A matter of mindset

Flash Interview with Daniel Moura

Meet Daniel Moura

C — In your opinion, what needs to be done to maintain high levels of energy at work? Why?

DM — The trilogy of motivation, health, and teamwork.

You have to feel motivated to make a difference in any role you play. You have to see yourself in the strategy and want to be a part of it. You have to enjoy achieving goals and growing with others. You have to believe that what you do is good for you, your team, and your company. This "motivation boost" is like brushing your teeth in the morning. It's a matter of mindset.

You have to take care of yourself physically, mentally, and emotionally. You have to eat and sleep well. You have to know whether what you do benefits you and your family.

Working in teams is becoming increasingly complex because we tend to become more selfish and self-centered, with shorter assignments in companies. But this is where the secret to the success of companies and projects lies – in knowing how to create safe environments with secure leadership so that teamwork thrives in diversity and adds value.

There are still those who manage their time more and focus little or nothing on managing their energy. This typically takes away focus, creativity, and critical thinking.

C — Which 21st-century invention compares to the value brought by electricity? Why?

DM — AI and Edge Computing are here to continue revolutionizing the way we live. Despite having begun to take its first steps in the 1950s, it is with data collection and real-time computing that AI becomes the most relevant capability for any industry.

Areas such as health, safety, and the environment are those that will see the greatest evolution in the coming years. I believe that, with climate change, for example, Smart Cities will evolve towards a significant improvement in the optimization of energy, public transport, and even the production of rain for cooling. This also has a direct impact, obviously, on the path to a zero-carbon footprint.

An interesting area to monitor is AI in combating disinformation. In recent years we have witnessed an infodemic that directly attacks the heart of all democracies, with the production of fake news through bots that control social networks and make lies viral or distort some truths. They subvert realities, create populist contexts that are difficult to dethrone, and condition free will. I am hopeful that AI will be part of the solution.

Despite being very technological myself, I consider it important to disconnect more and more from digital and connect with nature.

C — For you, in professional terms, what would be equivalent to getting an electric shock? Think about how these incidents typically occur.

DM — Imagine yourself in a room full of decision-makers, where you're going to present a technological approach to a complex problem your client has. You're going to present a PoC/ PoV. You start, and most of the audience doesn't quite understand why they're there. You're halfway through, and half of them are skeptical. And suddenly, you get to the demonstration of the results, and you see your client's eyes light up. You've found the solution to their problem, simplified the issue, mitigated the risk of starting this project, and the client just wants to do this with you.

All the adrenaline and pressure of the moment turn into a feeling of strength as if your fingers are itching to write code and program.

C — In this context of hybrid work, what is your recipe for switching off at the end of the day?

DM — For me, it all begins with how you start your day. It may seem strange, but days have become much less predictable, and immediately putting the necessary energy and focus into the most important/strategic topics and projects helps to have a sense of completeness at the end of the day (getting things done).

Hybrid work has been an opportunity for all of us: we have more time for our children, we can have meals at home, which allows us to nourish and hydrate ourselves better, we can be close to our pets, and we don't waste time commuting between home and the office. However, there is still the responsibility to deliver on a daily basis with the same quality and consistency.

While in the "old normal," commuting between the office and home, whether by public transport, bicycle, or car, made it easier to disconnect from work, now it's important to break up the day, by completely disconnecting for a few hours, and connect with something else.

I cook, exercise, and listen to music. Every day when I prepare dinner, I listen to 2 podcasts. Currently, I subscribe to 3 weekly and 2 daily podcasts, which take up about 1 hour of my day. It helps me connect with different subjects and clear my mind from everything else while I'm cooking.

Before going to bed, I read. I'm currently reading "The Infinite Game" by Simon Sinek, which was given to me by our colleague Daniel Timóteo and I recommend it.

C — What is your recommendation for better dealing with negative energies?

DM — With competence, precision, and a lot of passion.

No one can dethrone a solid and coherent discourse. It can be challenged but can’t be broken. This is where you can channel your energies to the right place, converging, actively listening, and capturing what can add value to the final outcome.

I feel that over the years, we are losing the quality of what we deliver. I remember, a few years ago, back when I was a programmer, I wouldn't deliver a code block without (at the very least) a unit test and participation in an integration test. It was mandatory, like washing your hands after using the restroom.

Finally, passion. It's important to pollinate the emotion that carries us through each interaction we have, as it makes negative energies lose their strength.

C — Think of an idea to ensure that the energy business is not seen as a commodity and explain it with all the enthusiasm you can muster.

DM — Picture a world where the energy business transcends its mundane image and becomes a captivating experience – the Energy Empowerment Ecosystem! This visionary concept reinvents the energy sector as a dynamic hub of personalised energy solutions, interconnecting consumers, producers, and innovators. It introduces a subscription-based model where consumers aren't just buying kilowatts but subscribing to an entire energy lifestyle. It offers choices like green energy, off-peak discounts, energy-efficient home upgrades, and even community-based microgrids. Through smart technology and real-time data, consumers actively manage their energy usage, transforming them from passive bill-payers to energy-conscious champions. This concept revolutionises how we perceive and interact with energy, turning it into an exciting, empowering journey towards sustainability and personalised energy freedom!

Note: this answer has been generated by ChatGPT   :)