Change how your colleagues see you. Why LLMs can't really build software. Reflections on psychological safety.

One “must” for this week: change how your colleagues see you

I was labeled as "too serious and cold, not creative" early in my career.

The worst part? They weren't entirely wrong.

I showed up to meetings with my head down, focused only on the work. I thought being "professional" meant keeping distance.

That label followed me everywhere.

Then a wonderful person who cared about me made me realize that being "professional" and doing great work does not mean not to have good relationships with people you care about.

But I also realized something: labels stick for a long time, even if you deliberately work to change them.

So I got intentional about it.

I started being curious about other people, which was by the way very easy because I was surrounded by brilliant people.

I started to include more "fun" things in my work, while doing great work.

And slowly, people started seeing me differently.

They began including me in different conversations.

Someone even said I had "good energy", something I never thought I'd hear.

The change didn't happen overnight. It took years before the new perception really stuck.

But it was worth every moment of learning how to be more human at work.

If someone described you in three words to a stranger, what would they say? Is that the reputation you actually want?

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Personal development

• Change how your colleagues see you

• Exploring the effects of prosocial and self-kindness interventions on mental health outcomes

• How to force your brain to crave doing hard things

• Letting kids fail is crucial

• Soft skills matter now more than ever, according to new research

• The crab mentality: a hidden psychological trap

• The victim mentality: a silent killer of growth

• Why "'no' is a complete sentence" is dangerous advice

Innovation

• Why LLMs can't really build software

• 2025: the year the frontier firm is born

• Collaborative innovation

• Don’t ship your pitch deck to your website. Here’s how to translate your story for customers

• Here is Lego’s $1,000 death Star, the most expensive Lego set ever

• Microsoft AI chief says it's 'dangerous' to study AI consciousness

• Open-source models and global trade

• To learn a new market, start by building your product

Leadership and management

• Reflections on psychological safety

• Change

• Changing change: from heroic leadership to collective agency

• Hybrid work in retreat? Barely

• Should you delegate that decision? Ask these 4 questions

• Stop trying to fix culture, It’s a wicked problem

• Why authentic trust beats transactional trust every time

• Why wandering works wonders for managers

One book

“The Little Book of Stoicism” by Jonas Salzgeber.

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See you next Saturday,

Roberto

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I’m hosting a virtual communication workshop!

Spending hours in virtual meetings can be exhausting 😩

You know the feeling: wondering if people are paying attention, struggling to sound confident through the screen, or just wishing you could connect better in those tiny Zoom boxes.

I’ve been there too.

Since 2020, I’ve spent over 5,000 hours in virtual meetings. Along the way, I’ve learned that being effective online is about so much more than just having a great microphone or camera (and you know how I LOVE a good tech setup 🤖).

That’s why I’ve spent countless hours researching, practicing, and learning how to communicate in virtual settings: how to engage, connect, and leave a lasting impression.

My guiding question has always been, “how do I want the people in this meeting to remember me?”

Now, I want to share what I’ve learned with you, and in the process, continue learning myself.

I’m hosting a workshop to help you become a better communicator in virtual settings.

Whether you’re leading meetings, pitching ideas, or just trying to avoid “Zoom fatigue,” this 90-minute session is designed to give you practical tools you can use right away.

🎯 What’s in it for you?

• Learn how to make a stronger, more memorable impression from the moment you join a call.

• Discover how to use your voice, gestures, and presence to keep people engaged.

• Avoid common pitfalls that can derail even the best-prepared sessions.

• And yes, we’ll talk about the all-important technical setup, too!

It’s going to be interactive, fun, and useful, and I’d love for you to join! 🤩

What people said last time

In each session, the spots are limited for better interaction, so don’t wait!

🗓️ October 14th 16:00 to 17:30 CET