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Personal traits

I am not sure how much sense it makes to describe yourself, because we all have a pretty big blind spot with this kind of thing. But after thinking about it quite a lot, and comparing it with feedback I have received over the years, these are some traits that feel quite defining to me.

I do not see them as strengths or weaknesses. Most of the time they can be both, depending on the moment, the people I am working with, and whether I have had one coffee too many.

How I think​

  • I question things a lot: I do not like doing something just because "this is how it has always been done". Sometimes that helps find better ways forward. Other times, honestly, it also makes me take longer to accept that something simply works and that is enough.
  • I need context: before giving an opinion, I try to understand where the problem comes from, what has already been tried and what constraints exist. I find it hard to buy very quick solutions if I feel I do not understand the situation yet.
  • I get a lot of ideas: when I see something that could be improved, my brain starts pulling threads. Some ideas are good, some not so much, but I usually need to get them out so I can put them in order.
  • I like being challenged: I appreciate when someone says "I don't see it" and forces me to explain myself better. I do not always listen perfectly the first time, but I think it almost always improves the result.
  • I connect different worlds: because I have moved through development, product, communities, training, entrepreneurship and a few other things, I tend to look at problems from several angles. Sometimes that helps me translate between people who are talking about the same thing in different languages.

How I act​

  • I get very involved when something matters to me: I can spend hours and hours pushing an idea until it exists. It is one of the things that has helped me the most, although I also need to watch the intensity.
  • I need to turn ideas into something concrete: a document, a demo, a talk, a list, a website, whatever. I find it hard to stay too long in abstract conversations if there is nothing to iterate on.
  • I tend to step forward: if I see something worthwhile and nobody is moving it, I find it hard to look away. It does not always mean leading everything, but it does mean trying to get it started.
  • I like things to continue without me: when I push an initiative, I try to make it easy for other people to make it their own. If everything depends on me, that is usually a bad sign.
  • I do not mind doing what is needed: I have done a bit of everything: coding, designing, writing, recording videos, organizing events, setting up forms, doing support, moving chairs if needed. If it helps something happen, let's do it.
  • I keep almost everything: ideas, links, slides, code, notes, drafts... Sometimes it looks like digital hoarding, but many times it lets me recover things years later instead of starting from scratch.
  • I know how to wait, even if it is hard for me: I usually have several ideas in my head at the same time, so I try to accept that not all of them need to happen now. Some need to mature, some need allies, and some were simply not that good.

How I relate to people​

  • I like explaining things: over time I have become quite comfortable communicating. I enjoy writing, giving talks, recording videos or simply talking with someone until an idea becomes clearer.
  • I connect people and ideas: if I know two people who I think should talk, introducing them comes naturally to me. Many interesting things I have lived started like that, with a small introduction.
  • I try to build trust: I care about people feeling comfortable working with me. It does not always happen, of course, but I try to take care of relationships and not treat people like pieces on a board.
  • I look for common ground: when there are different positions, my first reaction is usually to understand what is underneath and where something can start to be built.
  • Helping comes naturally to me: I enjoy unblocking someone, sharing something that saves them time or listening calmly enough to understand what they actually need.
  • I am quite transparent: I tend to say what I think and how I feel. Sometimes that makes me more vulnerable than ideal, but I also think it is how the conversations that really matter happen.

This is all self-perception, of course. If you know me and think something is missing, something does not fit, or I am getting a bit carried away, I would genuinely love to hear it.