The Data Binge

Today's discussion features a LIVE interview hosted by Chat Mode, a system integrator focused on implementing conversational AI, located in Bellevue Washington. This particular LIVE discussion is part of a multi segment series, the Chat Mode Insight Series - a sharing of best practices, information, and insights around everything chatbots, voice and AI technology.  Chad Oda, the host of the program and head of consulting at Chat Mode, engages with me in this discussion around AI adoption, program management, and the realities of accelerating successful AI projects with the world's biggest businesses and organizations.

The conversation covers topics that are often not discussed enough in the world of AI and machine learning - the ideas behind advocating for mission critical technological change, with the most progressive, evolving, and accessible tech - across a broad range of challenges ranging from organizational politics, AI maturity within an organization, all the way to choosing the right problems to align resources to solve, are all part of this discussion with Chad at Chat Mode.

Key Takeaways:

[06:22] Recent learnings in the realm of AI deployment in large organizations

[08:20] How Derek is interacting with customers on the front-line

[10:35] The change of AI trends across the past couple of years, and the evolution of projects and use cases as technology accelerates through cloud computing

[16:55] The general sentiment Derek hears around AI at the executive level with the world’s largest organizations

[19:40] Use case identification and qualification when talking to business leaders

[26:25] The various mindsets around technology adoption and deployment within organizations

[31:31] The characterization of AI strategy and how to get customers to think through this strategy

[40:50] Chatbot solution adoption, and the business value demonstrated by automated AI solutions

[46:29] The future of chat bots, voice, and other integration technologies

[50:20] Relevant examples of specific business problems and customer outcomes

[54:57] Finding motivation and inspiration in the world of AI – the importance of the democratization of skilling and learning in AI/ML

Memorable Quotes:

[25:40] “Understanding scope, commitment, and time horizon and the problem…, all of those things pour the bedrock for credibility, the You have to have credibility when you come to the conversation.”

[48:56] “The future is not buying more technology, that’s the beautiful thing about the current state of technology. All it is, is you’re consuming services that you can kill, because of cloud computing”

Resources:

Chad Oda LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/chadoda/

Chat Mode - https://www.linkedin.com/company/chatmode/

The Data Binge Podcast with Brandon Rohrer – https://www.derekwesleyrussell.com/thedatabingeepisodes/2020/10/55-robotics-machine-intelligenceThe Data Binge Podcast with Elnaz Sarraf  - https://www.derekwesleyrussell.com/thedatabingeepisodes/2020/11/54-personalized-learning-experiences-for-every-child

Microsoft Garage - https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/garage/

Full Interview on Youtube - https://youtu.be/X3NEF3xmBAk

Thank you for listening!

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Join the **New Monthly Newsletter** -  Data Binge REFRESH: https://www.derekwesleyrussell.com/newsletter

Interested in starting your own podcast? Some candid advice here: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-start-podcast-3-step-gono-go-beginners-guide-derek-russell

Learn more about the Data Binge Podcast at www.thedatabinge.com

Connect with Derek:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/derekwesleyrussell/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCN1c5mzapLZ55ciPgngqRMg/featured

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drussnetwork/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/drussnetwork

Medium: https://medium.com/@derekwesleyrussell

Email: [email protected]

Today's episode features Joe Forline. Joe is a Sr. Manager of Chapter Advancement at Make-a-wish America. Make-a-wish creates life changing experiences for children with critical illnesses. Founded in 1980, Make-a-wish has granted over 330,000 wishes for children with critical illnesses in the US, and 15,800 wishes in 2019 alone - when a child's wish is granted by Make-a-wish, it helps build the physical and emotional strength needed to combat critical illness. This idea, making contributions of energy, gratitude, and love in the form of acts of kindness, are at the center of the today's episode.

Joe brings with him both a Bachelor of Science and a Masters in Mechanical engineering, and began his career as a product engineer at L3 Technologies, an Aerospace & defense business, who provides solutions to DoD, the United States Intelligence Community, and Nasa. You will learn more about what pulled Joe to Make-a-wish, and you'll learn more about the idea of purpose and the very human emotions that come along with serving others. If you are wondering how you can contribute to the welfare of others, or you are searching for something to be a part of that will enrich your life and the lives of others, you'll find this episode enlightening for you, as Joe helps us navigate the essence of giving and the simplicity of the process.

If you would like to contribute at any level or capacity, to create a life changing experience for a child with a critical illness, you can navigate to wish.org to learn more.

Key Takeaways:

[06:44] What Joe’s role is at Make-A-Wish

[09:46] The mission of Make-A-Wish, the magic of a wish to the child that it serves

[16:29] A favorite story of Joe’s favorite wish, and other memorable examples

[18:31] What prompted Joe to do work that serves others, and how Joe made the transition from aerospace and defense, to a non-profit.

[23:24] How the work at Make a Wish has changed the way Joe sees the world.

[26:06] “Mission Monday moment’s” – the importance of anchoring an organization in it’s mission, and how this impacts culture

[29:02] The feedback loop of gratitude expression within an organization, and the lasting impact across it’s people.

[34:28] How gratitude can help define and direct organizational culture

[37:03] Applications, methods, and tools used to generate gratitude across an organization

[45:57] Additional thoughts on how to contribute to causes we care for – how to get started

Memorable Quotes:

[09:46] “Our mission is laser-focused. We, together, grant life-changing wishes for children with critical illness. That’s all we do. It’s simple and that’s what everyone is marching towards.”

[12:27] “I joined Make a Wish for a number of reasons but ultimately, I was brought up that giving back to others and serving others was just something you did. It was important and that’s ultimately the purpose of life, to serve others.”

Resources:

Joe P. Forline LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/joseph-p-forline/

Joe P. Forline Email - [email protected]

Make a Wish - https://wish.org/

Brody’s Wish - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=US0AICx_LKs

Gabe’s Wish - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRl1cpR-eF8

Kudos App - https://www.kudos.com/

Richard K. Davis - https://wish.org/news-releases/new-ceo

Gordon Ramsay - https://www.gordonramsay.com/

Life Rolls On - https://liferollson.org/

Thank you for listening!

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Join the **New Monthly Newsletter** -  Data Binge REFRESH: https://www.derekwesleyrussell.com/newsletter

Interested in starting your own podcast? Some candid advice here: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-start-podcast-3-step-gono-go-beginners-guide-derek-russell

Learn more about the Data Binge Podcast at www.thedatabinge.com

Connect with Derek:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/derekwesleyrussell/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCN1c5mzapLZ55ciPgngqRMg/featured

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drussnetwork/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/drussnetwork

Medium: https://medium.com/@derekwesleyrussell

Email: [email protected]

Today's episode is a Simply Tech LIVE interview featuring my co-host, Ali Mazaheri, and our special guest, Gina Loften. Gina is the Chief Technology Officer at Microsoft US, where she connects business leaders to unique perspectives that inspire them to drive the future of their business and accelerate and deliver digital transformational journeys built on deep customer knowledge and industry expertise.

Prior to Gina's career at Microsoft, she led global initiatives for IBM’s Watson, served as IBM’s CTO for North America Consulting Services and Hybrid Cloud, and was a leader in IBM’s Global Cloud Consulting Services business unit. Outside of Microsoft, she has served on the boards of George Mason Research Foundation, Museum of Life and Science, and Rise Against Hunger. Gina has addressed social topics that include how AI can help mental health among veterans, the true value of data for government and how open source can bring agencies to the cloud.

Gina graduated from the North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University with a degree in Electrical Engineering - a Historically Black Research University. Gina is incredibly passionate about Diversity & Inclusion, diverse thinking in the future of the workplace both internally and externally as it impacts people and organizations globally, and inclusion, inspiring today's youth to achieve their goals and inclusive work cultures that bring accessibility into a more modern workplace. Gina's thought leadership consistently finds a place across Women in Tech and Girls in Stem dialogues in the industry and across various communities.

Key Takeaways:

[07:47] Common trends Gina has seen within the industry following the cross section of technology and culture

[10:43] Gina’s career at IBM, and the main differences between tech giants IBM and Microsoft

[12:49] The definition of the connected customer experience

[15:59] How Gina’s personal journey of adversity has helped her develop a perspective of empathy, compassion, and contribution

[20:20] Specific areas of interest that energize Gina across technology and business

[27:06] How those seeking career success can leverage experience and opportunities in the journey to leadership

[26:51] Gina’s guidance to those looking for highly technical leadership roles in large organizations

Memorable Quotes:

[17:10] “People don’t get a vote on your dreams, so they don’t get to take it away.”

[17:40] “You gotta define what’s important to you and have the courage to speak out when things aren’t as they should be.”

[22:26] “No matter what industry you are in, you’re gonna have to have some digital skills to succeed.”

[27:08] “Make sure that you practice courage and risk-taking.”

Resources:

Contact Gina Loften - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ginaloften/

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/diversity/programs/digigirlz/default.aspx

https://workforce.org/

Thank you for listening!

--------------------------------

Join the **New Monthly Newsletter** -  Data Binge REFRESH: https://www.derekwesleyrussell.com/newsletter

Interested in starting your own podcast? Some candid advice here: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-start-podcast-3-step-gono-go-beginners-guide-derek-russell

Learn more about the Data Binge Podcast at www.thedatabinge.com

Connect with Derek:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/derekwesleyrussell/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCN1c5mzapLZ55ciPgngqRMg/featured

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drussnetwork/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/drussnetwork

Medium: https://medium.com/@derekwesleyrussell

Email: [email protected]

Today's episode features Brandon Rohrer, Principal Data Scientist at iRobot. iRobot is an American robotics company that designs and builds consumer robots, including the Roomba, an AI powered autonomous robotic vacuum cleaner. Brandon is also the founder and lead instructor of an online course, "End-to-end Machine Learning", or E2EML, is a fun and very helpful learning environment focused on helping students learn the fundamental concepts in python based machine learning & AI. E2EML just hit 10,000 students around the original time of our LIVE discussion, so congratulations to Brandon on that huge achievement. If you are interested in learning or further understanding machine learning topics from basic to advanced, definitely take a look at his course, links included below.

Brandon brings with him a deep math and sciences background with graduate and PhD degrees in Mechanical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), as well as data science experiences from modeling plant genetics, to teaching and solving problems in big tech at Microsoft to Facebook, to helping robots do more efficient and intelligent jobs, at iRobot.

Key Takeaways:

[08:03] What Brandon does at iRobot and how he got into data science 

[12:45] The types of problems in the world, that make data science so important right now 

[16:06] What Brandon likes about difficult problems and what his framework is when approaching them 

[21:59] The difference between robotics and machine intelligence 

[25:08] Brandon’s opinions and perspectives on intelligence: narrow vs broad 

[29:43] Specific limitations to technology that Brandon thinks people and organizations should consider 

[33:44] What Brandon thinks should be done to make it easier for folks to truly democratize opportunities behind quickly evolving technologies 

[38:28] The mindset needed to explore key new concepts 

[43:15] Brandon’s fear management protocol 

[46:31] The importance of teaching robotics to children 

[50:18] What Brandon’s End-to-End Machine Learning school is all about 

Memorable Quotes:

[33:45] “One of the most radical things I can think of is to make technology education available to everyone.” 

[38:34] “We have a lot of pressure not to be wrong, not to say the dumb thing, not to make mistakes.” 

[40:48] Getting comfortable being wrong, getting comfortable making mistakes is one thing. Also, knowing that feeling lost is normal. It doesn’t mean you’re doing it wrong.” 

Resources:

Brandon Rohrer LinkedIn –  https://www.linkedin.com/in/brohrer/

End-to-end Machine Learning - https://end-to-end-machine-learning.teachable.com/p/complete-course-library-full-end-to-end-machine-learning-catalog

Brandor Rohrer Youtube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/user/BrandonRohrer

Brandon Rohrer Twitter - https://twitter.com/_brohrer_?lang=en

Japan rapidly moving toward Society 5.0:

https://hbr.org/sponsored/2020/02/how-japan-uses-ai-and-robotics-to-solve-social-issues-and-achieve-economic-growth

The Scientist in the Crib: What Early Learning Tells Us About the Mind by Alison Gopnik - https://www.amazon.com/Scientist-Crib-Early-Learning-Tells/dp/0688177883

iRobot - https://www.irobot.com/

Thank you for listening!

--------------------------------

Join the **New Monthly Newsletter** -  Data Binge REFRESH: https://www.derekwesleyrussell.com/newsletter

Interested in starting your own podcast? Some candid advice here: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-start-podcast-3-step-gono-go-beginners-guide-derek-russell

Learn more about the Data Binge Podcast at www.thedatabinge.com

Connect with Derek:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/derekwesleyrussell/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCN1c5mzapLZ55ciPgngqRMg/featured

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drussnetwork/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/drussnetwork

Medium: https://medium.com/@derekwesleyrussell

Email: [email protected]

Today's episode is a Simply Tech LIVE interview featuring my co-host, Ali Mazaheri, and our special guest, Elnaz Sarraf. Elnaz is the Founder & CEO of ROYBI, an investor-backed EdTech company that raised $4.2 million in its seed round, focusing on early childhood education and self-guided learning through artificial intelligence. Roybi is the creator of Roybi Robot, an interactive language learning tutor for children 3 and older, featuring 500+ lessons, 70 Subject Categories, and 70,000 vocabularies, that grow over time with your child.

Roybi Robot was featured in TIME Magazine's "100 best inventions of 2019", and recognized in the 2019 World Changing Ideas list by Fast Company, and is on the 2019 CNBC Upstart 100 list as one of the world’s most promising startups. Roybi Robot's mission is quite clear,  "to provide a personalized learning experience for every child, highlighting their unique abilities and interests. We create a strong educational foundation for children during early childhood, putting them on track for a successful future".

Elnaz grew up as a woman in Iran, and due to her personal experiences around cultural limitations of opportunities, she was inspired to create technology that would empower others - and you can really feel this in Elnaz's passion as she navigates the discussion. Elnaz has over 15 years of experience as a serial entrepreneur, and also led and co-founded iBaby, a consumer electronics/IoT company, and leader in the baby monitor industry. Elnaz has been awarded numerous honoris including being selected as a Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center Milestone Maker, she was also included in the Silicon Valley Women of Influence by the Silicon Valley Business Journal in 2017, and recognized as a Female Entrepreneur of the Year by Women World Awards in 2017. Most recently, Elnaz has been invited to be an official member of the Forbes Technology Council.

Key Takeaways

[09:13] The specific problem ROYBI solves, and Elnaz’s approach to the solution

[11:39] How ROYBI can be used to help children with special needs

[13:58] What brought Elnaz to the US and how she ended up becoming an entrepreneur

[17:48] Feedback Elnaz has gotten from the kids and parents who are using ROYBI in their homes

[20:21] The design journey and continuous feedback loop needed to create ROYBI

[26:26] What Elnaz’s thoughts are for the future, how education needs to evolve and personalize

[31:57] Opportunities for ROYBI to help enable teachers in the classroom

[34:42] Interaction limitations, curriculum, and data driven experiences between children and the robot

[37:03] Additional growth areas in AI and ML with Roybi Robot – the future of data driven education 

[40:53] Advice Elnaz has for parents who seek to guide their own children with their personalized learning curriculums

[43:20] Elnaz’s advice to women who want to become entrepreneurs and engage in start-up culture

Memorable Quotes

[08:24] “The whole startup environment is so different. It is challenging and also so exciting cause every day, you have to deal with different aspects.”

[06:59] “Now that we have more advanced technologies like artificial intelligence, it can help us to create better experiences.”

[33:27] “I can really see ROYBI becoming part of the system, to help teachers to access more opportunities.”

Resources:

Elnaz Sarraf LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/elnazsarraf/

ROYBI - https://roybirobot.com/

National Center for Education Statistics - https://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d18/tables/dt18_209.30.asp

How Is AI Used In Education -- Real World Examples Of Today And A Peek Into The Future - https://www.forbes.com/sites/bernardmarr/2018/07/25/how-is-ai-used-in-education-real-world-examples-of-today-and-a-peek-into-the-future/#67cef041586e

Children Learning with a Social Robot - https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/2157689.2157809

Thank you for listening!

--------------------------------

Join the **New Monthly Newsletter** -  Data Binge REFRESH: https://www.derekwesleyrussell.com/newsletter

Interested in starting your own podcast? Some candid advice here: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-start-podcast-3-step-gono-go-beginners-guide-derek-russell

Learn more about the Data Binge Podcast at www.thedatabinge.com

Connect with Derek:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/derekwesleyrussell/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCN1c5mzapLZ55ciPgngqRMg/featured

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drussnetwork/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/drussnetwork

Medium: https://medium.com/@derekwesleyrussell

Email: [email protected]

Today's episode is a solo discussion, culminating the top 10 learnings I've pulled away from a little over 3 years working at Microsoft US. These learnings were the outcome of numerous collaborations with amazing colleagues, mentors, and leaders within the Microsoft ecosystem and network. None of these were possible without the incredible opportunities provided by a thriving culture that is incentivized on empathy, creating impact for others and leveraging the impact of others, and a dynamic sense of doing things that are good for the world.

Top 10 Learnings:

1. What makes you fearful, is a worthy pursuit

2. Lead with empathy

3. Establish a routine

4. Be clear about your values, and do your best to align your work, with your values

5. Don't start your day until you finish it

6. Write a damn good email

7. Lead every human engagement with positivity & energy

8. Do your best to include the smallest voice in the room

9. Have a distinct and specific vision, and revisit often

10. What is your legacy?

Key Takeaways

[03:10] What makes you fearful is a worth pursuit

[07:58] Lead with empathy

[11:30] Establish a routine

[15:43] Be clear about your values

[18:10] Don’t start your day until you finish it

[22:14] You have to track you time if you want to manage your time

[27:44] Lead every human engagement with positivity and energy

[29:00] Do your best to include the smallest voice in the room

[30:40] Have a distinct and specific vision and revisit that vision often

[34:37] Determine what your legacy is

Memorable Quotes

[04:05] “I really believe that if something is giving you fear, then it is something that you should really really compound and focus on.”

[09:58] “I’m very hopeful about the world doing something about climate change.”

[18:42] “Plan out your day before you start your day. Have that routine.”

[23:17] “There is a way to manage your time but you cannot manage your time if you don’t diagnose and track your time.”

Resources:

Waking Up App by Sam Harris - https://wakingup.com/

Jim Rohn - https://www.jimrohn.com/

The Social Dilemma (Netflix) - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Social_Dilemma

Kate Johnson (Microsoft President) - https://www.linkedin.com/in/katejohnsonatms/

The Values Deck | A Card Sorting Game to Explore Your Personal Values: https://www.amazon.com/Discover-Your-Values-The-Deck/dp/0578493616#:~:text=%20The%20Values%20Deck%20%201%20Make%20sure,individual%20values%20organized%20by%20color-coded%20categories%20More%20

Books Mentioned:

Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption by Bryan Stevenson - https://www.amazon.com/Just-Mercy-Story-Justice-Redemption/dp/081298496X

Miracle Morning Millionaires: What the Wealthy Do Before 8AM That Will Make You Rich by Hal Elrod - https://www.amazon.com/Miracle-Morning-Millionaires-Wealthy-Before/dp/1942589239

The Effective Executive: The Definitive Guide to Getting the Right Things Done by Peter F. Drucker - https://www.amazon.com/Effective-Executive-Definitive-Harperbusiness-Essentials/dp/0060833459

Thank you for listening!

--------------------------------

Join the **New Monthly Newsletter** - Data Binge REFRESH: https://www.derekwesleyrussell.com/newsletter

Interested in starting your own podcast? Some candid advice here: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-start-podcast-3-step-gono-go-beginners-guide-derek-russell

Learn more about the Data Binge Podcast at www.thedatabinge.com

Connect with Derek:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/derekwesleyrussell/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCN1c5mzapLZ55ciPgngqRMg/featured

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drussnetwork/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/drussnetwork

Medium: https://medium.com/@derekwesleyrussell

Email: [email protected]

Today's episode is a LIVE recording of The Data Binge podcast, hosted on LinkedIn, featuring Mike Sarraille, and George Randle. the co-authors of "The Talent War: How Special Operations and Great Organizations Win on Talent". The Talent War is available for pre-order, and scheduled to be made available anywhere you can buy books, on November 10th, 2020, in line with the United States Marine Corps Birthday, hallmarking the same day in 1775, when the Continental Marines were established.

Mike Sarraille is a retired US Navy SEAL office, a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin, McCombs School of Business, and the CEO and Co-Founder of EF Overwatch, an executive Search Firm and Talent Advisory, specializing in the recruiting, training and placement of U.S special operations forces veterans with organizations seeking top talent, co-founded with Jocko Willink. Mike served 15 years as an officer in the SEAL Teams, and 5 years in the US Marine Corps as an enlisted Recon Marine and Scout-Sniper. Mike served in SEAL Team 3 Task Unit Bruiser, alongside “Extreme Ownership” authors Jocko Willink and Leif Babin, where he led major combat operations that played a pivotal role in the Battle of Ramadi in 2006. Mike assumed duties as the primary leadership instructor for all officers graduating from the SEAL training pipeline, and was then selected for assignment to the Joint Special Operations Command where he completed multiple combat deployments. Mike is a recipient of the Silver Star, six Bronze Stars, two Defense Meritorious Service Medals, and a Purple Heart.

George Randle combines 20+ years of Fortune 100 and Fortune 1000 global Human Resources and Talent Acquisition Executive experience enabling individuals, teams and organizations achieve consistent and impactful outcomes. George is Hogan (HPI, HDS and MVPI) Leadership Assessment Certified, and began his professional life by enlisting in the US Army Reserve, where he got his commission as an Active Duty Army Officer through ROTC. George’s career assignments included the US Army Berlin Brigade, US CENTCOM and III Corps with deployments to Africa, Central America and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Over the course of his active duty time he was privileged to serve in key leadership assignments – twice as a Platoon Leader, as the Executive Officer for the largest company in Berlin and finally 2 years as a Company Commander at Ft. Hood, Texas. In George's transition to the corporate world, he created the first Junior Military Officer Hiring Program for a Top-5 consulting firm, and went on to create one of the largest and most successful Veteran Hiring Programs for a Global Fortune 50 firm. In both instances, these programs resulted in the employer being ranked as a Top 100 Military Friendly Employer. For the last 20 years, concurrently with his roles as a Talent Acquisition Executive, George has trained and coached 1000’s of Veterans on interviewing and career search skills. Today, George is the VP and Head of Global Talent Acquisition at Forcepoint, an industry-leading cyber security firm.

Key Takeaways

[11:20] The driving forces in George and Mike’s lives that prompted them to write their book, “The Talent War”

[16:27] The current state rigidity in hiring processes, and the importance of talent

[18:03] The “talent” mindset”, vs the growth mindset – what organization must have to be successful

[23:32] The Chief Human Resources Office role, the values, principles, and trats of leaders that should step into this role in any organization

[31:48] The interview process

[42:04] Culture and likeability as critical factors vs non-factors, for candidate selection

[52:57] Talent retention and hiring for technical talent – maintaining the philosophy of hiring for character and training for skill, in highly technical roles

[01:11:30] What is next for George and Mike after the release of “The Talent War”

Memorable Quotes

[11:20] “George and I are passionate about leadership and this book really is a subset of leadership. It’s a very important aspect of leadership and it’s usually the first stage of leadership, it’s forming the team and bringing the right people into the organization to take an idea and drive it into something that is tangible.” -Mike

[20:39] “Part of the talent mindset is ultimately getting to a point where you’re treating your human capital with the same rigor, the same focus, the same level of importance as your financial capital because it’s what’s driving your finance capital.” -George

[33:33] “For a lot of military leaders, leading is just muscle memory. The military is the world’s preeminent leadership program without debate.” -Mike

[34:21] “When you deviate from a process that is highly successful, that’s when you start to make bad hires.” -Mike

[43:51] “When people are hiring from likeability, generally, it’s because they haven’t been trained in how to interview.” – George

[62:00] “It’s all on you, but it’s not about you” – on ego and leadership - George

Resources:

How to contact Mike & George

Mike Sarraille: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelsarraillemba/

George Randle: https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgelrandle/

EF Overwatch: https://www.efoverwatch.com/

Forcepoint: https://www.forcepoint.com/

Josh Cotton: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshcotton/

Full Interview on YouTube: https://youtu.be/LYuJWdqw0Pk

Books Mentioned:

The Talent War: How Special Operations and Great Organizations Win on Talent by Mike Sarraille and George Randle - https://www.amazon.com/Talent-War-Special-Operations-Organizations-ebook/dp/B08GFG5C53

Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy Seals Lead and Win by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin - https://www.amazon.com/Extreme-Ownership-U-S-Navy-SEALs/dp/1250067057

All that We Can Be: Black Leadership And Racial Integration The Army Way :https://www.amazon.com/All-That-Can-Leadership-Integration/dp/0465001130/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&qid=1603059411&refinements=p_27%3AJohn+Sibley+Butler&s=books&sr=1-3&text=John+Sibley+Butler

The Attributes: 25 Hidden Drivers of Optimal Performance: https://www.amazon.com/Attributes-Hidden-Drivers-Optimal-Performance/dp/0593133943/ref=sr_1_4?dchild=1&keywords=attributes+book&qid=1603059533&s=books&sr=1-4

One Mission: How Leaders Build A Team Of Teams: https://www.amazon.com/One-Mission-Leaders-Build-Teams-ebook/dp/B071LHK5C1/ref=sr_1_12?dchild=1&keywords=chris+fussell&qid=1603059702&s=music&sr=1-12-catcorr

Thank you for listening!

Thank you to the men and women who have served, and who are serving in the United States armed forces.

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Join the **New Monthly Newsletter** - Data Binge REFRESH: https://www.derekwesleyrussell.com/newsletter

Interested in starting your own podcast? Some candid advice here: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-start-podcast-3-step-gono-go-beginners-guide-derek-russell

Learn more about the Data Binge Podcast at www.thedatabinge.com

Connect with Derek:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/derekwesleyrussell/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCN1c5mzapLZ55ciPgngqRMg/featured

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drussnetwork/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/drussnetwork

Medium: https://medium.com/@derekwesleyrussell

Email: [email protected]

Today's episode is a Simply Tech LIVE interview, capturing a new mini-series the program is doing on Transformations in Industry, Manufacturing. The episode features our guest co-host, Greg Vigil, Industry Director for Manufacturing at Microsoft - who is Microsoft’s in-vertical expert on all things industry related - and our very special guest for the episode, Tracy Galloway, US Vice President of Manufacturing at Microsoft. Tracy has more than 20 years of experience in technology, some of her experiences include, Director level leadership at Unilever North America, as well as more than 15 years at Hewlett Packard, holding experiences ranging from managing the Ford Motor company relationship, all the way to multiple VP level roles including Channel and Attach sales, US technology services, and Strategy, Segments, and Alliances. At Microsoft, Tracy spent time as the regional VP of Microsoft's enterprise commercial team in the great lakes, as well as leading the Microsoft US services team just last year. Tracy brings an immense amount of passion and energy to the discussion.

Key Takeaways

[08:10] Microsoft's new Manufacturing industry vertical, and why Microsoft decided to carve out a special organization specifically for manufacturing customers and partners

[09:05] High level solutions and key scenarios that are driving business impact in manufacturing, and the “why now” impetus for the market

[16:10] The importance of strategic partnerships and cohesive collaboration for digital work accelerations in manufacturing

[19:25] Tracy's experiences as a woman VP, and the importance of female leadership in the industry

[23:25] One of Tracy’s most passion fueled focus areas in manufacturing: sustainability. Why it’s important for manufacturers globally, and the leadership that Microsoft is exemplifying in the space.

[26:40] What Greg is seeing when it comes to sustainability across large global organizations

[29:48] Tracy’s thoughts on organizational skilling and education in the quickly evolving and maturing world of cloud and AI,

[32:29] Greg’s thoughts on how Microsoft is differentiating through education based approaches to technology adoption

[33:50] What Tracy thinks business leaders in manufacturing should be thinking about when they want to partner with a large tech organizations like Microsoft

Memorable Quotes

[09:33] “Using technology to bridge that gap (the workforce), reskilling the workforce, and embracing technology is really part of the future.”

[20:18] “As a leader, you have to manage that success drive with a balance around where everybody’s at right now.”

[20:53] “Gender diversity really does provide benefits to organizations and the data just shows that over and over.”

Resources:

How to contact Tracy & Greg

Tracy Galloway: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trgalloway/

Greg Vigil: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregjvigil/

Full Interview on YouTube: https://youtu.be/UUeZOfK04ho

Microsoft Manufacturing: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/industry/manufacturing

Microsoft Azure: https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/

Thank you for listening!

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Join the **New Monthly Newsletter** - Data Binge REFRESH: https://www.derekwesleyrussell.com/newsletter

Interested in starting your own podcast? Some candid advice here: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-start-podcast-3-step-gono-go-beginners-guide-derek-russell

Learn more about the Data Binge Podcast at www.thedatabinge.com

Connect with Derek:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/derekwesleyrussell/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCN1c5mzapLZ55ciPgngqRMg/featured

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drussnetwork/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/drussnetwork

Medium: https://medium.com/@derekwesleyrussell

Email: [email protected]

Today's episode is a Simply Tech LIVE interview featuring my co-host, Ali Mazaheri, and our guest, Ed Essey. Ed is the Director of Intrapreneurship & Incubation in the Microsoft Garage, a program that delivers and drives a culture of innovation, and is largely responsible for coming up with some very creative Microsoft AI products that exist today in the market. One of which is Video Indexer, a media AI technology that makes it easier to extract insights from videos. The product has won numerous design and innovation awards including the 2019 National Association of Broadcasters or NAB product of the year, and Video Indexer brings together everything from facial detection to visual content moderation. It's a really cool way to see multiple AI models working within one solution, and a great example of the types of ideas that can be brought forward by very intentionally designed innovation programming.

Ed is a titan in the world of innovation, and has spent his entire career focused on creating new things at start-ups and in the enterprise, as well as hiring people who can do this very well while creating programs that bring new ideas forward. Ed's been at Microsoft for almost 19 years, and brings with him a BS Degree in Computer Science and Engineering from MIT.

We talk today with Ed deeply about how organizations are typically approaching machine learning and advanced technologies with focus on scale and optimization, but why the true focus should be on purpose. We talk about innovation as a culture, and get into some depth around Ed's recent project experiences, including on AI solution for families of children with Epilepsy, to unlock real human experiences and proximity. This is a discussion around AI and it's most important sub component, Empathy.

Items we discuss in the episode:

[6:04] How Ed and the Garage are helping families of children with epilepsy

[8:09] How Microsoft Garage fosters a culture of innovation

[10:50] How putting empathy in action caused a huge cultural shift in Microsoft and how it impacts customers and employees

[13:18] Functional programs at Microsoft Garage that Ed is proud of and have helped move projects forward

[15:39] How the Microsoft Technology Center leverages technology and bring team members together despite the pandemic affecting the human-to-human element

[18:29] How people view innovations and how Ed perceives of innovation as an ecosystem

[21:36] How building technical solutions without working with customers first and building empathy, is just premature speculation

[30:10] Ed's take on underfunding versus overfunding ideas and how he looks to address this

[35:16] Ali and Ed's thoughts on the idea of interoperability and open source community

[40:28] How Microsoft handles privacy data

[42:26] How to apply empathy first in any company

Memorable Quotes:

[8:30] "Our motto is ‘doers not talkers.’ Instead of talking about it, we always try to create situation that actually get people in the experience."

[10:40] "If it's truly brilliant, I hope I can make it real."

[17:21] “Yes, you kind of lose that human-to-human element but you can still leverage technology with the power of AI to bring all team members together."

[22:59] Data are people too but actually data are people first.

[38:15] "So many of the best projects come from a few people working on adjacent spaces and see what others are hacking on and decide to merge their ideas together."

Resources:

How to contact Ed:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/essey/

Ed Essey's Blog: https://edessey.com/

Full Interview on YouTube: https://youtu.be/UrU9Hx4dvZI

Microsoft Garage - https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/garage/

Derek’s LinkedIn Profile - https://www.linkedin.com/in/derekwesleyrussell/

Derek's YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCN1c5mzapLZ55ciPgngqRMg

Video Indexer - https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/services/media-services/video-indexer/

Microsoft Kaizala - https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.microsoft.mobile.polymer&hl=en

Microsoft Launcher - https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/launcher

Reid Hoffman's LinkedIn Profile - https://www.linkedin.com/in/reidhoffman/

GitHub - https://github.com/

Books

Talking to Humans by Giff Constable - https://www.amazon.com/Talking-Humans-Success-understanding-customers-ebook/dp/B00NSUEUL4#ace-g7448806443

Testing with Humans by Giff Constable - https://www.amazon.com/Testing-Humans-experiments-informed-decision-ebook/dp/B07JGQ2GYR

Thank you for listening!

Join the **New Monthly Newsletter** - Data Binge REFRESH: https://www.derekwesleyrussell.com/newsletter

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Interested in starting your own podcast? Some candid advice here: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-start-podcast-3-step-gono-go-beginners-guide-derek-russell

Learn more about the Data Binge Podcast at www.thedatabinge.com

Connect with Derek:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/derekwesleyrussell/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCN1c5mzapLZ55ciPgngqRMg/featured

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drussnetwork/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/drussnetwork

Medium: https://medium.com/@derekwesleyrussell

Email: [email protected]

Today's episode features a dialogue with Kendra Crook, Sr. MBA Prep Coach at Management for Leadership for Tomorrow or (MLT). MLT is a non-profit organization specifically focused on changing the face of leadership in the private and social sectors, by driving break through results for individuals and institutions. The Rising Leaders that MLT seeks to target and then develop, are high achieving Black, LatinX, and Native American's, and this is accomplished through a portfolio of programs ranging from new to Career Prep, early career MBA Prep, to the more senior Career Advancement Programming.

90% of MLT's undergraduates receive an offer for a high trajectory job, and 90% of MLT's MBA prep students get into a top 10 business school. Currently, there are over 1500 MLTers in high impact roles in the tech industry, including Facebook, LinkedIn, Salesforce, and Microsoft. To name a few, corporate partners of MLT include: Bain & Company, Nike, Amazon, Andreessen Horowitz, Capital One, Google, and the NFL.

Kendra's work, focused on the MBA Prep work of the organization, and through her 13 year tenure at MLT, has impacted over 600 fellows of the program.

Key Takeaways

06:40 Who Management Leadership for Tomorrow (MLT) is

09:20 What Kendra does specifically and how she feels about the impact she’s making

13:54 What the problem they’re targeting is

17:00 How Kendra has seen fellows change and the evolution she has seen

24:01 The transition Kendra sees fellows go through

31:22 Focus points organizations need to work on

39:55 What confidence looks like and why it’s damaging to the process

47:56 How employers can bring on more diverse talent

56:19 How Kendra can scale what MLT is doing

59:46 Advice Kendra wants to give

01:01:55 What Kendra will focus on if she has 7 days and unlimited resources

Notable Quotes

11:52 “It’s incredibly rewarding work and when I think of 600 fellows, it sounds like a lot but I carry their stories with me all the time.”

15:07 “The number one problem is making people understand the power of the degree, what it can do for you, your family, your community, and making sure that nothing gets in your way to that.”

15:31 “What our premise is is that that degree springboards you so much further along your career. There’s a recognition there. There’s a training there that makes you an agent of power. And that’s what we want more of. We want that multiplier effect.”

19:24 “I can’t wait for MLTers to run the world. It’s gonna be a much better place.”

Thank you for listening!

Join the **New Monthly Newsletter** - Data Binge REFRESH: https://www.derekwesleyrussell.com/newsletter

Full Interview on YouTube: https://youtu.be/AYmxeupsd9M

How to Contact Kendra:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kendracrook/

Management Leadership for Tomorrow: https://mlt.org/

Resources

Management Leadership for Tomorrow (MLT) - https://mlt.org/

https://youtu.be/AYmxeupsd9M

Profiles

John Rice - CEO and Founder of MLT - https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnrice4/

Book

Womenomics: Write Your Own Rules for Success by Claire Shipman - https://www.amazon.com/Womenomics-Write-Your-Rules-Success/dp/0061697184

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Interested in starting your own podcast? Some candid advice here: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-start-podcast-3-step-gono-go-beginners-guide-derek-russell

Learn more about the Data Binge Podcast at www.thedatabinge.com

Connect with Derek:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/derekwesleyrussell/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCN1c5mzapLZ55ciPgngqRMg/featured

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drussnetwork/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/drussnetwork

Medium: https://medium.com/@derekwesleyrussell

Email: [email protected]