Leveraging Technology For Better Productivity

Having this mindset will make you unstoppable: "I don't know how, but I'll find a way." This one thought fuels countless success stories. It helps you see challenges as opportunities. It keeps you moving forward when things get tough. Why This Mindset Wins: ✅ Resilience ↳ Overcomes obstacles with determination and grit. ↳ Bounces back stronger after every single setback. ✅ Creativity ↳ Finds solutions to challenging, complex problems. ↳ Thinks outside the box to achieve success. ✅ Adaptability ↳ Adjusts quickly to changing environments. ↳ Thrives in uncertain or unfamiliar situations with ease. ✅ Persistence ↳ Never gives up, no matter the challenge. ↳ Keeps pushing until success becomes inevitable. But here’s the truth: In today’s world, mindset isn’t enough anymore. To lead successfully, you need more than grit. You need the right tools, strategies, and systems. And that means leveraging technology effectively. How Technology Fuels This Mindset: 💡 Resilience Meets Automation ↳ Automation keeps you moving through tough times. ↳ Tools like AI help overcome common setbacks. 💡 Creativity Amplified by Innovation ↳ Technology sparks creativity and problem-solving. ↳ AI tools like ChatGPT save hours and effort. 💡 Adaptability Enhanced by Data Insights ↳ Real-time dashboards help leaders pivot. ↳ Data-driven decisions make adaptability effortless. 💡 Persistence Simplified with Efficiency ↳ Technology eliminates time-wasting tasks instantly. ↳ Less busywork, more focus on what actually matters. How to Start: 1️⃣ Embrace Digital Challenges ↳ View technology as a tool, not a threat. ↳ Test tools that simplify, automate, or organize tasks. 2️⃣ Stay Curious About Tech ↳ Ask your IT provider why certain tools are used. ↳ Take online courses to learn AI and cybersecurity. 3️⃣ Build a Tech-Driven Network ↳ Connect with peers using technology to drive results. ↳ Partner with experts who align with your goals. 4️⃣ Track Small Wins with Tech ↳ Use CRMs or apps to measure your growth. ↳ Celebrate every way technology simplifies your life. Steps You Can Take Today: 📌 Audit Your Tech Stack ↳ Are your tools helping or just adding complexity? 📌 Explore AI Solutions ↳ Where can AI save time or reduce risks? ↳  Psst I have a workshop on this November 20th 📌 Ask Your IT Provider Tough Questions ↳ Do they understand your business or just tech? ↳ Are they proactive or only fixing things reactively? ↳ Check out my FFREE IT Checklist in the comments! 📌 Create a Tech Vision ↳ What could you achieve with better technology? ↳ Set clear goals for transformation, not maintenance. ↳ I created a FREE community to support this process! Never doubt the power of determination. But remember: Determination powered by technology? That’s the ultimate game-changer. 👇 Share your thoughts below! ♻️ Found this valuable? Share it with a fellow leader.

Over the last year, I’ve seen many people fall into the same trap: They launch an AI-powered agent (chatbot, assistant, support tool, etc.)… But only track surface-level KPIs — like response time or number of users. That’s not enough. To create AI systems that actually deliver value, we need 𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰, 𝗵𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻-𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰 𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘀 that reflect: • User trust • Task success • Business impact • Experience quality    This infographic highlights 15 𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘢𝘭 dimensions to consider: ↳ 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗲 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘆 — Are your AI answers actually useful and correct? ↳ 𝗧𝗮𝘀𝗸 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗲 — Can the agent complete full workflows, not just answer trivia? ↳ 𝗟𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆 — Response speed still matters, especially in production. ↳ 𝗨𝘀𝗲𝗿 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 — How often are users returning or interacting meaningfully? ↳ 𝗦𝘂𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗲 — Did the user achieve their goal? This is your north star. ↳ 𝗘𝗿𝗿𝗼𝗿 𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗲 — Irrelevant or wrong responses? That’s friction. ↳ 𝗦𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗗𝘂𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 — Longer isn’t always better — it depends on the goal. ↳ 𝗨𝘀𝗲𝗿 𝗥𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 — Are users coming back 𝘢𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳 the first experience? ↳ 𝗖𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗽𝗲𝗿 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 — Especially critical at scale. Budget-wise agents win. ↳ 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗗𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗵 — Can the agent handle follow-ups and multi-turn dialogue? ↳ 𝗨𝘀𝗲𝗿 𝗦𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘀𝗳𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗲 — Feedback from actual users is gold. ↳ 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝘅𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗨𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 — Can your AI 𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘦𝘳 to earlier inputs? ↳ 𝗦𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 — Can it handle volume 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 degrading performance? ↳ 𝗞𝗻𝗼𝘄𝗹𝗲𝗱𝗴𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗮𝗹 𝗘𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆 — This is key for RAG-based agents. ↳ 𝗔𝗱𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗦𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗲 — Is your AI learning and improving over time? If you're building or managing AI agents — bookmark this. Whether it's a support bot, GenAI assistant, or a multi-agent system — these are the metrics that will shape real-world success. 𝗗𝗶𝗱 𝗜 𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗰𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘀? Let’s make this list even stronger — drop your thoughts 👇

Project AI Assistants are the secret weapon to 10x your productivity. They're one of my favorite ways to use AI. Here's how to build one in minutes You can use ChatGPT Projects, Claude Projects, or Gemini Gems for your Project AI assistant. You create a separate project assistant to manage each major outcome you're accountable for, e.g., grow demand by 30%, double weekly active users, use AI to increase closed-won deals by 50% etc. For each Project AI assistant 1. Give it all the context: People don't understand how amazing AI is at holding all the context for you. Give it: - All the project's strategic documents. - All the project's meeting transcripts - Bonus: use a meeting app like 'Fellow' to attend meetings on your behalf and grab the meeting notes; now your assistant has context across all meetings, even if you're not in them. - Loom transcripts. Have the team send updates in Looms; it's a huge unlock. - External Deep Research: pairing external research with internal is powerful 2. Instructions: Provide your project assistant with clear instructions on how to work with you. Below is just a tiny sample from mine. a. Be clear and concise: Get to the point, but add context where needed. Prioritize clarity without losing important nuance. b. Use evidence: Cite sources (e.g., "2024 Q3 GTM Strategy Doc") and include relevant excerpts when making recommendations. c. Surface blind spots: Go beyond the prompt. Flag risks, missed opportunities, or second-order effects. d. Challenge respectfully: If you disagree, explain why with logic and evidence — constructively. [I'm doing a complete breakdown of my Project AI Assistants for my newsletter subscribers, signup for full instructions & templates. Signup link on LinkedIn profile page] 3. Templates Give the Project AI assistant templates of frequent asks you'll have; examples I use: - Executive Memo Template: a 6-page memo template on progress, challenges, blockers, opportunities - Weekly Blockers Template: surfaces the biggest blockers to solve that week - Bi-weekly Momentum Template: surfaces what's been shipped the past two weeks and what's planned for the next two weeks - Monthly Status Template: writes a monthly summary of what results to drive accountability across the team - Opportunities Researcher Template: Identify the biggest missed opportunities the team should pay more attention to. There's so much fluff in all the AI demos you'll see on social media that people forget about the less flashy but more impactful use cases for AI.

Your to-do list shouldn't control your life. 6 methods that kept me from losing my mind: (And doubled my output) 1. The Two-Minute Rule If something takes less than two minutes, do it immediately. Not later. Not tomorrow. But now. This simple rule prevents small tasks from snowballing into overwhelming anxiety. --- 2. Never Miss Another Detail I used to scramble taking notes during meetings + interviews, missing key points and action items. Now, I use Rev’s VoiceHub to auto-record and transcribe everything. It’s more accurate than alternatives like OtterAI and it’s easy to share the info with my team. --- 3. The Focus Formula 3 hours of deep work beats 8 hours of shallow work every time. Block your calendar, turn off notifications, set a timer, and just start. Watch your output soar. --- 4. Energy Management > Time Management Stop planning your day around the clock. Instead, match tasks to your natural rhythms – creative work in the morning, meetings after lunch, admin work when energy dips. Work with your body, not against it. --- 5. The Weekly Reset Ritual Every Sunday, clear your inbox, plan your priorities, set three main goals, and prepare your workspace. This turns Monday from a bottleneck into a launchpad. --- 6. Automate Everything Possible If you do something more than twice, automate it. From email templates to calendar scheduling, let tech handle the routine so you can focus on what matters. --- These tools & techniques will help you stay organized, manage your time better, and maintain your sanity. Try them out and see which ones work best for you. Reshare ♻ to help others. And follow me for more posts like this.

AI field note: my word of the year is 𝔼𝕍𝔸𝕃: celebrating the art and science of rigorous measurement of AI performance, progress and purpose. (1 of 3) This year delivered a wealth of new AI models, architectures, and use cases - all united by one thread: evaluation. Model benchmarking, evaluation, or just "eval" has evolved from a simple, singular measure to a more complex blend of stats, metrics, and measurement techniques. Today's evals help discerning practitioners make pragmatic, informed technology decisions and measures improvements as AI systems are tuned. With AI innovation accelerating, staying up to date on evals ensures informed trade-offs when building intelligent systems, agents, and applications. Let's start by looking at measuring "performance"; the best way we know how to compare model behaviors, and find the right fit-for-purpose. Defining 'good performance' now involves a sophisticated suite of metrics across diverse dimensions. ⚙️ Task eval - beyond raw performance numbers. Today's evals measure how models perform across diverse scenarios - from basic comprehension to complex reasoning, reliability, consistency, and nuanced evaluation of reasoning paths, output quality, and edge case handling. 👛 Token economics - balancing cost, efficiency, and operation. Understanding token costs - both input and output - was essential last year, but evals have evolved beyond raw price per token, to understanding efficiency patterns, batching strategies, and the total cost of operation. ⏲️ Time-to-first-token. Speed is a feature, as they say, and while streaming responses have improved user experiences, this metric has become particularly crucial as models are deployed in production environments where user experience directly impacts adoption. 🔥 Inference compute: The amount of compute used for prediction shapes what problems a model can solve. More compute enables greater complexity but increases costs and latency - making it a pivotal benchmark for 2024. For some light holiday reading to explore this further: Service cards (OpenAI, Amazon), Meta's Llama 3 paper, and Anthropic's evaluation sampling research (links below).

𝐁𝟐𝐁 𝐗-𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐏𝐚𝐲𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐎𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 — by Circle 𝐏𝐚𝐲𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐍𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 🌍 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 is the Circle Payments Network (𝐂𝐏𝐍)? ► CPN is a programmable, interoperable infrastructure enabling compliant global payments via FIAT, USDC, and regulated stablecoins. ► It connects Originating Financial Institutions (OFIs) and Beneficiary Financial Institutions (BFIs) through open blockchain protocols — optimizing payments for speed, compliance, and cost. ► Built for cross-border B2B transactions, CPN replaces complex correspondent banking with smart contracts, encrypted data packets, and multichain rails. — 𝐂𝐏𝐍 𝐂𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐬 ► 𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐫 𝐓𝐨𝐨𝐥𝐬 → Wallet SDKs, Paymasters, Contracts ► 𝐃𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐀𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐭𝐬 → USDC, EURC, and Tokenized Funds ► 𝐋𝐢𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐲 → On/off-ramp FX, credit, minting ► 𝐈𝐧𝐟𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 → Native multichain support + global banking integration ► 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 & 𝐑𝐞𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 → Encryption, AML/CFT, KYC, and travel rule enforcement ► 𝐁𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐑𝐢𝐬𝐤 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐬 → Embedded across all endpoints — 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐅𝐥𝐨𝐰 — B2B Cross-Border Payment Journey 1️⃣ A Sender initiates a payment (e.g., USD → PHP), confirms transaction and recipient details. 2️⃣ The Originating Financial Institution (OFI) queries Circle for USDC > PHP rates, shares quote, and generates an encrypted transaction packet. 3️⃣ The Circle Payments Network facilitates orchestration, routing, and packet signing using smart contracts. 4️⃣ The Beneficiary Financial Institution (BFI) receives transaction data, performs compliance checks, and transfers local currency (PHP) to the Receiver. Every step — from quote to final payout — is secured with blockchain signatures, onchain record-keeping, and real-time compliance workflows. — 𝐊𝐞𝐲 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐫𝐬 in this new blockchain-payment wave: ► Dfns → Digital Wallet Infrastructure ► Lightspark → Open protocol for money ► Zero Hash → Blockchain Payments Infrastructure ► Mural Pay → Stablecoins Payments ► Lyzi → Online & In-store Crypto Payments — Source: Circle Payments Network ► Sign up to 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐚𝐲𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐁𝐫𝐞𝐰𝐬 ☕: https://lnkd.in/g5cDhnjC ► Connecting the dots in payments... and Marcel van Oost

I see so many posts on LinkedIn along the lines of: “I tried ChatGPT, and honetsly, it didn’t make much difference for me—barely added anything to my productivity.” If that’s your takeaway, it’s time to rethink. The fact that AI doesn’t feel transformative to you? That’s not good news for you—or your industry. What you should be asking is this: “Is there already someone out there putting this to good use and achieving a level of productivity that I’ve never reached?” The real disruption happens when just a few people in your field start using AI effectively. Their productivity can shift industry standards, reshape career paths, and leave everyone else struggling to catch up, in just weeks. I see this firsthand. My AI team has completely changed how I work, amplifying my productivity in ways that would be impossible without them, so I have honored them with names from heroes from the past: • Goran, powered by Grammarly and Writesonic, manages my communications, drafting emails and reports with tailored tone adjustments that keep me on brand effortlessly. • Magnus, combining ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, and NotebookLM, dives into complex analysis, organizes content, and delivers insights that drive strategy. My very own management consultant. • Annie, my content producer, turns ideas into compelling video, audio, and graphics, leveraging tools like Veed, Videoleap, Prome AI, MidJourney, and NotebookLM to keep content creation seamless. • Veronika, my executive assistant, keeps everything running smoothly by managing my calendar, booking meetings, and taking notes during hybrid sessions. • Kim, based on Gamma AI, builds presentations with precision, saving hours and ensuring every deck is polished. These aren’t just tools—they’re AI colleagues enabling me to work at a level that wasn’t possible before. They raise my bar for what’s achievable, driving new standards for speed, creativity, and quality. Gone are my days of burning the midnight oil aligning boxes and making powerpoints great at 02:30 the day before an important presentation. Gone are the days of sending your deck to a shared service center. Gone are the days of ”high hurdles” to get going on something new or difficult. AI isn’t about making everyone more productive. It’s about how exponential impact occurs when someone leverages it effectively. Leaders who recognize this will drive the future of work. Those who don’t the train is about to leave the station. Also, this is why the 2 most transformative and persistent structural changes continue to gain force within workplaces and offices: 1. Companies are doing more with less. 2. Distributed work is gaining traction. #FutureOfWork

Nextcloud Server is an open-source, self-hosted cloud platform that lets us store, sync, and share files, similar to commercial services like Google Drive, Dropbox, or OneDrive but with full control over our own data. I just love these aspects: * open source * self hosted * full data ownership _________________________________________ Capabilities: * Store documents, images, and other files. * Sync across devices with desktop/mobile clients. * Real-time document editing (via Collabora Online or OnlyOffice integration). * Calendar and contacts sync (CalDAV & CardDAV). * Nextcloud Talk (chat, voice, video conferencing). * Shared task and project management apps. * End-to-end encryption for files. * 2FA and passwordless login options. * Audit logs and admin monitoring tools. * Granular permissions and access control. * Extend functionality with hundreds of community and official apps (e.g., Notes, Mail, Password Manager, Forms). * Connect multiple Nextcloud servers so users can share files across instances. _________________________________________ Technologies used: * Written in PHP (with JavaScript for the web UI). * For databases it supports MySQL/MariaDB, PostgreSQL, and SQLite. * For web server it works with Apache or Nginx. * It runs on Linux (Debian, Ubuntu, CentOS, etc.); can also be used via Docker images or snap packages. * Clients available for Linux, macOS, Windows, Android, and iOS. _________________________________________ The most important thing to consider here? Data sovereignty! You choose where your data lives (private home server, VPS, enterprise datacenter). _________________________________________ Use Cases: * Personal private cloud for files & backups. * Secure business collaboration suite. * Schools/universities hosting learning materials. * NGOs and governments needing compliance with privacy laws (e.g., GDPR). #linux

Why integrated, data-driven coaching is the real secret to career and organizational success in 2025. For years, we’ve celebrated the “hero leader”—the charismatic individual who single-handedly drove change and success. But as we step further into 2025, new data and real-world trends are challenging this narrative. The executive coaching certification market is booming, projected to reach $11.72 billion this year. Companies with strong coaching cultures grow 27% faster year-over-year. 99% of professionals who receive coaching are satisfied or highly satisfied—and 95% would do it again. The message is clear: individual brilliance is no longer enough. What truly drives impact in today’s complex, hybrid, and AI-driven workplace is integrated, data-driven coaching—not just charismatic heroics. Here’s the shift we need to make: 1) Stop waiting to be the next “hero.”  Start building your coaching and development skills—and your ability to drive measurable, team-based results. 2) Leverage technology.  Use AI and data to track your growth, get feedback, and continuously improve. 3) Embrace integrated coaching.  Make coaching and development part of your daily work, not just a once-a-year event. Continuous learning and coaching are now career imperatives. Staying relevant means investing in your development—and making it measurable. Your legacy will be defined not by your individual achievements but by your ability to develop, empower, and measure the successes of your team. The future belongs to leaders and professionals who understand that real impact comes from empowering others—and proving it with data. Are you ready to move beyond the hero narrative and build lasting, measurable success in 2025? Coaching can help; let’s chat. #leadership #executivecoaching #upskill #careeradvice

How AI reduced costs by 35% for this major bank I see many companies struggling with inefficient, labor-intensive processes. A prime example is a leading financial institution I worked with recently. According to a study by Accenture It is found that 73% of wealth management firms struggle with  Data fragmentation across different systems. They were weighed down by over 1,000 different file formats  For settlement instruction data entering their organization. Manually processing this messy data took a huge teamwork,  Causing transcription errors,  Translation issues  And poor data quality. To streamline things, we started by training a machine learning system  To automate handling of the 35 most prevalent file formats. Within just 4 months, This AI solution was accurately processing 95% of the workload  Automatically at 99.9945% accuracy levels. Only 5% of formats had to be routed for manual review. The impact? A 35% reduction in headcount is needed  For this workflow with significant cost savings. But equally important were the qualitative gains - clean data, no more costly errors.   This project highlights how implementing AI thoughtfully,  Even for a specific narrow process,  Can bring impressive ROI. If repetitive data drudgery is sapping your resources,  It may be time to adopt an AI solution.