October 1, 2022
As I am now a month into my NEOM journey I was reflecting on this incredible adventure.
In one famous quote, Albert Einstein explained his genius when he famously said, "I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious."
NEOM is all about connecting the brightest minds in the world to achieve the dream of building a better future. It’s only through creative passion and determined drive that this dream will be realized. NEOM refers to us as “dreamers and doers” as we believe we can make happen not just what is possible, but what is impossible. We are given the unique opportunity to collaborate on fresh ideas and new solutions in an engine room of creativity and innovation.
NEOM has actively recruited and attracted top talents in their fields from all over the world. These visionary minds and adventurous spirits were drawn by the chance to make history in creating the place of the future from the ground up. A position at NEOM is a chance to live in the “new future” that is being built now. A multicultural community surrounded by the spectacular nature that makes it such a rare playground that embodies the ideals of Vision 2030. The NEOM team is striving to make NEOM a place of exceptional livability and sustainability that serves as an example for the world.
So what is it like to be here and working on such an ambitious project?
First, it is absolutely surreal to be here in this physical setting and in an environment created around such diversity. I have had so many moments where it just seems like a dream to be in such a creative and collaborative environment. The incredible camaraderie that is felt here is new to me. Everyone truly seems to want to help and see you successful. For sure, there are challenges to moving to a new country and living in new settings, etc. However, these high hurdles are minimized by the teamwork that is expressed.
However it is an intimidating feeling to be surrounded by the very brightest individuals from every part of the world. It is humbling to meet people with such important accomplishments, experiences, and ambitions. Being with intellectual visionaries teaches you a lot.
A few thoughts:
Humility - There are incredible minds in our world…there are people thinking bigger and better than you might imagine. Embrace your big dreams but know that there are probably bigger ones out there. Being in a “room” like NEOM helps you truly embrace not being the smartest person in the “room” and leaning into curiosity.
Being uncomfortable is something that makes you grow. I have been so inspired by hearing the stories of the bright people I have met and their stories of living outside the box. It has truly helped me embrace the exponential change I am experiencing and embracing it as growth.
Healthy discussions include a lot of listening and probing questions, not to challenge but rather to understand, to amplify, and to grow ideas.
Success is not a competition, or it shouldn’t be. The more you're competing the less you're learning, growing and accomplishing. Steve Jobs once said, “It doesn't make sense to hire smart people and tell them what to do; we hire smart people so they can tell us what to do.” The smartest leaders have the uncanny ability to hire people who are much smarter than they are, who will push them through diverse thinking and drive their business forward.
One of the most tangible memories I have of experiencing the sense of diversity and commonality happened last week when I was traveling with a group of colleagues from different sectors to the city of Tabuk. We were traveling together by car and represented places from around the world: Lebanon, United Kingdom, Croatia, Slovenia, and the United States. As we got on the road one of the colleagues said let's play some music and put on a playlist of “Bon Jovi’s Greatest Hits”. Everyone immediately applauded and said they loved the choice. As we drove through the incredible landscape of northern Saudi Arabia talking about our home countries with Bon Jovi playing in the background, I was taken by the powerful diversity represented in the car but yet the feeling of connection we all felt. I was overwhelmed by a feeling of gratitude for this epiphany of what can happen when we come together for a common purpose.
I am grateful to be in a place where I am NOT the smartest person in the room. "I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious."
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