale technology initiative in an agile way</a></li><li><a href="https://khanmjk-outlet.blogspot.com/2012/08/managing-large-scale-projects-using.html">How we executed and raised the engineering & product management bar</a></li></ul><div>Fast forward to 2023, now using my Amazon AWS experience as a lens for defining a large-scale initiative and indirectly checking engineering manager role guidelines for large-scale:</div><div><ul><li><b>Business Impact</b> - Fusion started off with a $75 million investment and later a joint-venture with the flagship customer, Sky. The entire company pivoted to focus on Fusion as its next-generation software platform, with up to 3000 engineers world-wide working on multiple streams, some strategic foundational streams kicked off at least 2 years before the mainstream program. In my role as software delivery owner for Sky Darwin project, it was critical the project delivered successfully, flawlessly - as it involved migrating software in 10 million people's homes (their living room TVs) seamlessly with no rollback. To the end customer (the person sitting at home watching TV), they would notice very little change to their experience. Overall, Fusion software components delivered to multiple middleware stacks, at the time of 2011 when I departed NDS, our software was running in excess of 60 million people's homes daily, globally.</li></ul><ul><li><b>Scope and Size</b> - Fusion introduced a new paradigm of the TV software ecosystem, end-to-end, including broadcast headend components as well as embedded software architecture. The stack was open, based on a Linix/Posix and a complete departure from the initial decade of TV software operating systems. This was before the advent of Android TV or fully open source middleware. Fusion's product backlog captured over 2000 epics in the form of work packages, cutting across multiple customer needs, in parallel. The scope included all layers of the device software stack: Chipset drivers, hardware absraction layer, Linux kernel, Linux abstraction, Middleware services, Application SDK/APIs, multiple frontend application engine proxys for C / C++ / Java / HTML / Flash applications. <a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fhPB9Z_NAEE/UBU6dv0BhWI/AAAAAAAAAP8/YDJvaG16cCI/s1600/STB+Architecture.jpg">Take a look at the software architecture diagram</a> - it is multi-layered, multiple service teams. Another point on scope, we managed initiatives or epics in the form of work pacakages (WPs), that could impact up to 25 service teams in one WP, <a href="https://khanmjk-outlet.blogspot.com/2012/06/managing-large-scale-projects-using_28.html#WPSDLC">see here</a>.</li><span></span><span><a name='more'></a></span></ul><ul><li><b>Team Size & Geographical distribution </b>- Fusion was a world-wide globally distributed initiative, with development sites for core software services distributed across: UK (Southampton & London), France (Paris), Israel (Jerusalem), India (Bangalore). Hardware / CDI / chipset low level drivers teams out of Korea. We also had sales and account teams in US, Denmark and Australia. Overall team size was 2500 engineers associated with Fusion initiative. In my Darwin program, we had around 350 people split across the sites for software, along with the customer Sky, having about 200 people working on it. From a management team, we had about 50 managers, principal engineers and solution architects and from C-Suite we had to report into at least 5 senior executives. I ran a top-issues call, daily for 2 straight years, going through risks and issues, delivery timelines with all the senior management stakeholders. I was only 32 years old (and a father of 3) at the time, truly grateful for the experience. With <b>161+ services, </b>Fusion consisted on 3 chief architects reporting to the CEO, with 20 global architects supporting the stack: France owned 35 services under 5 software managers; India owned 23 services under 6 software managers; Israel owned 33 services under 12 software managers; UK owned 58 services under 7 software managers. My role as Software Delivery Owner meant controlling all parts of the delivery cycle from backlog management, to release planning, from ensuring architecture design to integration testing, from customer defect triaging to field trialing software. I ran everything - and as such, I had a deep technical understanding of all the software and services of the stack...back then I was deeply technical (strange, after 13 years I'm now resisting the urge to get back into the weeds).</li></ul><ul><li><b>Duration </b>- Fusion took five years to deliver its first major customer delivery, Darwin, with Darwin coming on-board as the flagship customer 2.5 years into the strategic program. I joined Darwin in 2008 and delivered the first release, the first pivotal migration that replaced 10 million consumer devices, across at least 8 different hardware profiles, in June 2010. Shortly after Sky UK, we launched Sky Italia, then won a bid for UPC/Horizon (pan-European deployment for Liberty Global nextgen box), a 9 month timeline!</li></ul><ul><li><b>Dependencies </b>- There were a number of moving parts in the new archictecture because it was a big departure from the past. Refer to <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/2027834094987620676/3116181167801691614#">software achitecture</a>. On the customer prgram side, the picture is not so different to the one shown for DStv Explora <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjhjEoZhFIM687l6udam3my6nILG0aWCeFZWX8BHmryi6LPsuDopAeD7fxxk0tmmggeZ_ChvnMGCM-k78AokvK7Ui0KMcZASccTrfJ07AfQzkFcnhu6o-p3Z_KN5DeoiNWDhYgOXJ4cC9DoE8AvzTLR-GLPRRKkPGeePtHuaUYJPdo3Af8GomanEy1og/s2327/blogExploraPlan2.png">here</a>. In the case of Sky, we had to replace software seamlessly with zero rollback for a number of different devices that were up to 10 years old, running different software, operating systems, had different driver behaviours and low-level <a href="https://khanmjk-outlet.blogspot.com/2012/11/pm-toolbox-set-top-box-stb-bootloader.html">bootloader code</a> (firmware). NDS created a CDI (Common Driver Interface), the nexgen version of Mediahighway HDK (OpenTV HPK or Irdeto Middleware HAL). Not only was bootloader stages needing mods, but device manufacturers had to upgrade to CDI for compliance. The hardware readiness was a big dependency. At the software side, Sky had 50+ OpenTV applications written by a number of indepedent 3rd pary app developers that either had to be ported as a last resort, with first prize being a seamless replacement of OpenTV engine (which we accomplished) without changes to apps. We had multple vendors doing systems integration as well. Middleware and Application features could not be tested without the underlying services ready - so as per the software stack, the dependencies increased as the team went higher in <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/2027834094987620676/3116181167801691614#">the stack</a>. The customer also owned its own application development team, often last minute seeking change requests for new features that were never part of original scope.</li></ul><ul><li><b>Risk</b> - Technical risks abound from the obvious: is it possible to migrate millions of customers seamlessly without rolling back? The timeline was reduced and pressure was immense. Requirements changed as the project progressed. The technology risk again was new platform, new design, not proven in the field. There would be performance and stability issues to address. Lots of money invested. Reputation risk. Engineers were working overtime, long hours. There was lots of parallel workstreams to coordinate. There was also politics at play because Fusion was going to end up other middleware project pipelines - we had to ensure other projects weren't unnecessarily extending "legacy" middlewares that creating widening gaps fro Fusion to close on parity.</li></ul><ul><li><b>Budget</b> - Both initernally and externally, Fusion and Darwin became the flagship, CEO-driving project untl it delivered. I suspect upto $500m must have been spent, if not more.</li></ul><ul><li><b>Stakeholders -</b> There number of stakeholders were diverse. Thankfully at the time, I didn't have direct access to the end customer, although I ran the issues/risks call, sent emails and communicated progress reports, my stakeholders were the CEO, CTO, SVP, VP and Directors at the time. Fusion leadership team though had a number of C-suite pressure from customers because Fusion was delaying some of their plans.</li></ul><ul><li><b>Integration Points & Complexity - </b>Too many to list, according to the software architecture, every major layer has an integration point. With over 100+ core services, each service exposing an API, that any upstream/sidestream could consume - makes the integration quite heavy. This is why, in 2010 we had invested heavily in Full CI/CD with robust Software quality checks based on Misra. We also had to build a simulation environment to work ahead of the hardware. So the Fusion OS / Linux kernel along with drivers for the platform were ported to a windows and Linux desktop environments so that engineers could work completely independently of hardware. The Simulator itself became a target device for CI/CD builds! Even in 2023 terms, the focus on engineering excellence was bar-raising, as Amazon would say!</li></ul><ul><li><b>Change Management - </b>Fusion resulted in a complete overhaul of the global engineering team org design, as well as the customer engagement was entirely new (customer had access to the full source code, documentation, test harness, etc). Our release process included the delivery of the entire environment such that the customer could recreate the build, run tests, validate our test results, compare releases, etc). Who even does this today? This change management and audi process took <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Source_code_escrow">Escrow</a> to another level. In addition to this, we implemented strict change control mechanisms to manage scope, adding a cost element - charging for every new change request before considering to resource development.</li></ul></div><h3>Story-telling through slides, 13 years later...</h3><div>As I reflect back on this beautifully large-scale project, I marvel at how advanced we were at that time, in 2010, building a highly complex software stack, with a geographically displaced team across 5 countries, using mechanisms like fullCI/CD, that even today in 2023, companies struggle with. In my world of AWS, we build distributed services for AWS multiple-regions. A simple mental model, taking me back to TV software - yes, we too built multi-region releases. Our software ran on multiple hardware device configurations, some hardware less advanced, some more advanced - different chipset vendors, implied releases differed according to platform constraints. This isn't that vastly different to deploying cloud applications in constrained regions. We ran full CI/CD pipelines, deploying to multiple geographic regions under satellite footprint of broadcasters. Our tests ran daily, overnight, weekly, stress and performance / load testing - continuously in-region. As soon as tests failed / regressed, depending on the level of testing, alarms would go off, stopping work-in-progress, fixing the build - deployments frozen until the main pipelines are green again! We did this back in 2010. Today, in 2023, my teams in AWS do the same, albeit with advanced automation, logging and tooling infrastructure. But the essence is still the same. Software quality is software quality, software engineering principles remain consistent no matter the domain. As for advanced project, product and platform management - the mechanisms that embodied Fusion platform requires a substantial lift and discipline. In my world of AWS today (building bespoke enterprise tooling for AWS Support businesses), such a software product engineering factory mentality might not work - unless there is a serious intent on adopting more formal methods of product management, like we did for Fusion.</div><div><br /></div><div>
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</script>khanmjkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12719457132019410132noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2027834094987620676.post-3554297274300431592023-06-07T08:23:00.001+02:002023-06-11T16:20:25.381+02:00Product Plan visuals - concepts & examples from real-world programs<div style="text-align: justify;">I <a href="https://khanmjk-outlet.blogspot.com/2023/06/a-sample-project-charter-for-launching.html">recently wrote</a> about my role as project leader for the original <a href="https://youtu.be/AsYmYn58iGQ">DStv Explora</a> consumer device launched in 50 territories across the African continent from 2012-2014. In this post, I will share some visual tools I used to communicate the planning and release strategy. Suffice it to say, I am a big fan of visual planning tools over detailed text narratives any day. There is power in visualizing the plan, on a single piece of paper that beats reading pages of text.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: justify;">The launch is when the work actually starts</h3><div>Here's a sample of a post-launch plan that mashes big-picture milestones for executives whilst providing enough detail to software delivery and integration owners. With this single piece of paper, managers can use this schedule as their primary map to navigate their work plans.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3nz28QEgVohSBVzdEMhgj7dcr7lfC7D79Uu21iwmNdnBRUi7SCgGCqiZ91kf_ab4hgsey6T-iIZ3wwmI8rTdvO6c9auB9hXqqfpTNUOJ5K9pjd78j9vzz8NjYVvm8z8ArVE9CBSiHFJPqBUEOeA2QQkraKLg4XB6Jy-Zgmx6aKKQmXJcvTsz35Cn3Nw/s1743/blogPostLaunchPlans.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="721" data-original-width="1743" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3nz28QEgVohSBVzdEMhgj7dcr7lfC7D79Uu21iwmNdnBRUi7SCgGCqiZ91kf_ab4hgsey6T-iIZ3wwmI8rTdvO6c9auB9hXqqfpTNUOJ5K9pjd78j9vzz8NjYVvm8z8ArVE9CBSiHFJPqBUEOeA2QQkraKLg4XB6Jy-Zgmx6aKKQmXJcvTsz35Cn3Nw/w640-h264/blogPostLaunchPlans.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><h3 style="text-align: left;">Visualizing an end-to-end technology program on one page</h3><div style="text-align: justify;">Building a new consumer device such as a digital TV set-top-box, from the ground up, end-to-end is a large-scale program with many moving parts. The challenge is how to show as much high-level and low-level detail as possible, starting with output milestones and cascading to detailed team expectations like agile sprints. I can't claim to have authored this view from scratch since I borrowed concepts from my previous projects and other program managers I looked up to, when I worked with Sky/NDS in the UK. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The timeline below is a snapshot from the early days of Explora planning, where I was the primary plan owner and designer.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGuTK9ylcXKVsA9vVwMy9epVhE64NQ20ISwYBuuXVQdweslSlDLS-j_V4ERLm0VNYosoe4x_bDIsFDPYy6hoJs5YAZMd3bD_KnCWjbH0n3RKgI1uce4kYx-LD2ymEx0EmE2rRQzK-QNNJk9y-6p5JCjXMc4SoDPBr7p3uY760R8fyu_EonIXrrkDGfNg/s2369/blogExploraPlan1.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="983" data-original-width="2369" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGuTK9ylcXKVsA9vVwMy9epVhE64NQ20ISwYBuuXVQdweslSlDLS-j_V4ERLm0VNYosoe4x_bDIsFDPYy6hoJs5YAZMd3bD_KnCWjbH0n3RKgI1uce4kYx-LD2ymEx0EmE2rRQzK-QNNJk9y-6p5JCjXMc4SoDPBr7p3uY760R8fyu_EonIXrrkDGfNg/w640-h266/blogExploraPlan1.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Below is a view with extra commentary showing business leaders the hotspots with the plan and calling to action for workstream owners:</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjhjEoZhFIM687l6udam3my6nILG0aWCeFZWX8BHmryi6LPsuDopAeD7fxxk0tmmggeZ_ChvnMGCM-k78AokvK7Ui0KMcZASccTrfJ07AfQzkFcnhu6o-p3Z_KN5DeoiNWDhYgOXJ4cC9DoE8AvzTLR-GLPRRKkPGeePtHuaUYJPdo3Af8GomanEy1og/s2327/blogExploraPlan2.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1192" data-original-width="2327" height="328" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjhjEoZhFIM687l6udam3my6nILG0aWCeFZWX8BHmryi6LPsuDopAeD7fxxk0tmmggeZ_ChvnMGCM-k78AokvK7Ui0KMcZASccTrfJ07AfQzkFcnhu6o-p3Z_KN5DeoiNWDhYgOXJ4cC9DoE8AvzTLR-GLPRRKkPGeePtHuaUYJPdo3Af8GomanEy1og/w640-h328/blogExploraPlan2.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">For CEOs, I created much-simplified views since they weren't interested in the agile sprints:</div><span><a name='more'></a></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNl6j0R9qbkVay4Jd3VQLksWZIEcykkccTfk2LgjCaOhsIDEKnuKipgF48CWWE02wAE3O8i0S3T29s2LgbNWhliWTiaEiPEJYEkV-GIEK_fXFAU1bCMnIi-8Di98NloVzTvSlvKda7KWt29GxLzyBmBf2XllKFob_9XRued7Y3K-rAF9epVSh-ZyOaCg/s2368/blogExploraPlan3.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="855" data-original-width="2368" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNl6j0R9qbkVay4Jd3VQLksWZIEcykkccTfk2LgjCaOhsIDEKnuKipgF48CWWE02wAE3O8i0S3T29s2LgbNWhliWTiaEiPEJYEkV-GIEK_fXFAU1bCMnIi-8Di98NloVzTvSlvKda7KWt29GxLzyBmBf2XllKFob_9XRued7Y3K-rAF9epVSh-ZyOaCg/w640-h232/blogExploraPlan3.png" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">And this view for a little more detail, but still keeping it high level enough for business leaders to understand the big picture. These views were shared a board level reviews since the product attracted significant investment in Rand/Dollar terms.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_-5VkV0O4zHQ-02drUDwQAOFOi4bHC9RCgJrrW5R8i5j6ApZ2XQeh2mgvLExTuUjAnlJgohTyJnaQfGEYHomud4PPZedAUt4SA2j8KJn2JmWaS2gAxSRSwkFDYpAn8-J0-bHsTZQheouHAySdPbUA9yN_RDbUnMaCM0tArLW4WpRPKqEaFnnWEUMQ5w/s1493/blogExploraPlan4.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1112" data-original-width="1493" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_-5VkV0O4zHQ-02drUDwQAOFOi4bHC9RCgJrrW5R8i5j6ApZ2XQeh2mgvLExTuUjAnlJgohTyJnaQfGEYHomud4PPZedAUt4SA2j8KJn2JmWaS2gAxSRSwkFDYpAn8-J0-bHsTZQheouHAySdPbUA9yN_RDbUnMaCM0tArLW4WpRPKqEaFnnWEUMQ5w/w640-h476/blogExploraPlan4.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><h3 style="text-align: justify;">Visual Roadmapping examples</h3><div style="text-align: justify;">Here is a view that shows roadmaps from different team perspectives. The colours relate to a specific team or business entity. The main timeline takes primary focus in center position, showing how the various teams contribute to drops "landing". I received a lot of positive feedback on the multi-dimensional view this picture provided.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWDgUEB3ApMFpzYTZZ1Izna3r10t6nLkjXTll_bFDnHHKDhXve0YEkwozJmz9mdpCEUTYLyVO72rbaP7xhDHE-PaVplwrHcnuDkk6fao3LXBASCwVb2c27mrL5B5d5uQ2_S6kBIhnz3Wc17RGixbyie993A7aZgO1r9Dn3AhFff81zeeQl-jWEGC5W_g/s1631/blogExploraPlan5.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1135" data-original-width="1631" height="446" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWDgUEB3ApMFpzYTZZ1Izna3r10t6nLkjXTll_bFDnHHKDhXve0YEkwozJmz9mdpCEUTYLyVO72rbaP7xhDHE-PaVplwrHcnuDkk6fao3LXBASCwVb2c27mrL5B5d5uQ2_S6kBIhnz3Wc17RGixbyie993A7aZgO1r9Dn3AhFff81zeeQl-jWEGC5W_g/w640-h446/blogExploraPlan5.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><h3>Product Release Planning </h3><div>Here are some views I created to guide product managers, product owners, scrum masters and development managers on how to go about communicating their work to stakeholders.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0q7cCAU_xYk5wPAr9kOTd9T-yHAXQ_XC2Gcjf1GWDO4a7-Z4b3t254LHR225IIz-SU6RkYV1a-zPeTEvBB_8rJFauquJo5pQWiRoOmTdz5VZu5a048B6FlnzQFKUV5rH5h6EmipEiIrJMucfGFsj8GJaf1p873vVJt8RCuGlK3ESywLcwP1ZFCX2zLA/s1631/blogExploraUI1.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1135" data-original-width="1631" height="446" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0q7cCAU_xYk5wPAr9kOTd9T-yHAXQ_XC2Gcjf1GWDO4a7-Z4b3t254LHR225IIz-SU6RkYV1a-zPeTEvBB_8rJFauquJo5pQWiRoOmTdz5VZu5a048B6FlnzQFKUV5rH5h6EmipEiIrJMucfGFsj8GJaf1p873vVJt8RCuGlK3ESywLcwP1ZFCX2zLA/w640-h446/blogExploraUI1.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div><h3>Merging UX Design Workflows & Software Development Releases</h3><div>The Explora team originally had this wild idea to develop the next-generation user experience modelled on the then-popular Playstation interface, with a central cross-hair as the main focal point, allowing for vertical and horizontal scrolling, with animations. Quite powerful indeed - but it had one flaw - user research suggested the African market wasn't ready for a complicated user interface (UI) paradigm. Watching TV is a relaxed, passive experience. Users want a simple, intuitive UI, not a complicated one that makes them do work. So, with the UI time having invested engineer years of work into this already, I had to help reset the process and get to a path to green, with a release plan for the new UI. Doing so required me to run multiple design facilitation workshops, culminating in the workflow below. Because the UI change was a fundamental pivot in the program, we needed to communicate the new way of working and manage expectations of the release schedule (the second picture below).</div></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAYR1g1Q_58xn0wrORC851McP4IPfNdNH8ZTO2U08KvU_aUA56xiS_Qj9LzaGMh6Ol-mT-AzB1dT-QfjFCiUoiw9UX3RYUJW3IgVJFTRZQ_nco7dTeAFTuh3MY-Ud7ZbAPOul-fwDyQxPNV3WKLaf4ldvsal0cR3OSUOFJWXAus7PTmyWRkvWedOtBeA/s1631/blogExploraUIReworkflow.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1121" data-original-width="1631" height="440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAYR1g1Q_58xn0wrORC851McP4IPfNdNH8ZTO2U08KvU_aUA56xiS_Qj9LzaGMh6Ol-mT-AzB1dT-QfjFCiUoiw9UX3RYUJW3IgVJFTRZQ_nco7dTeAFTuh3MY-Ud7ZbAPOul-fwDyQxPNV3WKLaf4ldvsal0cR3OSUOFJWXAus7PTmyWRkvWedOtBeA/w640-h440/blogExploraUIReworkflow.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYpLztmm71rHb8MCAy4-hl0mQrakb9pLzruljTtipdPoTGSmjrmhF_9vgMnwi_umHQ6pYu1zmZC96rB1joqjfsDq-3yHfkFohwmJXqQxXVzsXrKXW6wvqMqOp_FGnuxmOFXvJhrJXmBZ5Vzel1vo3oxWQHZDCfun7se00GfKCdnfg7COiyz-eoYVnHHQ/s1631/blogExploraUISprintPlan.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1121" data-original-width="1631" height="440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYpLztmm71rHb8MCAy4-hl0mQrakb9pLzruljTtipdPoTGSmjrmhF_9vgMnwi_umHQ6pYu1zmZC96rB1joqjfsDq-3yHfkFohwmJXqQxXVzsXrKXW6wvqMqOp_FGnuxmOFXvJhrJXmBZ5Vzel1vo3oxWQHZDCfun7se00GfKCdnfg7COiyz-eoYVnHHQ/w640-h440/blogExploraUISprintPlan.png" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
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In this post, I will go deeper and share a rather detailed sample of a project charter that I authored for a real-world project that involved launching a new original equipment manufacturer (OEM) consumer device, a digital TV set-top box, called the "<a href="https://mybroadband.co.za/news/broadcasting/84387-dstv-explora-hd-pvr-decoder-launched.html">DStv Explora</a>" end-to-end. My role was overall program manager. My task was basically - to fix everything and get the project on track to deliver, owning the entire plan, directing and steering multiple businesses, project offices and engineering organisations. My stakeholders were C-suite from at least five firms. The project cost in the region of R2 billion ($200m). </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">By end-to-end, I mean <b><u>all</u></b> workstreams covering technology innovation & development, satellite infrastructure, device hardware engineering, device software engineering, infrastructure systems & software (including configuring satellites in space), application software development, software testing, end-to-end security, consumer field trials and go-to-market (finance, supply chain, marketing, communications, sales, customer support) launching in 50 countries in Africa, with catering for the unique rules & regulations per country, bespoke marketing & comms plans and at times supporting a different <a href="https://talkmediaafrica.com/2013/12/11/introducing-limited-edition-multichoice-nigeria-20th-anniversary-green-white-green-explora/">look-and-feel</a> brand per country. I insisted on project charters for each go-to-market stream for significant territories like South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya & Ghana. The structure for the business at that time was rather loose, even though there were centralised project offices co-ordinating major launches, we had to partner with in-country business owners for launch planning. I don't share these business charters here, as they're go-to-market workstreams one can find online (or ask chatGPT).</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Explora project enabled me to make a significant impact on the company, the people and teams I worked with and most importantly, opened up my eyes to my potential as a prominent leader, boosting my confidence. Prior to the Explora, I'd just relocated from the UK, having worked with NDS for the last ten years, building and releasing a variety of TV software services, working in engineering and answerable to a number of customer and account delivery managers, taking instruction from bigger program managers and owning a few core technical workstreams. With Explora, my position was elevated to the highest level, giving me the opportunity I had long sought after, and that is to learn everything there was to know about running and operating a PayTV business. For Explora, I not only enjoyed a birds-eye view of the bigger picture - actually I created the bigger picture for everyone to follow. I was responsible for ensuring engineering teams are set-up for delivery success end-to-end, instigating and driving changes needed to ensure project success. My voice was heard. My opinions were listened to. My advice was heeded. I was granted autonomy once I'd earned the trust of all stakeholders involved (a post for another day). </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">As far as I can tell, many of the engineering disciplines I introduced for Explora still remain in place today, 10 years later. Here are some anecdotes as public endorsements on LinkedIn (so I'm not exaggerating my resume here, check out my LI profile recommendations for additional evidence):</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpQ-6fLFN3_NFS63JLwaKu7LgWJtThXelljkMo8Qjjm7RagIIIjna9S9vH0gZn7S0vAp2nrI11MX7wXI7LmwiPuD0G26MbnscHeJ0NWGTJ1Tr_SEa-agwKBakz8KCMrDDss1mjdUbr8Hf1Obq394A2RQT-LAWNz6rzPtU3ZKiwqUOPcq0t_PYnFDqMmA/s825/blogExploraTestimonials.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="825" data-original-width="787" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpQ-6fLFN3_NFS63JLwaKu7LgWJtThXelljkMo8Qjjm7RagIIIjna9S9vH0gZn7S0vAp2nrI11MX7wXI7LmwiPuD0G26MbnscHeJ0NWGTJ1Tr_SEa-agwKBakz8KCMrDDss1mjdUbr8Hf1Obq394A2RQT-LAWNz6rzPtU3ZKiwqUOPcq0t_PYnFDqMmA/w610-h640/blogExploraTestimonials.png" width="610" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>Here's an email from Phil on the interventions I introduced in the last stretch of Explora launch:</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><blockquote class="tr_bq"><i>Hi Muhammad</i></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><i>This one week cycle you have introduced on Explora is a <u>stroke of genius</u>. We have a lot to thank you for on this project, as <u>you have saved our collective asses several times</u>. I for one, really <u>appreciate the quality and quantity of effort you put into supporting us</u>. <b>When</b> we make it on the 1st August you should be able to look back on this project with a great deal of satisfaction. MCA is not the easiest place to bring order to, but you can't fault the guys on their commitment to making things happen:)</i><br /><i><br /></i><i>Have a great weekend my friend!</i><i><br /></i><i>Regards Phil</i></blockquote></div><b style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: start;"></b>Here's a video about the DStv Explora from 2013/14:</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/9aQzY0_HXeM" width="320" youtube-src-id="9aQzY0_HXeM"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>The project charter for Explora set the high bar for modelling all future consumer device launches going forward. Following Explora, I would manage the launch of the <a href="https://businesstech.co.za/news/trending/66614/dstv-launches-new-hd-decoder/">DStv HD decoder</a>, followed by software updates launching new features like <a href="https://techcentral.co.za/dstv-to-launch-catch-up-plus-2/190978/">Catch Up Plus</a> for streaming over the internet, incuding r<a href="https://techcentral.co.za/dstv-debuts-remote-recording-online-services/191240/">emote recordings</a>. I left the consumer device division in 2015, to spend the next year running the program for launching <a href="https://www.showmax.com/join/eng/welcome/za">Showmax</a>, a new <a href="https://businesstech.co.za/news/media/96231/netflix-competitor-showmax-launches-in-sa/">streaming video platform business</a>, end-to-end from zero to launch in 8 months. With these successful launches behind me, I'd developed enough credibility in the market that further opened up opportunities for consulting, and later on, took me one step closer to reaching my original ambition of having a seat at the business table, the C-suite round table. Once I'd experienced that view, I decided to seek a new venture, risking starting over again (a future post, stay tuned).<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: justify;">Sample Project Charter</h3><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>[Disclaimer: Please note I write about my past work and have permission to share my work experiences through my blog as was part of my contract with employers over the years. I've waited more than 10 years to share this particular work experience, the technology & business have moved on since then, such that this sharing is rather informational and can be seen as training material for engineering/delivery managers.]</i></div><span><a name='more'></a></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Below is a sample from the project charter I created. It should give you a picture of the work involved in bringing a new consumer device to market, along with all the backend / broadcast headend (including satellites in space) and go-to-market workstreams involved. Some workstreams were programs in their own right, others contained projects - whilst some were for pure technical deliveries. Not shown, are business go-to-market workstreams. If memory serves me correctly, there were roughly 40-odd workstreams that covered this project end-to-end. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Given the scope of the project charter, it should be apparent the large-scale nature of such an initiative. Contact me for more details, if you feel you need help navigating a similar endeavour, OR, contact me if you have a proposal you think might be an interesting challenge/opportunity as my next BHAG challenge :-)</div>
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</script>khanmjkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12719457132019410132noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2027834094987620676.post-23861914401363246542023-06-02T15:58:00.002+02:002023-06-04T10:45:50.049+02:00A product roadmap visual depicting a single tech platform journey<div style="text-align: justify;">I spent the first decade of my software engineering life building technology stacks for digital TV businesses for the likes of DirecTV, Sky, Multichoice DStv, Liberty, US Cable, etc - working at that time, for what was the world's leading Digital TV Technology Services company, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cisco_Videoscape">NDS</a>. We were in the business of selling full-stack embedded software (like Android / iOS SDK) tailored for set-top boxes (STBs), along with the backend infrastructure services needed for digitising, encrypting and transmitting TV signals over-the-[air/cable/internet] to these consumer device STBs, so people can basically watch TV. We would sell the tech stack along with a suite of TV applications that could essentially be tailored for any type of customer need, including changing different look-and-feel frontend/user experiences, configurable features like live recording or basic watching without recording, on-demand or internet streaming -- all without having to run multiple versions of software codebase per customer. In modern software parlance, we built multi-tenanted technology stacks in a way.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In 2010, we embarked on a vision to harmonize in creating the Nextgen version of the platform - taking the best of all customer engineering projects and core platform enhancements, and creating the next-generation stack, to scale to as many video entertainment providers across the world. We called this initiative <b>Project Sunrise,</b> symbolizing a new dawn for the next-generation experience built on Fusion Mediahighway Advanced offering a fully customizable Snowflake Unity UI experience. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Here's a short clip from 2011 on Snowflake:</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/WgtI_9rFZW0" width="320" youtube-src-id="WgtI_9rFZW0"></iframe></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Back then in 2010, I'd just come off delivering what was the biggest migration program in the history of the company, launching a new service for <a href="https://www.cnet.com/tech/home-entertainment/sky-hd-box-now-with-1tb-hard-drive-anytime-and-3d-football-also-on-the-cards/">Sky</a> - and thereafter landed another client build for <a href="https://www.broadbandtvnews.com/2010/10/15/first-pictures-of-upc-horizon-gateway/">UPC Horizon</a> Gateway STB. In addition, we had 5+ other customers all lined up for new tenants! It was going to be a busy next few years indeed. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Our approach to building this technology stack included foresight from the very beginning. We were intentional about using a single stack, configurable architecture end-to-end, including customizable applications for custom experiences - to avoid rework and duplication, but most importantly quick delivery turnaround times. Our customers also benefited from leveraging features and capabilities they didn't have to pay for, because some other customers would have already funded the development anyway :-) </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: justify;"><b>Technical Program & Product Management - Visualising the Roadmap</b></h3><div style="text-align: justify;">As our company was primarily a technology engineering company and a high-growth start-up, resources were constrained such that people took on multiple roles. I led the Sunrise project covering technical product and program management. I was responsible for creating the roadmap, backlog and overall sequencing, coordinating with multiple customer-delivery streams, along with the main core platform engineering deliveries - building the next-generation stack. The engineering activities were a mix of software integrations and application customizations through configuration, building out the default flagship application, that would come "out-of-the-box" for selling to prospective customers. The sales team would close the sale by signing off on the profiling customizations and configurations - and the Sunrise factory would eventually produce a release for the customer. This pattern of template-driven, profile-based software configuration approach was not new to us, but the technologies we used had changed over time (see the slide deck at the end). Project Sunrise was never a fully funded initiative though, so we had to partner with customer project teams and core platform engineering, being scrappy and inventive - but still ensuring we have a reference stack available, at all times, for new sales.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>How did I communicate the Roadmap then?</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I had a ton of detail to manage, spanning multiple customer requirements backlogs - working with teams across the globe, managing a unified backlog, understanding the features and gaps, prioritizing features for the base profile & then owning a delivery plan (which I'll expand upon in future posts). The one mechanism that earned the trust of senior leadership was a visualization I produced, that showed on a single piece of paper how all the streams fit together. Once the executives saw the roadmap, they then had an easy mental model to understand the complex pieces and stages of convergence - that went into building out the NextGen Sunrise platform. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I decided to write this blog piece today, 13+ years later because, it so happens, I find myself now again responsible for building a Nextgen product (V2), with V1 (single tenant) that is currently supporting existing customers with an active roadmap - and V2 targeting multiple-tenants onboarding new customers with their own specific configs/capabilities - and my team are considering ways of communicating the plan!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Check this out:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFlz0ZRdkjHfgbzSRe6xKJD6qkPB4JWKiJZanhp7tCdyChW7U7w-3-lWS1ERLYDCK5LSOfCgbm5Qnxr0bPwKMwca3TVNNSfobWnH95h1JBODo1eCFjIjT-RioN5cbihx-MpkR5A7JHsQMG2y7M6S3eSIzH6-u7jGOx6iwi0Eop_3kGFRLQxlfItZ-eAQ/s1442/Blog-RoadmapSunrise.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1053" data-original-width="1442" height="468" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFlz0ZRdkjHfgbzSRe6xKJD6qkPB4JWKiJZanhp7tCdyChW7U7w-3-lWS1ERLYDCK5LSOfCgbm5Qnxr0bPwKMwca3TVNNSfobWnH95h1JBODo1eCFjIjT-RioN5cbihx-MpkR5A7JHsQMG2y7M6S3eSIzH6-u7jGOx6iwi0Eop_3kGFRLQxlfItZ-eAQ/w640-h468/Blog-RoadmapSunrise.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><div>The above roadmap accomplishes the goal of showing the interplay between Customer engineering deliveries (above the Sunrise line) and simultaneously showing the core platform engineering feature deliveries (below the Sunrise line) - all contributing to the holistic platform called Sunrise. So customers mutually benefit from the platform core and they themselves benefit from the internal platform development. All of these deliveries are contained within a timeline that serves as the roadmap. </div><div><br /></div><div>As I revisited this picture, thirteen years later, I can still appreciate the value of a picture like this - a powerful visualization that will beat any detailed text narrative IMHO.</div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>And here's our scrappy Project Kick-Off Charter</b></div>
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<div><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Oh, and here is the initial MVP we demoed on Sunrise:</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8hgFvswV4yc" width="320" youtube-src-id="8hgFvswV4yc"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><script type="text/javascript">
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</script>khanmjkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12719457132019410132noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2027834094987620676.post-64153217741585018542023-05-31T09:57:00.000+02:002023-05-31T09:57:26.292+02:00Why I never ran a program without a Project Charter<h2 style="text-align: justify;">Lessons on large-scale delivery program management ...</h2><div style="text-align: justify;">I continue to dig into my past artefacts to showcase my work portfolio. I'm using a multi-pronged approach here: 1\ Showcase my work to prospective employers; 2\ Openly share my work so that others (people I coach, my colleagues and boss, etc.) can benefit; and 3\ Act as my own living knowledge repository. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I spent a decade climbing up the project management ladder, in the same way I climbed up the software engineering ladder (from junior engineer to principal engineer) - I first started project managing small software product development (2-4 teams with 10 services), then scaled up to large middleware services (20+ teams, 50+ services) as lead delivery owner, then up to full stack systems integration (full stack of all major components: kernel, middleware, integration layers, applications), then program managed a full go-to-market product launch scaling out to including Tech, Business (Finance, Marketing, Supply Chain) & Operations (Customer Care, Retention, Content, Legal, Regulatory) - as senior program manager. I also owned the full plan of starting a business from scratch to launch (a video streaming company) in 8 months. I did a stint in management consulting, running the top 5 business projects for a $3 billion run-rate business, which some companies might call Tier 0/1 initiatives - where I co-ordinated these large-scale programs, as Chief Program Director - delivering through multiple business lines, multiple project management offices and multiple product and engineering teams. In a sense, I served as the CxO program manager, advisor and delivery owner. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It is with this experience and knowledge, that I dare to share about my work experiences - and I'm not making these things up - you can check my LinkedIn recommendations page for proof.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">During my tenure as the lead program director mentioned above, I often found myself picking up and repairing distressed programs - and along the way, I'd help improve team processes and coach the management teams as well. I also ran new business & technology initiatives from scratch, start-to-finish-then-handover. So with this diverse experience, I developed a simple method that helped me navigate both types of program scenarios: either resetting or starting from scratch, the simple, powerful mechanism of a <b>Project Charter</b> document. To this day, I'm surprised to see many program & project managers failing to use the Project Charter in the way it was meant to be used (clarifying the essence), and often find less-experienced, newly minted PMP/Prince2 certified professionals, doing it "<a href="https://hbr.org/2016/11/your-project-needs-a-charter-heres-what-that-means">by the book</a>". My approach to project charters went much deeper than that...</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: justify;">So what do I mean by using the Project Charter in "clarifying the essence" then?</h3><div style="text-align: justify;">A seasoned, experienced project leader, chief program director, end-to-end project manager, senior technical program manager, etc - call the roles what you like - in my view, is not about just putting a plan together, working backwards from a deadline or target completion date. No, I believe as senior program leaders must apply their minds to appreciate the bigger picture and create a program structure that becomes the north star in guiding and leading multiple delivery teams. I never started a program without first establishing my project charter, which at the top level, focuses on the following:</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><ul><li><b>Start by understanding the why</b>. Why is this program needed? Why is it important?</li><li><b>Move on to understanding the who</b>. Who are the sponsors, stakeholders and teams impacted? Who will be working on the program? "<b><a href="https://www.jimcollins.com/concepts/first-who-then-what.html#:~:text=First%20Who%2C%20Then%20What%E2%80%94get,where%20to%20drive%20the%20bus.">First who, then what</a></b>"</li><ul><li>A program manager must be sufficiently well-versed with all the roles expected from the program, and work hard to secure the roles needed. Yes, this means the program manager must escalate to get the people needed for the program (on the bus, as well as off the bus). A responsible program manager would raise all these risks & concerns up-front, before officially kicking off the program.</li></ul><li><b>Clarify the what, including calling out what's missing - Set up the mental model for the program</b>. What is this program about? What is it not about? What's in scope? What's not in scope? What workstreams make up the program? How do all pieces come together?</li><li><b>Agree, Align, Action</b> - The 3 As of project execution involve agreement on the deliverable, alignment of all parties involved which includes acceptance of their workstreams and ultimately agreeing on the action plan to execute.</li></ul><div>Project charters don't necessarily have to be communicated in a written document, a slide deck is more than adequate to communicate the essence. Depending on the business environment and culture (for example, some business cultures prefer slide decks over detailed documents to save reading time, whilst others like Amazon, insist on detailed text narratives). So a seasoned project leader must adapt their style to suit the particular business need & culture of the teams.</div><div><br /></div><div>In this post, I'm sharing a version of a Project Charter as a slide deck. In a future post, I will share a detailed 50+ page document project charter that involved the launch of a consumer electronics device, the program covered a mix of engineering, business and operations workstreams.</div><div><br /></div><h3>Example Program: Transform Digital Self-Service of a $3 billion run-rate business</h3><div>I was called in to help reset and kickstart an overarching cross-cutting program to improve a selection of key metrics that would result in increased usage of digital self-service channels, improving customer satisfaction and overall reducing operational costs. This program covered the full value chain delivering the service: 3rd party technology vendors developing phone "mobi" apps using USSD, iOS/Android self-service app, Website, Payments, a hardware kiosk station, set-top box interactive application, integration with internal & 3rd party CRM/Billing systems - and resulting business workflows: finance, customer care & banking channels. Technology teams were spread between the CTO/CIO lines (3 IT pillars), and business teams reported separately to the CEO. The program also served the needs of Group Strategy, Risk & Regulatory. Bringing all these things together requires a steady hand, a tactful negotiator, a strategic and business mindset as well as a strong technology leader. This is why I enjoyed such challenges as these programs were never boring, limited to only tech/engineering.</div><div><br /></div><div>Enough said, let the slides talk and let me know what you think in the comments!</div><div>
<iframe allowfullscreen="true" frameborder="0" height="560" mozallowfullscreen="true" src="https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/e/2PACX-1vRZQyZ2uJj-tc-7C3Gndb4Npxkk3FQ_HdqPPFmYogNq5DAzF97rH7k5EEf1LC4gWPjB26nh67fJ3kQE/embed?start=false&loop=false&delayms=3000" webkitallowfullscreen="true" width="100%"></iframe>
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<p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><blockquote><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>“</span><span style="text-align: left;">Go easy on yourself, for the outcome of all affairs is determined by Allah’s decree. If something is meant to go elsewhere, it will never come your way, but if it is yours by destiny, from you it cannot flee.</span>”</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>“</span><span style="text-align: left;">Sit with those who have sinned and repented for they have the softest of hearts.</span>”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>“</span><span style="text-align: left;">Learn dignity and tranquility.</span>”</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>“</span><span style="text-align: left;">No amount of guilt can change the past and no amount of worrying can change the future.</span>”</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>“</span><span style="text-align: left;">Sometimes the people with the worst past, create the best future."</span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p></blockquote><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 233); color: #0000e9; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Times; font-kerning: none; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">-- <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/2027834094987620676/3975896801547850595#"><span class="s2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 233); font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-kerning: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">Umar ibn Al-Khattab</span></a></span></p>khanmjkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12719457132019410132noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2027834094987620676.post-40646250298525125042023-05-08T20:15:00.001+02:002024-01-15T08:47:42.144+02:00ChatGPT - Tetris<div id="tetris-container" style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center;">
<canvas id="gameBoard" width="320" height="640" style="border: 1px solid #fff; margin-bottom: 20px;"></canvas>
<div id="instructions" style="color: #000; max-width: 400px; text-align: left;">
<p>How to play:</p>
<ul>
<li>Arrow Up: Rotate Tetromino</li>
<li>Arrow Down: Move Tetromino down</li>
<li>Arrow Left: Move Tetromino left</li>
<li>Arrow Right: Move Tetromino right</li>
</ul>
<p>The game will end after 5 minutes. <br></p>
<p>This game was developed using ChatGPT as my co-pilot. <br>Thank you, ChatGPT 23/05/08</p>
</div>
</div>
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const rows = canvas.height / scale;
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class Tetromino {
constructor() {
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[[1, 1, 1], [1]],
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move(x, y) {
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rotate() {
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return true;
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return false;
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const tetromino = new Tetromino();
const board = Array.from({ length: rows }, () => Array(columns).fill(0));
function draw() {
ctx.fillStyle = '#222';
ctx.fillRect(0, 0, canvas.width, canvas.height);
for (let y = 0; y < board.length; y++) {
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ctx.fillStyle = '#fff';
ctx.fillRect(x * scale, y * scale, scale, scale);
ctx.strokeStyle = '#222';
ctx.strokeRect(x * scale, y * scale, scale, scale);
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for (let x = 0; x < tetromino.current[y].length; x++) {
if (tetromino.current[y][x]) {
ctx.fillStyle = '#fff';
ctx.fillRect((tetromino.pos.x + x) * scale, (tetromino.pos.y + y) * scale, scale, scale);
ctx.strokeStyle = '#222';
ctx.strokeRect((tetromino.pos.x + x) * scale, (tetromino.pos.y + y) * scale, scale, scale);
}
}
}
}
function mergeTetromino() {
for (let y = 0; y < tetromino.current.length; y++) {
for (let x = 0; x < tetromino.current[y].length; x++) {
if (tetromino.current[y][x]) {
board[tetromino.pos.y + y][tetromino.pos.x + x] = 1;
}
}
}
}
function clearFullRows() {
outer: for (let y = board.length - 1; y >= 0; y--) {
for (let x = 0; x < board[y].length; x++) {
if (!board[y][x]) {
continue outer;
}
}
const row = board.splice(y, 1)[0].fill(0);
board.unshift(row);
}
}
function update() {
if (tetromino.move(0, 1)) {
setTimeout(update, 500);
} else {
mergeTetromino();
clearFullRows();
tetromino.current = tetromino.newTetromino();
tetromino.pos.y = 0;
tetromino.pos.x = Math.floor(columns / 2) - Math.floor(tetromino.current[0].length / 2);
if (tetromino.checkCollision()) {
// Game over condition
clearTimeout(gameTimer);
alert('Game Over!');
} else {
setTimeout(update, 250);
}
}
draw();
}
document.addEventListener('keydown', (event) => {
if (event.key === 'ArrowUp') {
tetromino.rotate();
} else if (event.key === 'ArrowDown') {
tetromino.move(0, 1);
} else if (event.key === 'ArrowLeft') {
tetromino.move(-1, 0);
} else if (event.key === 'ArrowRight') {
tetromino.move(1, 0);
}
draw();
});
const gameTimer = setTimeout(() => {
alert('Time\'s up! Game Over.');
}, gameOverTime);
update();
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khanmjkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12719457132019410132noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2027834094987620676.post-15059172325311360782023-04-09T10:37:00.003+02:002023-04-10T09:19:30.526+02:00How I scaled engineering ops excellence to ±10X with Mission Control<div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/NvsGJ-Q7F5o" width="320" youtube-src-id="NvsGJ-Q7F5o"></iframe></div><br />Continuing with me sharing my experiences as CTO, in this post I share the actions I took to help improve an engineering organisation's operational health in our journey of scaling an online video streaming platform from 1X to 10X, from May 2017 to October 2020. To get to 10X improvement takes a journey, which I achieved in under 3 years, and after reaching the goal, I decided I'd learnt enough of the CTO experience and exited, after having set up a strong succession leadership pipeline in place. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">To get an idea of some of the major themes that I tackled during this time, as a leader I had to lead from the front, back, left, right setting the direction of my managers to follow (as all of these interventions were new to them), whilst doing my best to respect what came before:</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><ul><li>Establishing the team despite constant re-orgs going on at parent company - getting the right people in the right roles at the right time</li><li>Transforming a rag-tag undisciplined team to a disciplined, clear-headed, focused organised unit </li><li>Introducing laser focus on product engineering by unbundling non-core video apps to other businesses</li><li>Being critical on the technology platform by establishing a baseline of the architecture, using third party auditors to rate the scalability of the platform<br /></li><li>Improving physical infrastructure: networking, compute, storage and data centres. Move away from self-hosted and self managed data centres to partnering, shutting down data centres as needed.</li><li>Build an industrial grade networking stack and leveraging modern peering facilities and overhauling the server infrastructure</li><li>Setting the roadmap for cloud by transitioning first from single region data centres, to multiple data centre deployments, to running multiple stacks simultaneously, introducing containers and microservices then finally getting ready for cloud and leaping first into serverless paradigms</li><li>Embracing cloud partnerships with big players: Akamai, Microsoft, AWS, etc.</li><li>Improving product and engineering delivery by revamping and overhauling the agile work processes and backlog management.</li><li>Introducing communications mechanisms that helped remove doubt and earned trust across the many different business units and teams (we were known as the online pirates doing their own thing)</li><li>Improving risk, governance and security - bringing it to the top, raising awareness</li><li>Creating strategic partnerships internally and externally to leverage skills and expertise I couldn't get in-house or afford to build or manage ourselves</li><li><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc9Ik1SWxqx3Q0nDCNlFdfVA5ZN1XL5bbp-unCJ2dJNDvJIHEc5YkBDQpCQ3zd17okUc3pBjBwFWQXuDIxmReeJHtzH3-uLT8kIshZKpvvhRlCLwiBYKrwj61Ph61gI86zMNi2HVQaC9NCXPzsti7WaNFmfl73CXMz6iAqnfqVzxYkTUi82dJ66r1plg/s2220/Screenshot_20200423-182158_DStv%20Now.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2220" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc9Ik1SWxqx3Q0nDCNlFdfVA5ZN1XL5bbp-unCJ2dJNDvJIHEc5YkBDQpCQ3zd17okUc3pBjBwFWQXuDIxmReeJHtzH3-uLT8kIshZKpvvhRlCLwiBYKrwj61Ph61gI86zMNi2HVQaC9NCXPzsti7WaNFmfl73CXMz6iAqnfqVzxYkTUi82dJ66r1plg/s320/Screenshot_20200423-182158_DStv%20Now.jpg" width="156" /></a></div>Introduced technical operations controls - Mission Control, more active management of operations daily, 24/7 with increased focus, planning and prep for peak times, like weekends and major events planning.</li><li>Aggressively reducing costs on key platform components whilst capitalising on gains through economy of scale</li></ul></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In this post, I'm going to share some of the early context and interventions I introduced in my first 3 months on the job, that remain effective to this day, more than five years later: <b>Mission Control Ops.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><h3 style="text-align: justify;">The dreaded 403 We're sorry, something went wrong</h3><div style="text-align: justify;">I took over a team that weren't prepared for the intense discipline needed to run and operate a highly available 24/7/365 platform. There were many reasons for this which I might touch on in another most. I recall coining the term "<b>Bloody May</b>" as the month of so many outages, that I wondered: 1\ What on earth have I taken on? 2\ Is my life going to be consumed by work from now on? 3\ Is there any hope for this platform? 4\ How am I going to turn this platform around? 5\ How much is the job worth to me?</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It turned out there was going to be many more "Bloody Mays"in 2017 whilst my team set about improving stability. In 2017, the platform experienced outages that racked up about 20 days of downtime in one year. This equates to ± <a href="https://sre.google/sre-book/availability-table/">95% availability</a>, which is unacceptable for a video streaming platform. When I left the team in Oct 2020, we had turned around the platform to reaching <a href="https://sre.google/sre-book/availability-table/">99.5% availability</a> trending higher. Today, 5 years on, I'm told the availability is much higher but their usage profile has drastically changed (reduced the number of concurrent streams to one device only, also reduced their devices supported, moved most of the services to AWS). </div><span><a name='more'></a></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Almost every weekend, the platform experienced some outage. Sometimes, the entire weekend. During those outages, the engineering and platform operations teams lacked a methodical way of combing through the issues, debugging and root causing. There also wasn't a clear owner owning the recovery efforts, or communicating with stakeholders (that was going to be part of my job from then until I found a technical operations person to take over).</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Remember my context: I'm owning an online video platform that supposed to provide near real-time live video streaming. Our product was used mostly during weekends or whenever there was hype around some sports event (Rugby, Football, UFC, F1) or a release of a popular show premiere (Game of Thrones, etc). So all it took was one customer's twitter rant about a 403 error that caused my phone to ring, at times getting the same message of concern from 5 different CEOs! Not from one country, South Africa, but we operated across 50 countries on the African continent. So escalations was rampant as the company's reputation was on the line. Known for its reliable satellite infrastructure, the leaders held a very high bar for their fledgling online video team.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Alas, this online video team, was still a fairly young start-up, and didn't fully appreciate the high expectations. After-all, if the user waits a while and refreshes, the error would likely go away! Historically, this engineering team would not disrupt their weekends to tend to the issues, unless it was a complete outage, an attitude I would soon change through the introduction of this concept I called Mission Control.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: justify;">High Ops load impacted my work/life balance & finances</h3><div style="text-align: justify;">Another driver that added further impetus to fixing these operational support challenges was the impact on my personal time and financial earnings in my first year. In 2017, I was still consulting taking on the role as interim CTO, which meant I was billing by the hour that was capped to a monthly rate of 180 hours. Take a look at the profile of my work hours during my 3.5 years tenure leading this engineering team:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYbKjLX9sjgMOJd9-_2rQyRbigFrw_XhcSrO2dActEeV8q0LldLFxyUZLgaQXY2vs1th2He778y53U15CZyuW5lVEx4oLMcvOHjIiTIzJlksytvFHN5QWcCJH8oTn2DLlR8E70Pq6YejkhUUPdw377Vpv2ExbA42BlSa3iZOrw4k5_q_fxAGXaBFiY5A/s548/blogWorkhours.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="245" data-original-width="548" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYbKjLX9sjgMOJd9-_2rQyRbigFrw_XhcSrO2dActEeV8q0LldLFxyUZLgaQXY2vs1th2He778y53U15CZyuW5lVEx4oLMcvOHjIiTIzJlksytvFHN5QWcCJH8oTn2DLlR8E70Pq6YejkhUUPdw377Vpv2ExbA42BlSa3iZOrw4k5_q_fxAGXaBFiY5A/w640-h286/blogWorkhours.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">My hours in 2017 increased by:<b>± 34%</b> compared to 2016, working an extra 567 hours!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">And since my hours were capped to 180 hours / month, I was missing out on being paid for 341 hours of extra work, just over R600k of lost billings in 2017!! Not a good deal, right? Compared to my consulting life from previous years, my hours were comfortable, earnings good and I was never paged for platform outages - what in the world did I get myself into!! Interesting that back then I prioritised learning more than money, even today, as I work at Amazon, I've prioritised my own learning over salary (as I earn less now than what I did as CTO back in 2017-2020), writing this post in 2023. I guess this is who I am, even back when I switched just before promo to a senior engineer to being a junior engineer in another domain, I valued learning over job title and pay.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: justify;">Mission Control Ops - the culmination of many small improvements over time</h3><div style="text-align: justify;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji_uuk9nBWNInOHfRWFV9oKji1fnAFbmbJGI1_t2TJFFm4m8O9ppImGGqblPpTuxGBSBkwsGmxflE4QiYST-LXkQR61VaZS5j5fMHP72TX3wN63_sJnlSuyFt9Fi4Xaw--erKR7sb2vsd4rwRvt7EmZe52HTzxXsQbD-AMqANqPhnMWVig0oZ9CQQKhg/s1508/blogMissionControlIntro.png" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="882" data-original-width="1508" height="187" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji_uuk9nBWNInOHfRWFV9oKji1fnAFbmbJGI1_t2TJFFm4m8O9ppImGGqblPpTuxGBSBkwsGmxflE4QiYST-LXkQR61VaZS5j5fMHP72TX3wN63_sJnlSuyFt9Fi4Xaw--erKR7sb2vsd4rwRvt7EmZe52HTzxXsQbD-AMqANqPhnMWVig0oZ9CQQKhg/w320-h187/blogMissionControlIntro.png" title="Mailer to team" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Starting Mission Control</td></tr></tbody></table>Despite spending the previous ten years of my working life in directing projects, I still remained close to the world of software engineering - by reading a lot and also being a long time member of ACM and IEEE journals, I kept up-to-date with the latest state of DevOps. I also had strong engineering background from my past NDS days, where I was schooled in engineering excellence.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Also, coming from the set top box world of broadcast satellite, technical performance and network operations was something I had first hand experience. So I knew from the start, to get to the end goal was going to be a marathon, not a sprint. And that I had to lead from the frontlines, setting the tempo, templates and communication mechanisms to bring people along. I knew I could not lecture from a pedestal and had to meet the team where the were, an effect change through coaching. This meant that I had to allow the team to experience some emotional pain as a result, as leaders often have to do - i.e. promote learning from mistakes. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Here are just some of the techniques that led to my introducing the Mission Control system that remains effective to this day, even after the teams and businesses were later re-organised:</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><ul><li><b>Start with small habits before introducing systems & automations.</b> The first intervention was building a spirit of ownership. I introduced weekend health readiness checks. On a Friday we will test and report on the state of the platforms entering the weekend. On the Monday, we provide a report of what happened over the weekend. I created a checklist for the engineering managers to use. Every Friday an email update would be sent to stakeholders on the fixes that went in from Mon-Thursday (as a result of weekend issues), summary of the events/issues and outlook for the weekend. The goal being that every weekend we need to be ready and in shape for weekend's load. Whatever issues were picked up over the weekend, teams must commit to delivering fixes in time for the next weekend.</li></ul><ul><li><b>Introduced Runbooks - manual checklists along with timely checkins.</b> In the absence of automation, engineers were to check-in regularly on email and whatsapp groups, posting the status of all their services - key metrics at the time, absence of metrics tooling - relied on typical network, CPU and database monitoring. Support engineers would rely on manual testing and exercising key customer use cases by using the app. I'll get a report and update of progress. I would also be feeding back my experiences.</li></ul><ul><li><b>Obsessed on customer sentiments - monitoring social media. </b>I introduced activities for engineers to regularly track social media feeds complaining about the streaming experience and acting on them. We couldn't talk directly to the customer and had to engage via the business support channels, so I created a partnership between my engineers and the business support channels. Eventually, the business support channels partnered closely with my org for monitoring customers and key events.</li></ul><ul><li><b>Embracing test automation canaries in production. </b>One of the first engineering changes I made was revamping the testing family by focusing strongly on automated test environments. I had good strong technical test leads who led sterling efforts and introducing automated API tests, testing key service in production and providing realtime dashboards of the test case suite results. Now the support engineers had access to realtime dashboards from canary tests, they could easily tell when services were failing to page in the service team developers. In the first year, this was still manual but a big step in the right direction. My test lead won the Naspers innovation award as a result of the innovation we delivered in test automation. We invested in real "robots" WitBe test agents that drove and reported on customer experience tests.</li></ul><ul><li><b>Invested in FullCI/CD from day one. </b>When I joined the engineering team had a fledgling build system running on a single machine, Jenkins build machine. In the first year we enhanced the backend services to fullCD pipelines and expanded the build infrastructure. By the second year we had fullCD for all our frontend applications across all platforms: multiple web browsers, iOS, Android, SmartTV, connected STBs and 3rd party media devices. With a fully automated software release pipeline along with automated testing on production, the quality of engineering and confidence in the releases improved drastrically.</li></ul><ul><li><b>Adapting to corporate controls: CAB Change Advisory Board. </b>As I was a CTO for one line of business, we needed to adapt our processes to align with "Enterprise Change Control Boards" without losing the agility we needed to deploy or rollback quickly, and the flexibility to load test on production. Because of our mission control process and our automated build/release pipelines, we secured just enough compliance to keep our online delivery team further separated from traditional heavyweight IT change controls. My tech ops manager took over communicating with the CAB and owning the standard ITIL/COBiT compliance checks.</li></ul><ul><li><b>Made software engineers more accountable for operations monitoring. </b>Whilst the team did have a crude concept of "on-call", they called it "standby" - the standby engineers lacked any real runbook or SOP on checking their services. I got them to contribute to part of the check-in reporting schedule. If you're an engineer on standby, in the absence of tooling and automated alarming, you need to provide me an update on the health of your services according to the schedule. You're getting paid overtime for standby, so you need to earn it - standby is not about being reactive and waiting for an outage to happen then act?! No, that was the old mindset, and I had to change it. I was quite unpopular, but it happened alright.</li></ul><ul><li><b>Andon chord when there was an outage. </b>Whenever there was an outage, I would call every one onsite immediately (key engineers on standy, their managers and my senior managers, along with the platform infrastructure time). In the early days, it was chaotic - there was no runbooks, one senior engineer would be the hero and try to diagnose and save the day! No more, I facilitated the investigations, asked questions - got people to think methodically. We created a board that showed how we restart the services, sequences and steps to get the stack to bootup again. This became a useful runbook because in 2017, we would spend time rebooting the stack a good few times. Every issue had an action item to follow-up and plug the holes in time for the next weekend.</li></ul><ul><li><b>Retrospectives after an Andon chord event. </b>After an all nighter slog to address outages, even if it was 2am in the morning, I never let the team go home without having an instant retrospective. I wanted people to share their feelings, their experience of the events. I know that change has to strike an emotional chord, otherwise people will not strive to improve their systems. Sometimes these check-ins on feelings took an hour, but it was effective as it got the team to gel more closely together and feel strongly connected as one team. Despite the high egos and emotional outbursts (sometimes I myself was guilty of), people always reconciled and left with a better appreciation of what platform stability means, what structure and discipline is required to keep a tech platform running smoothly and the stakes at hand. I got good feedback on these emotional check-ins...</li></ul><ul><li><b>Introduced key (near real-time) metrics to track. </b>If you can't see the target how are you going to hit it? Apart from the standard CPU/Memory/Network stats, this engineering team did not think from the customer's perspective. So I introduced key metrics that our operations monitoring team and standby engineers must monitor and report on during every check-in. Things like, number of connected users streaming right now, traffic through load balancer, cache hits / misses, playback issues, test results, etc. At first I created a table on a whiteboard, which became the key information status radiator before we built automated platform intelligence dashboards. I also introduced technical metrics publishing to the real-time business metrics dashboards, so everyone could see in near real-time, the current performance of the stack in terms of key customer, business and technical metrics.</li></ul><ul><li><b>Hired a Technical Operations Manager. </b>Whilst leading these initiatives myself personally, I was grooming another manager to take over technical operations, following my lead. Eventually this manager would take over and repeat my mechanisms like clockwork and also introduced his own enhancements, and built out a stronger technical support team. Previously the support engineers didn't understand the technical stack, architecture or APIs - so we worked on closing that gap by investing in training and technical development.</li></ul><ul><li><b>Controlling communications to stakeholders. </b>I initially protected the team from the heat of various stakeholders. We had a number of outages at the most unfortunate of timing, CEOs would come crashing down - some risk officers often asked me "Who should we fire? Who's responsible for the outage? Mo, do you have the right people?". I had shouldered this burden from the team and took all the risk on - explaining the nature of the platform and showing the lessons we learnt as a result and proving all the work that went into addressing fixes. Eventually my tech ops manager stepped up to handle stakeholders comms and integrate with the wider enterprise's incident management processes.</li></ul><ul><li><b>Introduced the Five Whys. </b>For every outage, I drove the process of the five whys to explain the outages in simple english to my stakeholders and also to teach my engineers how to dive deep and address the root cause. I insisted on the highest standards that we're not learning or diving deep enough if we're experiencing outages for the same reasons over and over. A way to manage this was through constructive feedback and to the point of performance management at engineer level.</li></ul><ul><li><b>Created Platform Intelligence Dashboards. </b>We lacked a single pane of glass for monitoring operations so I funded a start-up team to build a platform to onboard multiple dashboards from various data sources. Any team with a dashboard providing useful insights on the health of the platform could now be onboarded. The dashboard was super cool and useful for operations engineers and also myself, to instantly inspect the health of the platform, near real-time. </li></ul><ul><li><b>Automated Repetitive Tasks. </b>I inspected the support monitoring engineers daily activities, checklists and action items, helped them identify patterns of repeated manual work and recovery steps, then helped them automate processes. I connected them closer to the development teams so that their pain-points could be addressed in weekly sprints, improving overall monitoring health week on week. Over time, these habits started to stick and brought the teams closer to a devops mentality.</li></ul><ul><li><b>Invested in third-party monitoring, alarming and insights systems. </b>At the service team level, our engineers were flying blind when it came to debugging and triaging issues, as well as monitoring events and transactions in real-time. Instead of reinventing observability into our system, I approved the purchase of third-party software like App Dynamics. In a short space of time, the engineers were no longer flying blind and could visualise the flow of information through their APIs, access logging and other traceability tools that saved precious time in our reaction time.</li></ul><ul><li><b>Active planning around events - the War Room. </b>I showed my team how to plan in advance and be on top of the key events. I created the networks and partner touch points across digital comms, social media channels, customer care, command centres internally and external partners - putting down a template for event planning that my tech ops manager eventually took over and ran, owning all the communications thereafter. I showed how we could leverage our partners operations monitoring teams like Akamai, Irdeto, AWS for supplementing our own monitoring for key events.</li></ul><ul><li><b>Use metaphors like ICU, High Care, Drain the Swamp. </b>I was vocally self critical and transparent with my stakeholders from day one. They gave me this job to take on a technical platform that wasn't initially built for scale. They were a neglected team without a big budget and hence they built a broad digital platform (somewhat ingeniously) in the face of extreme frugality on a shoestring budget. So when the business decided to aggressively market online video streaming and grow their user base, they had no idea about the amount of technical debt or the state of the platform. So I used language like "I<i> need to drain the swamp to see what rocks and other monsters lie beneath the stagnant waters. And to do this, I need to load test on production!</i>" Or "<i>The system is in ICU with key vitals operating at elevated rates. We are monitoring round the clock and have countermeasures, but this is the best we can do right now because our infrastructure can't cope with the current load. I'm sorry.</i>".</li></ul><div><br /></div></div><h3 style="text-align: justify;">Mission Control as a culture of behaviours indexing highly on ownership</h3><div style="text-align: justify;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg66T-_0ng4gpCibIRKAseOty6BbIDGwvlceutxf4UOA6_Irw3YSH-CiccVqDq0bJTaeEhXi53bNPh2s-Dk12_m-senluXssSiK8vM8LrDPxPfTQrDZafYN9Ifj76Ym8ssbwgLOQbqH-7uvkfS_NLgvUH98zXRcoDwbfsddaMFI9MUfyxu1_nAI0uzjYA/s1415/blogMCThankyou.png" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="825" data-original-width="1415" height="187" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg66T-_0ng4gpCibIRKAseOty6BbIDGwvlceutxf4UOA6_Irw3YSH-CiccVqDq0bJTaeEhXi53bNPh2s-Dk12_m-senluXssSiK8vM8LrDPxPfTQrDZafYN9Ifj76Ym8ssbwgLOQbqH-7uvkfS_NLgvUH98zXRcoDwbfsddaMFI9MUfyxu1_nAI0uzjYA/w320-h187/blogMCThankyou.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thank you email</td></tr></tbody></table>I coined the term "Mission Control" drawing from the awesome control centre Nasa employs to manage their space missions. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Striving for engineering operational excellence, what higher bar than NASA to use as an aspiration. Improving an engineering teams operational excellence starting from zero and getting to ninety (when I left), was not easy. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It called for a lot of leading from the frontlines, getting my hands dirty, influencing and convincing people of the responsibilities on high engineering standards - showing my managers and engineers how to go about planning and reacting to crisis situations. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I'm not saying I got it right all the time. I am only human and subject to my own biases and emotional challenges. I was initially swayed by some of the biases from senior stakeholders, sometimes the pressure and intensity of their impatience, leaked from me onto the team. Over time, I built enough of a thick skin and backbone to know both when to buffer the team and when to allow pokes to the team, especially when an outage was a result of our own negligence or oversight (or over confidence). We shared many late nights, early mornings and all nighters together, some hits and misses - but in the end, Mission Control was pivotal in improving the operational health and stability of the platform. I should also mention the importance of communicating with the teams at all levels. Introducing a big change in engineering excellence is not easy, so communication is vital not only to keep the story together but most importantly to bring your people with you along the journey in executing your vision as an leader.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp0A2NASOkIdbWHtyhR0nv_07six08NHVt5sbLwnhhq0-1qVBLKHu1xoEhgy_NwXRlvjQgniIee3PLc0x6jT0drdLENVb0xFqLqsY3c3kwgiknnMEAdgjYFGD061I3oKjspw57kS_XMsNhozhfWjXV_prXnBznpFAPB_AEd6XyKwmmBjSGBpafBMoovA/s1379/blogThankYou2MissionControl.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1092" data-original-width="1379" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp0A2NASOkIdbWHtyhR0nv_07six08NHVt5sbLwnhhq0-1qVBLKHu1xoEhgy_NwXRlvjQgniIee3PLc0x6jT0drdLENVb0xFqLqsY3c3kwgiknnMEAdgjYFGD061I3oKjspw57kS_XMsNhozhfWjXV_prXnBznpFAPB_AEd6XyKwmmBjSGBpafBMoovA/w400-h316/blogThankYou2MissionControl.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Motivating the team </td></tr></tbody></table>
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</script>khanmjkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12719457132019410132noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2027834094987620676.post-60722361490136762022023-04-05T07:29:00.001+02:002023-04-05T07:32:30.292+02:00ChatGPT - Stoicism and Islam - common principles?<div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifsOUiS4SsfN-VikMwgUjejxLIt_dzWWTrJZcWlJZm9mFiRh3nqsaPhWULJl4Il74KXIX6rTR18qwfXn7ME0moTyUy0mgom2c7Yjz8TkLJ2e5LTdDVpAbcbeEOVayKsBotwYOfC3Cxx2Qzs0nbSd2Mzg8ZUAQ6dEe8an_i3G_6exYJEDcTxxfLl-gVqQ/s500/soticMuslim.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifsOUiS4SsfN-VikMwgUjejxLIt_dzWWTrJZcWlJZm9mFiRh3nqsaPhWULJl4Il74KXIX6rTR18qwfXn7ME0moTyUy0mgom2c7Yjz8TkLJ2e5LTdDVpAbcbeEOVayKsBotwYOfC3Cxx2Qzs0nbSd2Mzg8ZUAQ6dEe8an_i3G_6exYJEDcTxxfLl-gVqQ/w200-h200/soticMuslim.png" width="200" /></a></div>Yesterday, I had a good conversation with ChatGPT exploring Islam Inc. as a way to explain Islam from the perspective of a Silicon Valley company. As part of this chat, we explored the leadership principles of the people from Islam who were instrumental in making Islam Inc. endure over centuries.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">As a long time reader of the modern books of Stoic philosophy, I acknowledged most of Stoic principles from the lens of Islamic principles. A large part, IMHO overlaps and so I don't have any issues promoting Stoicism - although I do advise one doesn't have to look outside the leaders of Islam to find what they're looking for.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I wanted to inspect my opinion so I asked ChatGPT - turns out, I am right... :-) I like the way ChatGPT empathises and also respectfully put PBUH (Peace Be Upon Him) when referring to the prophet Muhammad (PBUH).</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I wonder if the source of ChatGPT's response came from <a href="https://urbanmuslimz.com/news/theology/simplifying-your-life-a-cross-between-stoicism-and-islam/">here</a>? It would be great to see how the machine reasons and cites references that seeded its response.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span face="Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"" style="color: #343541; font-size: 16px; text-align: start; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>When viewed from Stoic philosophy lens, would you say Islam Inc's leaders embodied Stoicism or exceeded it?</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: #f7f7f8; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; color: #374151; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 1.25em; text-align: justify; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Stoicism is a school of philosophy founded in Athens by Zeno of Citium in the early 3rd century BCE. It teaches that the path to happiness and virtue is found in accepting the present moment and focusing on what one can control, rather than being disturbed by external events or emotions. Stoicism emphasizes rational thinking, self-discipline, and emotional resilience.</i></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: #f7f7f8; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; color: #374151; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"; font-size: 16px; margin: 1.25em 0px; text-align: justify; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>When examining the leadership of Islam Inc. through the lens of Stoic philosophy, there are certainly some parallels and overlapping principles. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and the successive leaders of Islam Inc. exhibited traits such as self-discipline, patience, perseverance, and emotional resilience, which align with Stoic ideals.</i></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: #f7f7f8; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; color: #374151; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"; font-size: 16px; margin: 1.25em 0px; text-align: justify; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>However, it is important to recognize that Islam is a distinct belief system with its own set of values and teachings, which are not identical to Stoic philosophy. For example, Islam places a strong emphasis on the belief in God, the importance of prayer, and submission to the will of God. These concepts are not central to Stoic thought, which is more focused on the individual's control over their own reactions and emotions.</i></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: #f7f7f8; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; color: #374151; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"; font-size: 16px; margin: 1.25em 0px 0px; text-align: justify; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>It would be an oversimplification to say that the leaders of Islam Inc. either embodied Stoicism or exceeded it. Instead, it is more accurate to acknowledge that there are areas of overlap and shared values between the two belief systems, while also recognizing their distinct philosophical and theological foundations.</i></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: #f7f7f8; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; color: #374151; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"; font-size: 16px; margin: 1.25em 0px 0px; text-align: justify; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #343541; text-align: start;"><b>Yes, agreed. Let's focus on the areas of overlap. What are they?</b></span></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: #f7f7f8; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; color: #374151; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 1.25em; text-align: justify; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>There are several areas of overlap between Stoicism and the teachings of Islam Inc. when considering the leadership traits of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and the successive leaders. Some of these shared principles include:</i></p><ol style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: #f7f7f8; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; color: #374151; counter-reset: item 0; display: flex; flex-direction: column; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"; font-size: 16px; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; margin: 1.25em 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 1rem; text-align: start; white-space: pre-wrap;"><li style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0.375em;"><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i><b>Self-discipline</b>: Both Stoicism and Islam emphasize the importance of self-discipline and self-control. In Islam, self-discipline is practiced through prayer, fasting, and adherence to moral guidelines. Stoicism encourages self-discipline to maintain rational thinking and emotional resilience in the face of external events or emotions.</i></p></li><li style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0.375em;"><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i><b>Patience and perseverance</b>: In both belief systems, patience and perseverance are regarded as essential virtues. Stoicism teaches that individuals should accept the present moment and focus on what they can control, while Islam emphasizes patience in the face of adversity and maintaining faith in God's plan.</i></p></li><li style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0.375em;"><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i><b>Emotional resilience</b>: Stoicism and Islam both encourage emotional resilience and the ability to maintain inner peace and tranquility, regardless of external circumstances. Stoicism emphasizes the power of rational thought and self-control to manage emotions, while Islam teaches that reliance on God and spiritual practices can bring peace and contentment.</i></p></li><li style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0.375em;"><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i><b>Gratitude and contentment</b>: Both Stoicism and Islam encourage gratitude and contentment with one's circumstances. Stoicism teaches that individuals should appreciate what they have and avoid excessive desires, while Islam encourages gratitude for God's blessings and discourages envy or greed.</i></p></li><li style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0.375em;"><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i><b>Compassion and empathy</b>: Both belief systems value compassion and empathy toward others. Stoicism teaches that humans are all part of a larger community and should support one another, while Islam emphasizes the importance of compassion, charity, and helping those in need.</i></p></li><li style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0.375em;"><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i><b>Focus on virtue and moral character</b>: Stoicism and Islam both stress the importance of developing strong moral character and living according to ethical principles. Stoicism teaches that virtue is the ultimate good and that individuals should strive to act with wisdom, courage, justice, and moderation. In Islam, moral character is essential in following God's guidance and becoming a righteous believer.</i></p></li></ol><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: #f7f7f8; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; color: #374151; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"; font-size: 16px; margin: 1.25em 0px 0px; text-align: justify; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>While these areas of overlap exist, it is important to remember that Stoicism and Islam are distinct belief systems with their own unique philosophical and theological foundations. The overlaps can provide an interesting point of comparison but should not be taken as a complete equivalence between the two systems.</i></p></div><script type="text/javascript">
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</script>khanmjkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12719457132019410132noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2027834094987620676.post-39079773063047930232023-04-04T07:29:00.003+02:002023-05-08T21:11:06.586+02:00ChatGPT - understanding Islam in Silicon Valley terms<div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgImNbHAruJ-vZV62QduyWfZNth-dRYf-W8JwIlV45u9TZ7hf-J1p_mdBJEA9klINPWR102iQzAE__3h6yUi-8ZvX1GuantHm78uA7WJMNIqcnibNzBe_OQ78zpAqxoMsm0OiHrjOY8bqt3QxoHIC2c7uZQqDBdGGXxXmnF06ETc4f652awhnbIp_Q7Xw/s653/chatGPT-IslamGrowth.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="350" data-original-width="653" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgImNbHAruJ-vZV62QduyWfZNth-dRYf-W8JwIlV45u9TZ7hf-J1p_mdBJEA9klINPWR102iQzAE__3h6yUi-8ZvX1GuantHm78uA7WJMNIqcnibNzBe_OQ78zpAqxoMsm0OiHrjOY8bqt3QxoHIC2c7uZQqDBdGGXxXmnF06ETc4f652awhnbIp_Q7Xw/w400-h215/chatGPT-IslamGrowth.png" width="400" /></a></div>For a long time I wanted to write a blog post about how I would model Islam as a tech company - how would we go about describing the phenomenal growth rate in today's terms. </div><div style="text-align: justify;">What would the growth curve look like? What will be the driver metric, KPI for investors? What are the leadership principles that the leaders of Islam embodied that endured for centuries? </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Are there any anecdotes we can learn from Islamic leadership principles and apply them in today's context, as a productive Muslim, working in the modern day?</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">So I asked ChatGPT :) Suffice to say, the results were not bad at all, balanced and came with disclosures on assumptions, cautions and disclaimers. Nevertheless, the power of ChatGPT as an assistive tool to add value to my life/work continues to grow daily.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span face="Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"" style="color: #343541; font-size: 16px; text-align: start; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Are you familiar with Islamic history, prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and the rise of Islam?</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span face="Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"" style="color: #343541; font-size: 16px; text-align: start; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: #f7f7f8; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; color: #374151; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 1.25em; text-align: justify; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Yes, I am familiar with Islamic history, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), and the rise of Islam. Islam is one of the world's major religions, and it began in the early 7th century CE in the Arabian Peninsula.</i></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: #f7f7f8; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; color: #374151; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"; font-size: 16px; margin: 1.25em 0px; text-align: justify; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Prophet Muhammad (PBUH - Peace Be Upon Him) was born in Mecca, in present-day Saudi Arabia, around 570 CE. He is considered the last prophet of God in Islam, and Muslims believe that he received revelations from God through the angel Gabriel. These revelations were later compiled into the Islamic holy book, the Quran.</i></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: #f7f7f8; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; color: #374151; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"; font-size: 16px; margin: 1.25em 0px; text-align: justify; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Muhammad began preaching the message of Islam in Mecca, but faced opposition from the local tribes. In 622 CE, he and his followers migrated to the city of Medina, which marked the beginning of the Islamic calendar and is known as the Hijra. In Medina, the Muslim community continued to grow, and Muhammad eventually became the leader of the city.</i></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: #f7f7f8; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; color: #374151; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"; font-size: 16px; margin: 1.25em 0px; text-align: justify; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Over the next few years, Muslims fought a series of battles against the Meccan tribes, eventually emerging victorious. In 630 CE, Muhammad and his followers returned to Mecca, where they took control of the city and the Kaaba, the most sacred site in Islam. This event marked the beginning of the rapid expansion of Islam throughout the Arabian Peninsula and beyond.</i></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: #f7f7f8; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; color: #374151; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"; font-size: 16px; margin: 1.25em 0px 0px; text-align: justify; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>After the death of Prophet Muhammad in 632 CE, the Islamic empire expanded under the leadership of the first four caliphs: Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, and Ali. They are known as the "Rightly Guided Caliphs" in Sunni Islam, and their rule marked the beginning of the Rashidun Caliphate. Over the following centuries, Islamic rule spread throughout the Middle East, North Africa, and parts of Europe and Asia, leaving a lasting impact on world history and culture.</i></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: #f7f7f8; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; color: #374151; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"; font-size: 16px; margin: 1.25em 0px 0px; text-align: justify; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #343541;"><b>Great. Now describe Islam and the rise of Islam over the centuries as if you're describing a silicon valley company. Start with Prophet Muhammad as the CEO and account for the 23 years of the early stages of the company. Then take into account what followed next of the meteoric rise of Islam as part of the company's global strategy. Show how the business expanded and scaled. Imagine the value of the business if someone invested $100 at the start and speculate what the value of the company would be today.</b></span></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: #f7f7f8; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; color: #374151; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"; font-size: 16px; margin: 1.25em 0px 0px; text-align: justify; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #343541;"><span></span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: #f7f7f8; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; color: #374151; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"; font-size: 16px; margin: 1.25em 0px 0px; text-align: justify; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span color="var(--tw-prose-body)" style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 1rem;"><i>In the early 7th century, a new startup emerged in the religious market, aiming to disrupt the status quo and offer a fresh perspective on spirituality and social cohesion. This innovative venture, known as Islam Inc., was founded by the charismatic CEO, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). He set out to redefine people's relationship with God, introduce a comprehensive ethical code, and create a global community.</i></span></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: #f7f7f8; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; color: #374151; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"; font-size: 16px; margin: 1.25em 0px 0px; text-align: justify; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span color="var(--tw-prose-body)" style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 1rem;"><i>The first 23 years of Islam Inc. were marked by rapid product development and market validation. The CEO received groundbreaking revelations that would later become the company's core product, the Quran. This holy book provided a set of guidelines for users to optimize their lives and achieve eternal success. Early adopters of Islam Inc.'s offering were captivated by its promise of a better life and a more equitable society.</i></span></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: #f7f7f8; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; color: #374151; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"; font-size: 16px; margin: 1.25em 0px 0px; text-align: justify; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span color="var(--tw-prose-body)" style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 1rem;"><i>Despite facing fierce competition and hostility from well-established industry players in Mecca, Islam Inc. persevered, and in 622 CE, the company relocated its headquarters to Medina. This strategic move, known as the Hijra, allowed the company to expand its user base and refine its product.</i></span></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: #f7f7f8; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; color: #374151; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"; font-size: 16px; margin: 1.25em 0px 0px; text-align: justify; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span color="var(--tw-prose-body)" style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 1rem;"><i>As the company's influence grew, so did its valuation. In 630 CE, Prophet Muhammad and his team successfully regained control of Mecca, the most important market in the region. This milestone established Islam Inc. as a dominant player in the religious market, paving the way for its global expansion strategy.</i></span></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: #f7f7f8; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; color: #374151; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"; font-size: 16px; margin: 1.25em 0px 0px; text-align: justify; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span color="var(--tw-prose-body)" style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 1rem;"><i>After the passing of CEO Prophet Muhammad in 632 CE, a series of highly competent successors, known as caliphs, took the helm of the company. Under their leadership, Islam Inc. scaled its operations, and its product reached new markets in the Middle East, North Africa, and parts of Europe and Asia. The rapid expansion was fueled by the company's unique selling points: a clear and well-defined message, a strong sense of community, and an egalitarian social structure that resonated with users across different cultures.</i></span></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: #f7f7f8; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; color: #374151; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"; font-size: 16px; margin: 1.25em 0px 0px; text-align: justify; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span color="var(--tw-prose-body)" style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 1rem;"><i>To speculate on the value of an early investment in Islam Inc., let's assume someone invested $100 at the very beginning. Considering the exponential growth and widespread adoption of the company's offering, the investment would have increased in value dramatically. Today, Islam Inc. has over 1.8 billion users worldwide, making it one of the most successful spiritual enterprises in human history. It is difficult to put an exact dollar value on such an investment, but it's safe to say that the returns would be astronomical, both in terms of financial gains and the impact on the lives of countless people around the world.</i></span></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: #f7f7f8; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; color: #374151; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"; font-size: 16px; margin: 1.25em 0px 0px; text-align: justify; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span color="var(--tw-prose-body)" style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 1rem;"><i>In conclusion, Islam Inc. is an extraordinary example of a startup that has managed to grow from a small, local venture into a global powerhouse, with its product and guiding principles shaping the lives of a significant portion of the world's population. The success of Islam Inc. demonstrates the power of a clear vision, perseverance, and the ability to adapt to and overcome challenges in a competitive market.</i></span></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: #f7f7f8; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; color: #374151; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"; font-size: 16px; margin: 1.25em 0px 0px; text-align: justify; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #343541;"><b>Continue with the thread of Prophet Muhammad's (PBUH) leadership, what would you extrapolate from his life as valuable lessons to coach modern leaders of business today?</b></span></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: #f7f7f8; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; color: #374151; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 1.25em; text-align: justify; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Prophet Muhammad's (PBUH) life and leadership provide valuable lessons that can be applied to modern business leaders today. Some of these key lessons include:</i></p><ol style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: #f7f7f8; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; color: #374151; counter-reset: item 0; display: flex; flex-direction: column; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"; font-size: 16px; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; margin: 1.25em 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 1rem; text-align: start; white-space: pre-wrap;"><li style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0.375em;"><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i><b>Clear vision and mission</b>: Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) had a clear vision for his mission, which was to spread the message of Islam and create a just and equitable society. Modern leaders can learn from this by setting a clear and inspiring vision for their organizations, which will help guide decision-making and align team members towards a common goal.</i></p></li><li style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0.375em;"><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i><b>Effective communication:</b> Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was known for his eloquence and ability to convey complex ideas in a simple and understandable manner. Today's leaders can benefit from developing strong communication skills to ensure their message is clearly understood and resonates with their team members, stakeholders, and customers.</i></p></li><li style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0.375em;"><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i><b>Adaptability and resilience</b>: Throughout his life, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) faced numerous challenges and setbacks but remained steadfast in his mission. Modern leaders can learn from this resilience by adapting to changing circumstances, overcoming obstacles, and remaining committed to their goals.</i></p></li><li style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0.375em;"><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i><b>Empathy and inclusiveness</b>: Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) showed great empathy and concern for the welfare of others, regardless of their social status or background. In today's diverse business environment, leaders can foster an inclusive culture by treating everyone with respect, understanding, and compassion.</i></p></li><li style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0.375em;"><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i><b>Integrity and ethical leadership</b>: Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) emphasized the importance of honesty, trustworthiness, and ethical conduct in his teachings. Business leaders can learn from this by maintaining high ethical standards, being transparent in their actions, and fostering a culture of integrity within their organizations.</i></p></li><li style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0.375em;"><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i><b>Empowerment and delegation</b>: Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) empowered his followers by giving them responsibilities, trusting their abilities, and providing guidance when needed. Modern leaders can benefit from this approach by delegating tasks effectively, trusting their team members to make decisions, and providing support and guidance as required.</i></p></li><li style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0.375em;"><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i><b>Continuous learning and development</b>: Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) encouraged his followers to seek knowledge and continuously improve themselves. Business leaders can adopt a growth mindset by embracing lifelong learning, seeking new experiences, and fostering an environment of continuous improvement within their organizations.</i></p></li><li style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0.375em;"><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i><b>Building strong relationships and community</b>: Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was skilled at building strong relationships and fostering a sense of community among his followers. Today's leaders can learn from this by developing strong connections with their team members, stakeholders, and customers, as well as fostering a collaborative and supportive work environment.</i></p></li></ol><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: #f7f7f8; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; color: #374151; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"; font-size: 16px; margin: 1.25em 0px 0px; text-align: justify; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>By applying these lessons from Prophet Muhammad's (PBUH) life and leadership, modern business leaders can become more effective, compassionate, and successful in their roles, ultimately contributing to the growth and prosperity of their organizations.</i></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: #f7f7f8; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; color: #374151; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"; font-size: 16px; margin: 1.25em 0px 0px; text-align: justify; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #343541;"><b>Isn't it impressive how Islam Inc grew exponentially since the passing of the CEO (PBUH)? What additional traits and leadership principles from Muhammad's (PBUH) successive leaders could apply today to help build better leaders and managers?</b></span></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: #f7f7f8; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 1.25em 0px 0px; text-align: start;"><span face="Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"" style="color: #343541; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><!--more--><div style="text-align: justify;"><span face="Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"" style="color: #343541; font-weight: 700; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><p></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: #f7f7f8; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; color: #374151; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 1.25em; text-align: justify; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Yes, it is indeed impressive how Islam Inc. continued to grow exponentially after the passing of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). The successive leaders, known as the Rightly Guided Caliphs (Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, and Ali), exhibited various traits and leadership principles that can serve as valuable lessons for modern business leaders and managers. Some of these key principles include:</i></p><ol style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: #f7f7f8; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; color: #374151; counter-reset: item 0; display: flex; flex-direction: column; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"; font-size: 16px; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; margin: 1.25em 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 1rem; text-align: start; white-space: pre-wrap;"><li style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0.375em;"><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i><b>Strong succession planning</b>: The early leaders of Islam Inc. ensured a smooth transition of power and maintained continuity in their mission. Modern leaders can learn from this by putting in place strong succession planning processes to ensure the organization's long-term success and stability.</i></p></li><li style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0.375em;"><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i><b>Decisiveness and strategic thinking</b>: The Rightly Guided Caliphs were known for their decisiveness and strategic thinking in the face of challenges. They were able to make tough decisions while considering long-term implications for the organization. Today's leaders can benefit from developing these skills to navigate complex situations and drive their organizations forward.</i></p></li><li style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0.375em;"><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i><b>Consultation and collaboration</b>: The early caliphs frequently consulted with their advisors and encouraged input from diverse sources. This collaborative approach allowed them to make informed decisions and foster a sense of ownership among their followers. Modern leaders can adopt this consultative approach to enhance decision-making and foster a culture of collaboration and teamwork.</i></p></li><li style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0.375em;"><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i><b>Justice and fairness</b>: The Rightly Guided Caliphs placed great emphasis on justice and fairness in their dealings with others. They were known for their impartiality and commitment to upholding the rule of law. Business leaders can learn from this by treating all employees fairly, ensuring equal opportunities for growth and development, and fostering a culture of accountability and transparency.</i></p></li><li style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0.375em;"><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i><b>Focus on welfare and development:</b> The early caliphs were deeply concerned with the welfare and development of their people. They implemented policies and infrastructure projects to improve living conditions and ensure the well-being of their communities. Today's leaders can learn from this by prioritizing the well-being of their employees, providing opportunities for personal and professional growth, and creating a supportive work environment.</i></p></li><li style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0.375em;"><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i><b>Leading by example</b>: The Rightly Guided Caliphs were known for their humility, modesty, and dedication to serving their people. They led by example, inspiring their followers through their actions and commitment to the organization's mission. Modern leaders can adopt this approach by embodying the values and principles they wish to see in their team members and setting a positive example through their own behavior.</i></p></li></ol><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: #f7f7f8; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; color: #374151; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"; font-size: 16px; margin: 1.25em 0px 0px; text-align: justify; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>By embracing these traits and leadership principles demonstrated by the successive leaders of Islam Inc., modern business leaders and managers can develop a more effective, compassionate, and successful approach to leadership that fosters growth and prosperity for their organizations.</i></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: #f7f7f8; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; color: #374151; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"; font-size: 16px; margin: 1.25em 0px 0px; text-align: justify; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #343541; text-align: start;"><b>Going back to the leadership traits of the CEO (PBUH) and successive leaders that followed, which people from the last century comes close to exhibiting some, if not all of their characteristics?</b></span></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: #f7f7f8; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; color: #374151; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 1.25em; text-align: justify; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Certainly. Here are some notable individuals from the last century who have exhibited some of the leadership traits of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and the successive leaders of Islam Inc. Keep in mind that these individuals may not embody all of the characteristics, and the comparisons made here are only for illustrative purposes.</i></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: #f7f7f8; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; color: #374151; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 1.25em; text-align: justify; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i><b>Mahatma Gandhi</b>: A political and spiritual leader, Gandhi demonstrated integrity, empathy, humility, non-violence, perseverance, persistence, vision, and a strong moral compass. His leadership in India's fight for independence and his commitment to non-violent civil disobedience left a lasting impact on the world.</i></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: #f7f7f8; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; color: #374151; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 1.25em; text-align: justify; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i><b>Nelson Mandela:</b> As a political leader, Mandela exhibited resilience, forgiveness, vision, and the ability to unite people. His struggle against apartheid in South Africa and his subsequent presidency displayed the power of forgiveness and the importance of working towards a common goal, despite facing immense challenges.</i></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: #f7f7f8; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; color: #374151; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 1.25em; text-align: justify; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i><b>Martin Luther King Jr</b>.: As a civil rights leader, King showcased courage, vision, effective communication, and empathy. His tireless work in advocating for racial equality and social justice made a significant impact on American society and inspired movements around the world.</i></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: #f7f7f8; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; color: #374151; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 1.25em; text-align: justify; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i><b>Mother Teresa</b>: As a humanitarian and religious leader, Mother Teresa displayed selflessness, compassion, humility, and dedication. Her work in serving the poor and the sick demonstrated the power of love and empathy in addressing the needs of the most vulnerable in society.</i></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: #f7f7f8; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; color: #374151; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 1.25em; text-align: justify; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i><b>Malala Yousafzai</b>: As a young activist, Malala embodies courage, determination, and advocacy</i></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: #f7f7f8; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; color: #374151; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 1.25em; text-align: justify; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #343541;"><b>Interesting. Why didn't Winston Churchill make the list?</b></span></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: #f7f7f8; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; color: #374151; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 1.25em; text-align: justify; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Winston Churchill was a significant political leader in the 20th century, and his leadership during World War II was crucial in leading Britain and the Allied forces to victory. However, the individuals mentioned in the previous answer were chosen for their embodiment of some specific characteristics associated with Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and the successive leaders of Islam Inc., such as humility, empathy, non-violence, and a strong moral compass.</i></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: #f7f7f8; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; color: #374151; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"; font-size: 16px; margin: 1.25em 0px; text-align: justify; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>While Churchill exhibited determination, strong communication skills, and strategic thinking, some of his other actions and opinions may not align with the traits mentioned above. For example, his controversial stances on imperialism and colonialism, as well as some of his decisions during the Bengal Famine, have been criticized for their negative impact on certain populations.</i></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: #f7f7f8; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; color: #374151; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"; font-size: 16px; margin: 1.25em 0px 0px; text-align: justify; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>It's essential to recognize that no historical figure is without flaws, and the purpose of this comparison is not to present perfect examples but rather to illustrate some of the leadership traits exhibited by Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and the successive leaders of Islam Inc. in the context of more recent figures. Different leaders can embody various aspects of these traits, and the selection of individuals mentioned earlier is not meant to be exhaustive or definitive.</i></p></div><script type="text/javascript">
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</script>khanmjkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12719457132019410132noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2027834094987620676.post-80269531415374299732023-04-03T06:51:00.004+02:002023-05-16T07:00:42.822+02:00ChatGPT - Summary paper Differences between OTT & traditional PayTV <div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBlA85fPVCPU7fqRyXfPuPvjF8WnUN7HTumf9_dzwe7Qq_G-AFR8N8l7fdiq_gFz9odY8SG70F717wX9ZRlN8zV71rQZ4xT_UQjc_T_DUcxJM5zu1mq6YO7kKSOXeCxoTZIEfWhzveQZf8h_H9okcCeFpCiTQ7VbwxbMydsXYbkoWwQyK0lwTOzEjv1w/s1390/hronicler-noble-writer-scribe-playwright-medieval-aristocrat-periwig-pen-music-stand-scroll-candles-mascot-icons-set-cartoon-91808532.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1390" data-original-width="1300" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBlA85fPVCPU7fqRyXfPuPvjF8WnUN7HTumf9_dzwe7Qq_G-AFR8N8l7fdiq_gFz9odY8SG70F717wX9ZRlN8zV71rQZ4xT_UQjc_T_DUcxJM5zu1mq6YO7kKSOXeCxoTZIEfWhzveQZf8h_H9okcCeFpCiTQ7VbwxbMydsXYbkoWwQyK0lwTOzEjv1w/w187-h200/hronicler-noble-writer-scribe-playwright-medieval-aristocrat-periwig-pen-music-stand-scroll-candles-mascot-icons-set-cartoon-91808532.jpg" width="187" /></a></div>Today's experiment tests ChatGPT's ability to summarize my content from past blog posts, starting with my paper on <a href="https://khanmjk-outlet.blogspot.com/2019/12/what-makes-ott-streaming-platforms.html">challenges of building an OTT video streaming platforms</a> when compared to traditional satellite broadcast TV systems, which I wrote to target non-technical, non-digital-native senior executives who run PayTV companies who may not appreciate the engineering challenges.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">My original paper had a word count of: 7975</div><div style="text-align: justify;">ChatGPT summary generated: 1489</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I had to feed chatGPT one section at a time.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I wasn't pleased with the summary of sections 2-4 because at first I fed sections 1-4 to the machine, so it lost a fair chunk of detail. But the rest isn't so bad.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Overall rating, one first parse without retries - 3.5 stars (out of 5).</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">So here's another example of work productivity boosting: Summarise technical content in a way to present a summary to non-technical CxOs to help them grasp the essence of their engineering leader's thesis. Quite often, these two groups misunderstand each other, and out of fear or misplaced respect, or fear of embarrassment - the nontechnical executives grant the technology leader the benefit of doubt to do the right thing, the right way...sometimes, it can go awry where the nontechnical executives place unreasonable demands, and use authority to get the point across, because their mental models need calibrating for the new world, yet they're unable to see it. So you need technical leaders like me, to have backbone but also try different techniques to get the point across - like write a white paper. But my challenge has always been that even my white papers are just too damn long - and because I wrote almost all my papers in my spare time, I didn't invest time in efficiently summarising to the essence. I'm hoping ChatGPT will help me rework all my rather lengthy blogposts into simpler one pages.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-8be61fbd-7fff-6f04-22ee-9a38647fd254"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Abstract (generated)</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The author, a 20-year veteran in Digital TV software engineering, has witnessed the industry's evolution from set-top-box applications to online streaming. While traditional DTH broadcast systems offer simpler scalability and control, OTT platforms provide more flexible disaster recovery and redundancy options. However, OTT operators face challenges in managing customer experience due to factors beyond their control, such as network quality and relationships with telecom providers. The author suggests that PayTV operators should embrace modern, open technology stacks and focus on reducing operating costs instead of investing in outdated, proprietary systems. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Core themes summarized (generated)</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">:</span></p><ol style="margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Evolution of Digital TV software engineering</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">DTH broadcast systems' scalability and control</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">OTT platforms' flexibility in disaster recovery and redundancy</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Challenges faced by OTT operators in managing customer experience</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Importance of relationships with telecom providers for OTT operators</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Suggestion for PayTV operators to embrace modern, open technology stacks</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Focus on reducing operating costs instead of investing in outdated, proprietary systems</span></p></li></ol><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; font-weight: 700; white-space: pre-wrap;">Below is the summary generated by ChatGPT4, the author fed chunks of text per section from the original paper since the machine couldn’t process the original text in one go:</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span><a name='more'></a></span></span><span id="docs-internal-guid-b594289a-7fff-cc12-f95f-d6186d0b24b4"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The blog post discusses the differences and challenges between traditional broadcast DTH/SetTopBox (STB) systems and OTT (Over-the-Top) streaming platforms. OTT platforms have grown in popularity due to increasing competition from SVOD players like Netflix and Amazon. However, PayTV operators often struggle to adapt to the OTT landscape as they try to apply traditional broadcast thinking to it.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Key takeaways from the post:</span></p><br /><ol style="margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Traditional broadcast and OTT platforms are not directly comparable, and having experience in one does not necessarily translate to expertise in the other.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">PayTV operators used to enjoy a high level of end-to-end control in their ecosystem, but this is not possible in the OTT world, where the internet is beyond their control.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The OTT value chain is more complex than the broadcast value chain, with more backend, frontend, and device software components.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">OTT platforms face high levels of device and platform fragmentation compared to traditional PayTV systems.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The internet was not designed for TV consumption and is a more chaotic and unpredictable environment than traditional broadcast TV.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">OTT engineering teams face different challenges compared to traditional broadcast and set-top box engineering teams.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Convergence of DTH and OTT engineering teams in PayTV operators requires careful planning to avoid a "clash of worlds."</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">STB software systems offer more security control and protection than their OTT counterparts.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">OTT platforms face unique peak event and load challenges compared to broadcast DTH STB systems.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Redundancy, fast rollbacks, failover, and disaster recovery are easier to achieve in OTT platforms than in broadcast DTH/STB systems.</span></p></li></ol><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The post suggests that traditional PayTV executives should adapt their mindset and learn to appreciate the unique engineering challenges of the OTT world.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The rise of browser-based streaming has significantly impacted traditional PayTV, as it is more dynamic, agile, and requires new engineering and management approaches. While satellite PayTV operators have end-to-end control over the broadcast platform and can ensure high reliability, OTT platform operators face more challenges due to the complexity and variability of the internet.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">OTT customers need a strong and consistent internet connection, which isn't always guaranteed. ISPs may struggle to maintain service levels as demand grows, while wireless networks face constraints with their physical infrastructure. OTT operators often partner with CDN providers to improve customer experience but must consider factors like risk, funding, and engineering skills.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In summary, traditional satellite PayTV offers more end-to-end control and reliability, while OTT platforms require stronger partnerships, tolerance for risk, and adaptation to a rapidly evolving digital landscape.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In the STB (set-top box) application development world, PayTV operators have control over the client-side software ecosystem, ensuring consistency and ownership of the software stack. Middleware SDK platforms allow for EPG (Electronic Program Guide) applications to be built once and run on various hardware platforms with minimal customization. PayTV operators have full control over software upgrades and platform roadmaps.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In contrast, OTT (Over-the-Top) applications face fragmentation, as they must contend with multiple devices and platforms beyond the operator's control. This includes web browsers, various platform operating systems, mobile and tablet platforms, and Smart TVs. Additionally, OTT providers must deal with multiple video formats, DRM (Digital Rights Management) systems, and a lack of control over updates and platform roadmaps. As a result, OTT development teams need to specialize in multiple platforms, manage multiple app versions, and be flexible in handling emergency changes.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Some PayTV operators consider building their own OTT devices to regain control, but this introduces new challenges and may slow down the development process.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In the traditional STB (Set Top Box) and DTH (Direct-to-Home) broadcast world, security is robust due to hardware-level protection, custom hardware, and smart card technology. However, OTT (Over-the-Top) applications face greater security threats due to their software-based ecosystem. Some of the main security challenges in OTT compared to DTH broadcast include:</span></p><br /><ol style="margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Credential sharing: Users can easily share their login credentials with friends and family, leading to revenue loss for OTT operators.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Compromising accounts: OTT platforms are more susceptible to brute force attacks, which require strong passwords and security measures.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Piracy of OTT streams: The open nature of online systems makes it easier to exploit and re-engineer web apps, exposing them to piracy.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Denial of Service attacks: OTT apps are more vulnerable to DDoS attacks compared to DTH broadcast systems, requiring robust software and network protection.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Region-blocking: In the OTT world, VPNs and other tools can bypass country restrictions, making it more challenging to enforce region-specific content limitations.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Device concurrency limits: OTT platforms need to manage the number of concurrent users and devices, which adds complexity and potential security risks.</span></p></li></ol><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">These challenges highlight the differences in security management between traditional STB/DTH broadcast and OTT applications.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">DTH (Direct-to-Home) broadcast systems are not impacted by peak events and require less infrastructure scaling compared to OTT (Over-the-Top) platforms. DTH systems can accommodate any number of customers without additional infrastructure, while OTT systems need to manage network, CPU, memory, database, and software implementation to scale.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">OTT platforms must support millions of concurrent users without degrading customer experience and handle peak events, like last-minute logins for live streaming channels. Traditional IT services used virtual machines and physical infrastructure, which involved long lead times and overprovisioning. Nowadays, the expectation is for on-demand scaling, with systems automatically expanding and contracting as needed.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">However, even with cloud service providers, there is no guarantee of infinite capacity, and 100% reliability during peak events remains a challenge. OTT platforms also depend on the streaming CDN, which relies on ISPs, telcos, and internet backbones, all of which are outside the control of the OTT operator. Engineering teams must maintain relationships with network providers to secure the best customer experience.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">PayTV executives should recognize that the engineering skillsets, design patterns, and implementation practices differ significantly between OTT and DTH STB software development, requiring different approaches to ensure successful operations.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Disaster recovery and business continuity are generally less complex and expensive to implement in OTT services compared to DTH broadcast systems. In the case of SVOD services, disaster recovery involves duplicating the stack and supporting services in multiple data centers or cloud regions. However, for OTT services that replicate PayTV services on DTH, disaster recovery becomes tightly coupled with the availability of the broadcast environment.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">OTT engineering teams may operate independently from the main PayTV business, allowing them to implement different strategies. However, as OTT matures and consolidation becomes necessary, engineering teams should work closely together and leverage existing broadcast techniques and infrastructure to achieve cost and efficiency benefits.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Disaster recovery in OTT benefits from the cloud's "just-in-time" capabilities, reducing upfront infrastructure costs and providing flexibility in responding to potential events or situations.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A significant aspect of the customer experience in streaming services is outside the control of the TV operator due to the complex nature of the internet and the various components, hardware, and networking policies involved. Mobile networks, which are rapidly overtaking fixed-line internet, add further challenges for TV operators in maintaining quality of service or experience. Partnering with telco providers and establishing network agreements can help address some of these issues, but without such agreements, the OTT provider may be at the mercy of the telco operators. Sometimes, a poor streaming experience may be caused by the telco operator's limited capacity, but customers often perceive it as a problem with the OTT service provider.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">–</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The author of this text has 20 years of experience in engineering Digital TV software systems, having witnessed and participated in the evolution of the industry. Their expertise includes working with set-top-box applications, middleware, broadcast headend software systems, IPTV, and transitioning into engineering management roles. Recently, the focus has shifted towards online streaming as the future of TV. The author believes that traditional broadcast TV systems with unconnected STBs are becoming obsolete, and PayTV operators should embrace more modern, open stacks and focus on reducing operating costs instead of investing in outdated technologies.</span></p><div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div></span></div></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><script type="text/javascript">
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</script>khanmjkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12719457132019410132noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2027834094987620676.post-45577535043554835282023-04-02T07:42:00.003+02:002023-04-02T07:43:49.123+02:00ChatGPT as CEO/Chief People Officer handling layoffs with empathy?<p style="text-align: justify;">So this must've been one of my most interesting conversations with ChatGPT to date! This morning, we discussed business challenges Amazon is facing today - the subject of <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/20/technology/amazon-layoffs.html">layoffs</a> or "reduction in force" which is top of mind to many folks, including myself as Amazon recently announced another round of layoffs planned to start in April. <a href="https://openai.com/product/gpt-4">ChatGPT</a> clearly understands the MBA topics of optimisations that business implement as they seek to navigate downturns in business cycles.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">We dove deep on the topic of how to approach layoffs - from the CxO communications plan, to the manager who has to unfortunately break the news to the impacted employee. We delved into diversity topics of how to approach conversations who identify a faith-practicing individuals, to the generational archetypes that exist in the workplace today. As an extract from the conversation, here's how ChatGPT summarised the key focus areas for each generational archetype for a manager when discussing layoff with an employee:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8jzt8q1w-aMhLGZ-XqKcRntdcBwB4s86HjzEergdX4GQ8LyrH2ftZF0cYbSQy7yZfJLAVUezKvprBc-u_JvheJLMFZTmkywyVJrouAlbdXNQs2EynJJ5-boErIj5pEvKpWrRBBNb3rqZ1ytPOI7w6_15d-XZ8pigb7wUWRSMwDpv1L524mwWtKXu11Q/s768/chatGPTGentype.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="725" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8jzt8q1w-aMhLGZ-XqKcRntdcBwB4s86HjzEergdX4GQ8LyrH2ftZF0cYbSQy7yZfJLAVUezKvprBc-u_JvheJLMFZTmkywyVJrouAlbdXNQs2EynJJ5-boErIj5pEvKpWrRBBNb3rqZ1ytPOI7w6_15d-XZ8pigb7wUWRSMwDpv1L524mwWtKXu11Q/w604-h640/chatGPTGentype.png" width="604" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: justify;">I interacted with GPT-4 and ran out of credits just as I asked my final question to close the loop for advising the manager "<i>What would you recommend to the manager as the person breaking the news to employees about layoffs? What about the manager's state of mind and overall well-being? What advice can you give there?"</i></p><p style="text-align: justify;">It just shows how deep the conversation could flow - I think we were both into a flow state - just reflect on the words I'm using. I know I'm talking about a piece of computer code here, a machine, but I could spend hours just having a chat with this thing. I missed out on my Sunday morning run just talking to this thing!!</p><h3 style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">How would I rank this conversation - 5 stars?</span></h3><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Very good. The machine set boundaries from the start and made clear its limitations. First fully disclaiming its lack of data for making financial forecasts into business health of Amazon, and warned it wasn't providing financial advice, and that markets are difficult to predicts, etc.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">When provided with additional information that seeded the conversation around making decisions due to tough business performance, ChatGPT was able to propose sensible optimisation strategy that would make any MBA proud. I mean, you don't need an expensive MBA consultant to advise you in future if ChatGPT is able to outline an execution strategy, along with a communications plan for impact management. You probably don't even need "Change Management" consultants anymore.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">What was quite impressive is how ChatGPT was able to empathise - i.e. promote the message of empathy when communicating with employees - highlighting the importance of transparency, frequent communications and general accessibility of leaders - making breaking the news as comfortable as possible. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">When asked about how to approach conversation from different religious and philosophical and value systems perspective, the advice was generally of a high quality. This makes me question the need in the future for HR counsellors where my work-assistant ChatGPT partner, who in future, will have a keen understand of me as a manager (not just my professional traits, but also what makes me tick as human being) to help me navigate difficult or crucial conversations in the workplace. Maybe HR as function would still exist, but the work will transform into using ChatGPT as a prompt engineer to build compelling HR content for workforce management - saving a ton of time in content production or training for that matter. If I didn't run out of credits, it would've been interesting to have asked ChatGPT to generate an employee FAQ document, along with helpful hints to manage the news in maintaining one's mental well-being.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Unlike my previous conversations with GPT-3.5, the flow and context of the discussion was maintained. I did not have to correct the machine in any way. I used different styles of language and conversation as a test and it maintained context of the thread, sometimes jumping back to a couple threads earlier, it was able to pick up and synthesise the discussion.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">So at the end of this hypothetical discussion, if I was a manager preparing for a layoff discussion with one of my impacted people, I think the pointers provided would make a good coaching aid.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Here's the conversation that played out.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
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</script>khanmjkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12719457132019410132noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2027834094987620676.post-78150123044590996872023-04-01T09:19:00.005+02:002023-04-02T07:43:39.722+02:00Planning a road trip with ChatGPT - Cape Town to Johannesburg<p style="text-align: justify;">I'm a big fan of taking long road trips with the family. Usually, it takes me a good few days of planning an preparing the trip, to the point of creating a detailed plan on a Trello, after using various mapping tools like Google Maps.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">So I asked ChatGPT to help me plan a road trip, from Cape Town to Johannesburg to complete in 5 days, with no more than 4 hours driving per leg, giving me the opportunity of both a coastal and country route. I asked it a few times to optimise the results to minimise driving time. I also asked it to include fuel costs, recommend suitable accommodation, find Halal places to eat, along with Masjids, made it aware that I only fuel at Engen fuel stations, asked if SANParks are nearby, etc...and finally summarise the trip in a narrative that I can sell to my wife and kids.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">At first, the interaction started off quite well. But it got messed up and its knickers in a twist when providing results in table format. It kept forgetting context from previous interactions and bombed out when generating the data tables. I'm using the plus version, so I'm a paying member that hopefully shouldn't be experiencing any throttling.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Anyway, the point of this experiment is to showcase the really powerful assistant, as a travel planner. It's really cool. So whilst I'm going to use this capability to definitely plan my next road trip, I can't help but wonder about the threat this technology poses to people who earn a living at planning trips? At first glance, it looks like a threat and risk - but actually - this could be a boon to their business. The tool can cut research time by orders of magnitudes, potentially closing more leads, driving more customers, etc. The possibilities for travel tourists specialising in road trips or cycling holidays, are endless. Imagine cutting a new trip in a matter of a couple hours, along with a summary of the marketing plug, a map of the journey, along with sample photos of the attractions. Partnerships with AirBnb and other hoteliers can derive much benefit through data exchanges, along with other amenity businesses along the way. A travel planning website can drive much more advertising to their sites, promoting local attractions, etc. Content writers can produce copies is shorter timeframes... I'm getting carried away!!!</p><p style="text-align: justify;">So here's the route:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihYv-B52gqj9-alI2S63R-FfjKDSZOl5SsNuzv4IO-P78BPMNWZyvsoIfW8EemhloU3doPDb-zcazuSEluGwMSSuOhTMOFLQZcnADjawOBsmjrTPcR5R53EynL6WSRRSG7bGbBARQqWzg8l82_hgjXVWmudByjvnbxq3inIyNIo_0HIYBua-sxVvzJBg/s886/chatGPTRoadTrip.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="717" data-original-width="886" height="324" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihYv-B52gqj9-alI2S63R-FfjKDSZOl5SsNuzv4IO-P78BPMNWZyvsoIfW8EemhloU3doPDb-zcazuSEluGwMSSuOhTMOFLQZcnADjawOBsmjrTPcR5R53EynL6WSRRSG7bGbBARQqWzg8l82_hgjXVWmudByjvnbxq3inIyNIo_0HIYBua-sxVvzJBg/w400-h324/chatGPTRoadTrip.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><span style="text-align: justify;">And here's the marketing pitch generated for me to sell to my family:</span></div><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: #f7f7f8; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; color: #374151; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"; font-size: 16px; margin: 1.25em 0px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>"Get ready for the road trip of a lifetime as we embark on a five-day journey from Cape Town to Johannesburg. We'll be taking in the best of South Africa, from stunning coastal landscapes to the lush countryside, and exploring some of the country's best national parks and wildlife reserves along the way.</i></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: #f7f7f8; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; color: #374151; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"; font-size: 16px; margin: 1.25em 0px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>We'll start our adventure by heading to Hermanus, where we can watch whales and see African penguins at the Stony Point Nature Reserve. From there, we'll drive to Knysna and enjoy some thrilling bungee jumping at the Tsitsikamma National Park.</i></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: #f7f7f8; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; color: #374151; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"; font-size: 16px; margin: 1.25em 0px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Next up, we'll visit the Addo Elephant National Park, where we can get up close and personal with majestic elephants, and stay at a comfortable lodge with halal meals available. After that, we'll take a 4x4 route in the Mountain Zebra National Park, which offers breathtaking scenery and wildlife viewing opportunities.</i></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: #f7f7f8; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; color: #374151; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"; font-size: 16px; margin: 1.25em 0px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>We'll be staying in halal-friendly accommodations and enjoying delicious halal food throughout the trip. We'll also be visiting masjids along the way, and fueling up at Engen petrol stations. The trip will end in Johannesburg after a long but scenic drive through the countryside.</i></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: #f7f7f8; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; color: #374151; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"; font-size: 16px; margin: 1.25em 0px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>This road trip is perfect for families who love adventure and want to experience the best of South Africa in just five days. So pack your bags, grab your camera, and get ready for an unforgettable journey!"</i></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: #f7f7f8; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; color: #374151; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"; font-size: 16px; margin: 1.25em 0px 0px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>You can also refer to the detailed table provided earlier for more information about each leg of the trip, including the attractions, recommended accommodations, halal food locations, masjids available, and more. Additionally, you can use the Google Maps link provided to show your family the route and highlight specific landmarks along the way.</i></p><p style="text-align: justify;">And here's my full conversation with my ChatGPT as a road trip planner assistant:</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><iframe height="1500" src="https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vT-nialiAqSkZGBZ6W4m-OTZgqkgJBwEUFqSVHKZcFb5r6OySsFLyzj9yc7nA-XO5c7FjocBCwUnCRc/pub?embedded=true" width="100%"></iframe></p>
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</script>khanmjkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12719457132019410132noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2027834094987620676.post-825323176159854692023-04-01T07:13:00.002+02:002023-04-01T07:14:08.118+02:00ChatGPT - Whitepaper generation, can it write like a CTO?<div style="text-align: justify;">In December 2019, after a successful Rugby world cup (despite experiencing technical glitches, I felt my team did well to reach the stage we did, with evolving the technical platform only two years into it's turnaround journey) - I realised that the members of the Board and ExCo, did not fully appreciate the world of online video streaming because they came from the traditional world of satellite broadcast world, where technology stack was largely under their control - and reliability / availability was generally accepted as always on. So, from their perspective, to expect a system to be either "1" or "0" wasn't unreasonable, albeit ignorant of the complexities, they couldn't be blamed for not having that context. So it was up to me as CTO to get them to understand, or at least, help educate them on the subtleties driving the differences, that are actually quite big and therefore a certain level of perspective is needed. In the online world, when a platform fails due to high load, usually this is a good signal that the platform is gaining much traction, and engineering teams can use this data to learn and only get better. </div><script type="text/javascript">
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</script><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">So I wrote this whitepaper <a href="https://khanmjk-outlet.blogspot.com/2019/12/what-makes-ott-streaming-platforms.html">here</a>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">And today, I asked ChatGPT (3.5) to write something similar - and here it was it produced.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Verdict: My paper is much better. Clearly my blog isn't part of ChatGPT's data set yet. The machine isn't going to replace my role just yet...but at least the machine can help as my co-author!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><i><span style="font-size: medium;">You are a CTO responsible for building an OTT video streaming platform. You are having trouble communicating with executives who come from traditional PayTV satellite broadcast and set top box world. Write a white paper than shows the different challenges posed in the end to end technology stack for online video streaming as compared to traditional satellite set top box environment. Cite references used. Focus on what makes OTT different (and hard).</span></i></div><div><br /></div><div>The rest below shows what ChatGPT produced:</div><div><br /></div><span><a name='more'></a></span><div><b>Introduction</b></div><div>The rise of Over-The-Top (OTT) streaming platforms has disrupted the traditional PayTV industry. Consumers today are increasingly choosing to watch video content online, with the global OTT market expected to grow from $121.61 billion in 2020 to $438.58 billion by 2028 (1). However, building and operating an OTT video streaming platform comes with unique challenges that differ significantly from traditional satellite broadcast and set-top box environments. This white paper will discuss the end-to-end technology stack challenges associated with building an OTT video streaming platform and how they differ from traditional satellite broadcast and set-top box environments.</div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Content Delivery</b></div><div>One of the key challenges in the OTT video streaming platform is content delivery. Unlike satellite broadcast, OTT platforms rely on the internet to deliver content. This dependence on the internet can lead to buffering and quality issues due to network congestion, packet loss, and other network-related problems. The challenge, therefore, is to ensure that the video is delivered seamlessly to the end-user, regardless of their location or the device they are using.</div><div>To address this challenge, OTT platforms use a Content Delivery Network (CDN). A CDN is a geographically distributed network of servers that store and deliver content to end-users based on their geographic location. This approach enables faster delivery of video content by reducing the distance between the content server and the end-user, minimizing network latency and reducing the likelihood of buffering (2).</div><div><br /></div><div><b>User Experience</b></div><div>User experience is critical for the success of an OTT platform. Consumers expect a seamless and consistent experience across all devices. This means that the user interface, playback experience, and content discovery features must be optimized for various devices, including smartphones, tablets, smart TVs, and gaming consoles. In addition, the platform must provide a personalized experience that suggests content based on a user's viewing history, preferences, and behavior.</div><div>To achieve this, OTT platforms use adaptive bitrate streaming. Adaptive bitrate streaming is a technique that dynamically adjusts the quality of the video based on the viewer's internet connection speed and device capabilities. This ensures that viewers receive the best quality video without buffering or interruptions (3).</div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Security</b></div><div>Security is also a crucial consideration for OTT platforms. Unlike satellite broadcast and set-top boxes, OTT platforms are vulnerable to various security threats, such as piracy, content theft, and unauthorized access. Therefore, OTT platforms need to implement robust security measures to protect content and ensure that only authorized users can access it.</div><div>To address this challenge, OTT platforms use various security technologies such as digital rights management (DRM), content watermarking, and secure video player technology. DRM protects content by encrypting it and providing access keys to authorized users only. Content watermarking, on the other hand, embeds a unique identifier in the video, which enables content owners to track piracy and unauthorized distribution. Secure video player technology ensures that video content is played only on authorized devices, preventing unauthorized access (4).</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Conclusion</b></div><div>In conclusion, building and operating an OTT video streaming platform comes with unique challenges that differ significantly from traditional satellite broadcast and set-top box environments. These challenges include content delivery, user experience, and security. To address these challenges, OTT platforms use technologies such as CDN, adaptive bitrate streaming, DRM, content watermarking, and secure video player technology. By understanding these challenges and using appropriate technologies, OTT platforms can deliver a seamless and personalized user experience, protect content, and stay ahead of the competition.</div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>References</b>:</div><div>1<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>"OTT Streaming Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Device (Smartphones, Smart TVs, Laptops & Desktops, Gaming Consoles), By Revenue Model, By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2021 - 2028." Grand View Research, February 2021.</div><div>2<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>"Content Delivery</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b><i>thanks. Can you add more technical details please? The paper is too lightweight</i></b></div><div><br /></div><div>Certainly, here are some additional technical details regarding the challenges posed by the end-to-end technology stack for online video streaming as compared to traditional satellite set-top box environments.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Content Delivery</b></div><div>To ensure reliable content delivery, OTT platforms typically use multiple CDNs in a hybrid or multi-CDN approach. This approach leverages the benefits of multiple CDNs, including improved performance, increased resilience, and reduced network congestion. In addition, OTT platforms use adaptive bitrate streaming protocols such as HTTP Live Streaming (HLS) and Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP (DASH) to enable seamless video playback across a wide range of devices (1).</div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>User Experience</b></div><div>To deliver a seamless and consistent user experience, OTT platforms must optimize video playback quality based on device capabilities and network conditions. This requires the use of sophisticated video encoding and transcoding technologies such as High-Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) and Scalable Video Coding (SVC) that can adapt to changing network conditions in real-time. In addition, OTT platforms use machine learning algorithms to analyze user behavior and preferences to provide personalized content recommendations (2).</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Security</b></div><div>To protect content from piracy and unauthorized access, OTT platforms use robust security measures such as digital watermarking, forensic watermarking, and fingerprinting. Digital watermarking embeds an invisible code into the video content that can be used to identify the source of piracy or unauthorized distribution. Forensic watermarking, on the other hand, embeds a unique identifier that can be used to trace the source of leaked content. Fingerprinting is another technique that creates a unique digital signature for each video, making it difficult for pirates to distribute content without detection (3).</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Conclusion</b></div><div>Building and operating an OTT video streaming platform requires careful consideration of the end-to-end technology stack. Content delivery, user experience, and security are critical areas that require careful attention. By leveraging the latest technologies and best practices, OTT platforms can provide a seamless and personalized user experience, protect content from piracy, and stay ahead of the competition.</div><div>References:</div><div>1<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>"Building a Multi-CDN Architecture for Video Streaming." Akamai, 2020.</div><div>2<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>"Video Encoding and Transcoding for OTT." Bitmovin, 2020.</div><div>3<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>"Protecting Video Content in the OTT World." Verimatrix, 2020.</div><div><br /></div></div>
khanmjkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12719457132019410132noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2027834094987620676.post-87139803919511981712023-03-31T09:14:00.003+02:002023-04-01T04:44:23.813+02:00ChatGPT - a little serious note<p style="text-align: justify;"> Whilst I've been having some fun doing my research, I think will only be comfortable trusting a machine for other insights outside of the coding / business / tech domain, when I have open access to all its data sources and citations that showed the formulation of the response. I want to know what the machine is trained on, so that I can make my own judgements on the responses. AI companies must openly public these sorts, publish a bias index, something like a cultural sentiment index, and show whether sandboxing different philosophies / social frameworks and constructs. Without this access, I am okay to limit my interactions to well-bounded, technical and professional contexts to help me be more productive, do research, as an another tool to make humans optimise, etc. Beyond that, I will not entirely trust the machine enough yet to have deep, meaningful discussions about life, world politics and human civilisation challenges because of biases that haven't been independently tested for, etc. I believe the entire test-suite for validating the safety and quality of the AI must be released in the open, for independent scrutiny. If tech companies are truly serious about uplifting human civilisation with general AIs, then stop with the profiteering and start with building humanity on open transparency, level the playing fields. This is not a space race to outcompete one another. This not the next tech to make yet another tech geek nerd the richest person in the world! This is not about making money - I'm talking about the broad uses of the AI. Sure, you can make some money for constrained topics - but don't go releasing AI into the wild that can cause more serious harm than good.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Given this technology is mostly born or heavily marketed from capitalist America (my bias: winner-takes-all, survival of the fittest, competitive, good guy vs bad guys, profit before people, we must always strive to be the world's dominant region - unfortunately overshadows what made American ideals great, the American dream, a place I always wished to go and work at) roots, makes me very nervous about the potential misuse, misunderstanding of the machine. I fear the future of children growing up with this tech, like what constructs they would learn, potentially throwing thousands years of human traditions, culture and beliefs. As such, I'm leaning more and more on controlling these releases, and perhaps escalating regulatory reviews to inspect deeply...we don't throw babies into shark-infested waters the first day they're borne, so why expose such a powerful, misleading tech to the whole world, children and adults alike?? We don't give guns to children, do we? We have checks and balances in place for all kinds of risky tech? Take nuclear tech for example? Honestly, this topic is so broad and wide, concerning...it's a pity that Lex didn't address these topics directly with Sam in their interesting conversation <a href="https://youtu.be/L_Guz73e6fw">here</a>. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Exploring ChatGPT will almost become a full-time activity outside of my work hours - so many unknowns, so much of things worth exploring...but my priority would be humans first, machine last. If the pace of progress needs to be slowed down until we understand more, so be it. There should be a global moratorium on this tech, a world governing framework like NATO/UN/etc. to regulate. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">So my view: Proceed with extreme caution, be bold to explore the limits of the machine for a well-bounded context limited to science / computing / business / historical facts - but nothing more...until there's a way to characterise these AIs by archetypes we can identify with.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">I have to say, I am leaning heavily on the side of regulation - putting on the brakes!!</p><p style="text-align: justify;">IMHO that is...</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Time to start my day job!! Plugging into the matrix now...</p>khanmjkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12719457132019410132noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2027834094987620676.post-27051361881108064832023-03-31T07:35:00.003+02:002023-03-31T07:35:19.578+02:00ChatGPT fun - oh man, this is getting addictive!<div><span face="Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"" style="color: #343541; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;">[<i>my daugher is waiting for her school run....and I'm still playing with ChatGPT!</i>]</span></div><div><span face="Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"" style="color: #343541; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<span face="Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"" style="color: #343541; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;">do you remember the norton spinning control animation when running from dos days?</span>
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<div><span face="Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"" style="color: #343541; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div><span face="Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"" style="background-color: #f7f7f8; color: #374151; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yes, I'm familiar with the Norton spinning control animation. It was a popular animation that Norton Utilities, a suite of disk and system utilities for MS-DOS, displayed while it was running disk optimization or defragmentation. The animation featured a spinning disk with a check mark on it, and the disk would spin faster and faster as the optimization progressed.</span></div><div><span face="Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"" style="background-color: #f7f7f8; color: #374151; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div><span face="Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"" style="color: #343541; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;">show it to me</span></div><div><span face="Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"" style="color: #343541; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div><span face="Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"" style="color: #343541; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;">can you create the code I could run in the browser for this classic spinning control?</span></div><div><span face="Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"" style="color: #343541; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div><span face="Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"" style="color: #343541; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;">that's close but not exactly like I remember it. The sequence of rotating "-\-/" is missing</span></div><div><span face="Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"" style="color: #343541; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div><span face="Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"" style="color: #343541; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;">sorry, you lost context again. Now I only get is an empty square?</span></div><div><span face="Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"" style="color: #343541; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #343541; font-family: courier;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><!DOCTYPE html>
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width: 30px;
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border: 1px solid black;
font-size: 20px;
text-align: center;
line-height: 30px;
}
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var spinner = document.getElementById("spinner");
var sequence = "-\\|/";
var index = 0;
setInterval(function() {
spinner.innerHTML = sequence.charAt(index);
index = (index + 1) % sequence.length;
}, 100);
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</html></span></span><span face="Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"" style="color: #343541; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;">
</span></div><div><span face="Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"" style="color: #343541; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div><span face="Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"" style="color: #343541; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;">yes, that's very close</span></div><div><span face="Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"" style="color: #343541; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div><span face="Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"" style="background-color: #f7f7f8; color: #374151; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I'm glad it's close! If you want to adjust the size or speed of the spinning animation, you can modify the </span><code style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: #f7f7f8; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; color: var(--tw-prose-code); font-family: "Söhne Mono", Monaco, "Andale Mono", "Ubuntu Mono", monospace; font-size: 0.875em; font-weight: 600; white-space: pre-wrap;">SIZE</code><span face="Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"" style="background-color: #f7f7f8; color: #374151; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and </span><code style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: #f7f7f8; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; color: var(--tw-prose-code); font-family: "Söhne Mono", Monaco, "Andale Mono", "Ubuntu Mono", monospace; font-size: 0.875em; font-weight: 600; white-space: pre-wrap;">SPEED</code><span face="Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"" style="background-color: #f7f7f8; color: #374151; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> constants at the top of the JavaScript code.</span></div><div><span face="Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"" style="background-color: #f7f7f8; color: #374151; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div><span face="Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"" style="background-color: #f7f7f8; color: #374151; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>khanmjkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12719457132019410132noreply@blogger.com0