From Geek to Star #15 - Nurture yourself and your Network

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🗓️ This Week – Episode 15: Nurture Yourself and Your Network

In Newsletter #10, we talked about cultivating curiosity and relationships. “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” Your career grows over years, but it’s watered daily. In a world of constant switching and “easy scrolling,” those who deliberately protect time for learning and people will build an unfair advantage.

🌱 Nurturing Your Curiosity

In Newsletter #10, we focused on using curiosity to understand the context inside and around your company. That’s essential but curiosity shouldn’t stop there. The broader you roam, the more you can connect dots across topics that looked unrelated at first. It also keeps you open-minded, this is vital for thinking outside the box and listening to perspectives you can integrate into your work.

Paradoxically, in the GenAI era, when knowledge is at our fingertips, our inputs are getting shorter and shallower. Endless “snackable” video reels feel like learning, but rarely build depth.

Ways to go deeper (pick one to start):

• Subscribe to and read one quality generalist newspaper with an “Analysis” / “Long Read” section.
  
  Aim for one piece per week. After reading, write a 3-line “so what?”: What happened? Why now? What might this change? This turns passive reading into insight - at some point you could even reuse some insights in your tech decisions. As an example, in a work I did last year, I used insights I had from my readings as well as from networking conversations to build my thoughts on a paper on the company’s tech strategy in China.
  

• Listen to long-form podcasts (≥30 min) or lectures.
  
  Perfect if you prefer audio while commuting, walking, doing sports... (Personally, it’s not my cup of tea, but it works brilliantly for many.) Choose formats that go beyond headlines: interviews, debates, deep dives.
  

• Have conversations with curious people.
  
  A catch-up with someone who also loves learning is energizing and memorable. Swap one thing you each learned last week. This also doubles as relationship nurturing.

🤝 Nurturing Your Relationships

“Out of sight, out of mind” is real. Relationships compound when you give value consistently and keep gentle, human touchpoints especially beyond your first circle.

In Newsletter #10, we listed simple ways to reach outside your lane: say hello when passing other teams, grab a casual coffee with cross-functional colleagues, or schedule a weekly lunch with someone you don’t know well. Have you tried one yet? It can feel awkward for tech folks (leaders included) to engage with “other worlds” so here’s a low-pressure way to start.

The Three-Circle Map (paper + pen)

1. Center dot = You.
   

2. Circle 1: Core (direct collaborators you appreciate).
   

3. Circle 2: Adjacent (5 people you don’t work with directly but who know you and that you feel positive about).
   

4. Circle 3: Aspirational (5 people you’d love to learn from but don’t know yet).

What to do now

• Circle 1 (Core):

  • Get to know the persons more if not already the case, and identify common topics of interest with each of them - topics don’t have to be work related but could actually bring insights to your common works at some point. For example if you like geopolitics, discuss your thoughts and insights.
    

• Circle 2 (Adjacent):

  • If co-located: stand up, say hello, and propose lunch - one person per week.

  • If remote: send a 2-line note to suggest a 45 min virtual coffee - same, one person per week.

  • No agenda beyond curiosity. Ask what their priority and current work is about.

  • Suggest a 6-week cadence for a repeat touchpoint.
    

• Circle 3 (Aspirational):

  • Park it for now. You’ll approach them after getting momentum with Circles 1 and 2, ideally via a warm intro and with something helpful to offer.

🙏 I’d Love to Hear From You

Which small habit gave you the biggest return lately either on curiosity or relationships?

Reply to this email, I read every note.

And don’t forget: follow me on LinkedIn for more reflections and “behind-the-scenes” thinking between newsletters. Don't hesitate to engage discussions there in the comments to also start showing and sharing your thoughts publicly. 

P.S. Referral Pilot 🚀

Forward this email to one engineer friend you appreciate and who may benefit from this as part of the “sharing is caring” mindset! Put a nice forward word, a good opportunity to connect or re-connect. 

✨ May the Shift be with you!

From Geek to Star by Khang | The Way Forward