#4 - Your weekly development and career newsletter

Dear community,

The last two weeks have been a bit chaotic on our side. We had to deal with some sickness, as well as the tax and accounting setup for 11 Mentors. That’s why you are only receiving the newest edition of our newsletter now.

In the last two weeks, dozens of new members joined the platform as mentors. We will introduce some of them in this newsletter. We have people from Thailand to Uzbekistan, the UK, South Africa, China, the USA, and Brazil. The global community is growing, and we are very happy to see this happening.

In about three months, we will launch a completely new UI with many new features. That’s why we won’t solve non-urgent issues in the old platform. But you can always add your feature ideas and wishes here: https://the-mentoring-club.canny.io/feature-requests.

In this episode of our newsletter, we’d like to reflect a bit on the concept of "Antifragile" - which was described by Nassim Nicholas Taleb in his book "Antifragile: Things That Gain from Disorder". How can this help you in your own career and personal development? Read on to learn more about this.

Best,

Bastian and Sebastian

Antifragile - and how it can boost your career

In this discussion, let's delve into the concept of "Antifragile" as introduced by Nassim Nicholas Taleb in his book "Antifragile: Things That Gain from Disorder." This idea can be immensely valuable for your career and personal development. Let's explore how you can apply these principles to thrive in the face of current and future challenges.

Taleb defines "antifragility" as the property of systems that improve and grow stronger when exposed to stress, volatility, and chaos. Unlike fragile entities that break under pressure or robust ones that merely withstand it, antifragile systems thrive and evolve through adversity. Think of it as the difference between a delicate glass that shatters when dropped, a rubber ball that stays intact, and a muscle that gets stronger the more you use it.

Embracing Antifragility in Your Career

1. Seek Challenges: Instead of avoiding difficulties, actively seek them out. Challenging projects, new responsibilities, or learning opportunities outside your comfort zone will push you to grow. Just as muscles become stronger through resistance, your skills and resilience will develop through challenges. In this context, don’t see failure as the enemy but as your best friend. Always ask yourself: What is the worst that can happen - in most cases, it is “I will learn something valuable.”

2. Experiment and Iterate: Adopt a mindset of continuous experimentation. Don’t be afraid to try new approaches, fail, and learn from those failures. Each iteration brings you closer to better solutions and deeper understanding. This iterative process is at the heart of innovation and personal growth.

3. Diversify Your Skills: Build a diverse skill set to make yourself more adaptable and resilient to changes in the job market. Having multiple competencies allows you to pivot when necessary and take advantage of new opportunities that arise from disruptions.

Applying Antifragility to Personal Development

1. Cultivate Resilience: Work on developing mental and emotional resilience. Practices like mindfulness, meditation, and regular physical exercise can help build a robust mental framework that not only withstands but also grows from personal setbacks.

2. Embrace Uncertainty: Life is unpredictable, and embracing this uncertainty can lead to personal growth. Rather than seeking to control every aspect of your life, learn to navigate and adapt to changes fluidly. This will make you more flexible and open to unexpected opportunities.

3. Build a Support Network: Surround yourself with a network of supportive, diverse individuals. A strong network can provide different perspectives, emotional support, and collaborative opportunities that help you thrive through ups and downs.

Reflecting on the Antifragile Mindset

Incorporating the antifragile mindset into your career and personal life isn’t just about surviving challenges—it’s about leveraging them to become stronger and more capable. As you navigate your journey, remember that every obstacle is an opportunity in disguise.

Some articles to read this week

The Gifts of 40 by Julie Zhuo

In "The Gifts of 40," Julie Zhuo reflects on the wisdom and insights she has gained upon reaching the milestone age of 40. She shares the lessons learned from her personal and professional experiences, emphasizing the importance of embracing change, understanding one's true self, and finding balance in life. Zhuo discusses how the cumulative experiences over the years have contributed to a deeper understanding of her values, goals, and the importance of resilience. This article provides valuable takeaways for anyone looking to navigate the complexities of mid-life with grace and intentionality.

Read more here.

The Productivity Apps I Use in 2024 by Cassidy Williams

Cassidy Williams shares her favorite productivity tools for 2024, highlighting apps like Obsidian for note-taking, Dabble.me for journaling, Raindrop for bookmark management, Notion Calendar for scheduling, Sukha for task management, and her own creation, todometer. She emphasizes the importance of regularly reassessing your tools and committing to them to enhance productivity and efficiency. The article offers a practical guide for anyone looking to optimize their workflow with effective tools.

Read more here.

Effective Leadership Techniques: Communication Skills for Success by EWF International

This article discusses the crucial role of communication in leadership, outlining techniques to enhance message delivery and team collaboration. Key strategies include clear instructions, active listening, empathy, and leveraging cognitive psychology insights like the primacy effect and cognitive fluency. The article emphasizes the importance of adapting communication styles to fit diverse and evolving workplace dynamics, thereby improving productivity, engagement, and trust within teams.

Read more here.

What Makes for a Dream Job? Here’s What the Evidence Says by 80,000 Hours

This article reviews over 60 studies to identify key ingredients of a dream job. It emphasizes that high income and low stress are overrated goals. Instead, it suggests aiming for work that is engaging, helps others, leverages your skills, offers supportive colleagues, lacks major negatives, and fits with your personal life. It highlights the importance of meaningful work and supportive environments for job satisfaction.

Read more here.

Let’s welcome our newest members.

Aqsa Pandith, India (Profile)
Technical Application Specialist and Application Support Analyst

Aqsa Pandith is a seasoned Technical Application Specialist and Application Support Analyst with over five years of experience in the banking and FinTech sectors across the UK, US, and UAE. She excels in optimizing and maintaining mission-critical applications, leveraging her expertise in SQL Server, Python, Salesforce, ServiceNow, Active Directory, Jira, CRM, PIQS, DTS, and ETMS. Aqsa is passionate about driving digital innovation and delivering impactful solutions in global markets. Her mentoring topics include learning SQL, leadership, public speaking, goal setting, network building, and work/life balance.

M. Cenan Demirel, Portugal (Profile)
Product Manager, Neurodiverse Mentor & Certified Neuro-Coach

M. Cenan Demirel brings a unique perspective to mentoring as a Neurodiverse individual and certified Neuro-Coach. His career, shaped by his neurodiversity, provides him with invaluable insights into the challenges and strengths of thinking differently. Cenan dedicates his time to empowering Neurodiverse individuals and educating businesses on the value of neurodiversity in the workplace. His mission is to foster a world where neurodiversity is recognized as a strength, contributing to personal fulfillment and organizational success. His mentoring topics cover high-functioning autism support, ADHD management, neurodiverse entrepreneurship, and creating inclusive workplace cultures.

David Williams, UK (Profile)
Retired ex-Project Engineer in Pharmaceutical and Health Care Research and Manufacturing

David Williams is a retired project engineer with extensive experience in pharmaceutical and healthcare research and manufacturing, having worked for industry giants such as GSK, Nycomed (now GE Healthcare), and Medisense (now Abbott Laboratories). Known for his adventurous spirit and hands-on approach, David brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to his mentoring. His mentoring topics include flying experiences, travel insights for destinations like St. Ives, New Zealand, and Tahiti, as well as interests in cars, Mediterranean holidays, fine dining, wine, and music.

Martine Zaarour, Lebanon (Profile)
CEO, Jar Thuraya

Martine Zaarour holds an honors degree in architecture and design from the Lebanese American University. She began her design career in Madrid and has been involved in sustainable projects through various NGOs. As the founder of Jar Thuraya, a social enterprise empowering Lebanese women to make traditional preserves, Martine has completed fellowships in Economic Empowerment and Community Solutions in the US. She has won multiple awards and is currently pursuing a degree in Business Innovation while leading mentorship and entrepreneurship training in Lebanon. Her mentoring topics include design, entrepreneurship, women empowerment, heritage preservation, social impact, and sustainability.

Akhil Aggarwal, India (Profile)
Product Leader, Amazon

Akhil Aggarwal is a seasoned product professional with 10 years of experience across B2B, B2C, platform, and ML product management. Having worked at both early-stage startups and tech giants like Amazon, Akhil brings a wealth of knowledge in product strategy and execution. His mentoring focuses on product management, entrepreneurship, product design, strategy and roadmap development, transitioning into product management, cracking PM interviews, and excelling in PM roles.

Bernardo Fanti, USA (Profile)
Chief Technology Officer | Head of Product | Leadership Consultant | Change Agent | Philosopher Motivator, The Roaming CTO

Bernardo Fanti is an action-oriented, customer-focused, and visionary executive with a robust technical background in embedded software, distributed web systems, and modern SaaS and cloud technologies. He excels at leading teams, solving complex business-technology problems, and delivering value quickly and effectively. Bernardo is particularly skilled in building inclusive, high-performance cultures, implementing lean processes, and fostering cross-functional collaboration. His mentoring topics include executive leadership, software engineering, team building, management, team topologies, product management, and engineering management.

Pavel Veselovskiy, Thailand (Profile)
Corporate Venturing | Growth Hacking | Product Culture | Change Management | Portfolio Management | Innovation Strategy, ex PwC

Pavel Veselovskiy is a people-driven leader with over 10 years of diverse experience in software and internet technology, technology transfer, and innovation advisory. He excels in managing cross-functional teams to build scalable technology solutions and drive digital transformation. Pavel's expertise includes corporate-startup collaboration, Agile methodologies, and change management. His mentoring topics encompass PMO, product development, technology transfer, commercialization, IT project and program management, co-development, open innovation, corporate innovation, digital product management, venture capital, change management, and various tech sectors such as HRTech, EdTech, FinTech, and more.

Diana Rasheva, Kasachstan (Profile)
Talent Management Senior Manager, Beeline Kazakhstan

Diana Rasheva brings over 15 years of HR expertise across the telecom, IT, and finance industries. Currently serving as Talent Management Senior Manager at Beeline Kazakhstan and part of VEON Group, Diana specializes in learning and development, HR business partnering, and project management. With a passion for mentoring, she has launched company-wide mentoring initiatives and is committed to inspiring others. Her mentoring topics include leadership development, talent management and succession planning, HR project management, and reskilling initiatives. Diana is a certified mentor and enjoys coffee, wine, music, singing, and Aikido.

Alex Dias, Brazil (Profile)
Gerente de Torre de Controle Logística, Loggi

Alex Dias is a passionate advocate for innovation and digital transformation with over seven years of experience in logistics operations. He excels in technological innovation, process automation, cost reduction, and productivity enhancement. Alex has been instrumental in creating fleet systems, managing high-performance teams, and overseeing strategic planning and logistics. He has played key roles in the development of control tower projects for JSL, Gerdau, and Loggi. His mentoring topics include control tower management, people management, knowledge management, innovation, cell creation, and leadership.

Februalin Briones, Uzbekistan (Profile)
Co-creation Strategist / Talent Accelerator, Team Culture & Creativity Partner, Learning & Service Designer

Februalin Briones specializes in transforming cultural clashes into creative collaborations and turning challenges into opportunities. With a rich background in story-based teaching, differentiated learning, cross-cultural training, and human capital development, Februalin helps teams achieve personal and team alignment, value innovation, and cultural integration. Passionate about gamifying work-life integration, he promotes real play for talent development and builds cohesive teams. His mentoring topics include talent development, creative leadership, cultural integration, value innovation, process design, project management, and many more.

Aya Ismail, UK (Profile)
Head of School

With over a decade of experience in leadership roles, Aya Ismail has mastered strategic planning, team building, and career development. Currently a Senior Manager at a reputable company, Aya offers valuable guidance on navigating the corporate world, setting professional goals, and achieving success. She strongly believes in work-life balance and aims to help individuals find fulfillment both professionally and personally. Her mentoring topics include identifying and overcoming limiting beliefs, developing emotional intelligence, building effective communication and leadership skills, and more.

Can Kisi, UK (Profile)
Software Engineer, Sportfin

Can Kisi is a software engineer and tech founder with about four years of experience, specializing in full-stack development. He holds an MSc in Machine Learning and is a certified product manager. Can is passionate about leveraging his skills to innovate and build impactful technology solutions. His mentoring topics include software engineering, full-stack development, startups, and machine learning. Feel free to connect with him on LinkedIn!

Sophie Harris, UK (Profile)
Business Development and Marketing Director, Proctor + Stevenson

Sophie Harris is the Director of Business Development and Marketing at Proctor + Stevenson, leading a diverse team in delivering comprehensive B2B marketing solutions. She guides her team in brand creation, marketing automation, content production, web design, and backend configuration, ensuring effective global communication for clients. Sophie's strategic vision and hands-on approach foster creativity and technical excellence, making her an exceptional mentor in business development and marketing. Her mentoring topics include career advice, marketing, leadership, personal development, business development, and sales.

Madhuri Thakur, India (Profile)
Co-founder, Mindcrew Technologies Pvt Ltd

As the CEO & Founder of Hiphype, Madhuri Thakur leads an exceptional team of over 120 developers, designers, QA specialists, and project managers dedicated to delivering top-notch managed IT services. With over a decade of experience in the tech industry, she specializes in optimizing IT infrastructure, enhancing cybersecurity, and achieving seamless scalability for businesses across the USA, Europe, and globally. Her mentoring topics include web development, IT managed services, mobile app development, software life cycle, and AI & machine learning.