Our Guest Mentor: 

NIMA MOTAZED is currently Assistant Vice President for Global Business Solutions at Swiss Re and has 25+ years of experience in the set-up, transformation, revitalization, and merger of major European and global financial institutions. Nima has led global organizations of 10,000+ employees through the full life cycle of transformation to improved efficiency and quality and his deep business operations background is combined with proven ability to overcome cultural barriers, drive adoption of best practices and successfully incorporate change into established business practices across many different countries. 

Nima is also a member of the Board of Directors for the American Chamber in Slovakia, is a Keynote Speaker at Executive Roundtable Conferences and is fluent in German, English, and Farsi; basic knowledge of Russian and Slovak. 

Nima holds a CPA designation, has completed senior-level management curriculum at INSEAD, University of California at Berkeley and the London Business School and is based out of Vienna, Austria. 

Key Quotes from the Episode: 

[On using technology to bring value on the business] “Using the right tools and bringing in all the technology and freeing up the resources that you have, doing less repetitive jobs and give something more complex, more challenging, which is creating more value along the value chain.” [04:22] 

[On keeping an ownership mindset] “From my point of view, one of the key element is the ownership mindset, taking actual ownership for this topic together with the team and coming and providing actual ideas and solutions and figure out if these ideas would fly.” [08:38] 

[The importance of constant learning] “if I’m honest to myself and I would ask myself, what is the sense of life? Probably one of the topics, which is first coming to my mind is going to be learning. Because learning is so important to stay not only in the curve, but also ahead of the curve.” [12:59] 

[On how to efficiently solve problems] “If you are looking to a problem from different angles, then you can understand the solution that you’re putting in front is the right solution for that problem.” [18:04] 

[On career advice] “you cannot live with the victory of the past. That means all your accomplishments, everything that you delivered. You celebrate them already. Now is now. And now you need to look for new victories.  Otherwise you’re not moving anywhere.” [21:57] 

[On being direct and precise in dealing with others] ”Being actually direct is helping us to better understand each other positions and also to see where are the elements that we are good at.” [30:03] 

Key Points from the Episode: 

• Nima’s global business projects that involve massive changes brought about by new technologies. 
• The value of constant learning to the journey of an individual.  

• How to efficiently build your own professional network.  
• Different approaches in tackling the right solution for any problem.  

Stamped Show Notes 

[02:59] Nima shares his background and how he got into his current role in Global Business Solutions 

[04:22] Nima discusses his company’s current business projects. 

[07:11] Nima reveals how to deliver good value in the business. 

[08:05] Understanding business concepts with the help of technology. 

[10:03] Finance professional’s role on looking at the bigger picture. 

[12:38] The importance of constant learning. 

[16:27] Building your professional network. 

[21:13] Nima’s best piece of advice ever received. 

[24:25] Nima’s recommended books and resources. 

[28:40] Social media account and website. 

[29:29] Wrap-up and parting thoughts to finance audience. 

Resources Mentioned: 

21 Letters on Life and Its Challenges Hardcover – June 6, 2019 by Charles Handy (Author) 

12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos Hardcover – January 23, 2018 by Jordan B. Peterson (Author) 

Connect with today’s guest: 

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/nimamotazed 

Website:  https://www.swissre.com 

Complete transcript: 

[00:00:29]Andrew: [00:00:29] Hi everyone. And welcome to this week. Strength in the numbers and today, really delighted to share with you Nima Motazed who has over 25 plus years experience in global business solutions, a key area for finance professionals to make.

[00:00:44]Valued impacts in our organizations.

[00:00:48]And we go through Nima’s experiences around the setup. Transformation are those

[00:00:53]how can improve efficiency and quality in our work?  Nima brings a really deep operations background. So a lot of the advice you shared with us today and outside of the, sort of the finance stuff, Nima is really great to talk with. We’ve had some fantastic conversations. I really look forward to when we get to speak, we always jump around and great topics and relevant topics for the teams that we lead.

[00:01:16]And some of the key points that. I feel you could we’ll take away from this episode

[00:01:20]is the value of having an ownership mindset and constant learning on our journeys as individuals, but also part of teams and organizations also really appreciate Nima for sharing some tips and advice that came out of a lot of the global business projects he’s led, particularly those involving. The massive changes brought about by technology at Nima offers some very excellent ideas on how to I approach tackling, finding the right solution to deal with any problem, not just in our finance teams, but that might come up from our work, with our business partners and stakeholders.

[00:01:57]And also some ways in which he’s efficiently built his own professional network, that you can also follow to more quickly build and develop your influence in your career. So look, hope you enjoy this as much as I did recording of it. with Nima if you want to delve more into. What was said, the transcript detailed timestamp show notes, key quotes, the resources Nima mentions.

[00:02:21] The more you can find those at  sitnshow.com   and as always, really appreciate it. When you recommend the show to your friends and colleagues, when all the major platforms, iTunes, Stitcher, SoundCloud, YouTube, Spotify, and Amazon music.

[00:02:33]And that’s enough for me for now. So without further ado, over to Nima on the show.

[00:02:42] Nima, welcome to the show.

[00:02:44]Nima: [00:02:44] Thank you very much, Andrew. Good to be with you.

[00:02:46]Andrew: [00:02:46] Yeah, it’s great to have you with us. And I really enjoyed this cause I’ve enjoyed our number of chats, but we’ve got to meet together for the first time, a couple of months ago on a shared panel. So we’ve got to know each other in the meantime, but for some of our audience, perhaps may not be as familiar with your background.

[00:03:01] Would you mind maybe sharing with them your career story

[00:03:03]Nima: [00:03:03] I’m currently actually working with Swiss Re. Yes. Swiss Re is one of the leading re-insurance companies in the world. And I am in charge of our global business solutions and I’m taking care about one of our business solution centers in Swiss Re in Bratislava, in Slovakia.

[00:03:18] Yeah. Before that I was working 25 years in the banking industry. I grew up in operation and technology area and moved more and more toward the strategic topics. And one of the areas that I somehow stick to that for quite a long time, was around the topic of increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of the processes and also cost management.

[00:03:39]And Swiss Re I started actually to also add some growth element to the topic of permanently downsizing also upsizing, which was very nice. And actually the main motivation to change the job, change the industry

[00:03:53] Andrew: [00:03:53] yeah it is interesting cause you really smiled when you talked about that growth element, because I think in finance, there’s a lot of processes that we want to make more efficient and more effective. You bring this sort of ops and tech perspective into our world, particularly around shared services amongst others.

[00:04:09]And we’re always trying to do more or the same with less. So when you introduced the word growth, how do we even bring that mindset in? Because traditionally it has been doing more with the same or less. So how do we even introduce growth into these conversations?

[00:04:23]Nima: [00:04:23] Actually it has a lot to do with all the, using the right tools. And bringing in all the technology and freeing up the resources that you have who were doing more or less repetitive jobs and give them something more complex, more challenging, which is creating more value along the value chain.

[00:04:44] I give you an example maybe around what we are doing actually in finance. We are at the moment changing all our finance systems at the same time. So this is massive. This is a massive project. And not only that we are also actually changing our company standards and moving action from us as well.

[00:05:00] So these are massive changes, which are happening around us. And this is only coming because we are using new technologies. We are looking actually that this process is becoming more end to end. With a clear involvement of the businesses so that the finance people need some more understand

[00:05:15] the content of the business and not only try to pronounce. And this is something that brings actually the element of the growth, because if the business  is trying to move into the new areas and look for new products, solution services for our clients, then of course our finance people need to move here together with them.

[00:05:34] And need to also provide them with the appropriate and right solutions that they need. And so we are getting rid of stuff that can be automated and this is positively seen because we are not doing cost-cutting rather at the same time. We are using actually, reeducating, actually our colleagues more toward actually new opportunities, new challenges, which are also more complex and they need to take ownership for that.

[00:05:58] Andrew: [00:05:58] By the way, I got a shout out to the team and brought a slab for there that you mentioned it as well Nema. I don’t want to forget that cause I got a team there as well so it was great, but I think in terms of you’re completely right in what you say, it’s that more complex activity, a growth activity.

[00:06:13]If the businesses to go into thrive, they’re going to have to grow in some sort of way. It’s just in their nature. And I think probably we’ve been going in the wrong direction with downsizing and trying to be more and more efficient. Well actually, if we stood back and ask the business what it is they want, because we understand their content better, as you said, their end-to-end better.

[00:06:31]We’ve got these great finance trading quantifications that we’re all trying to work towards the same things and the great thing we have also is that more independent business leaders can get quite emotional over their particular areas. And they’re very laser-focused on their areas, but we bring that independence because when it comes to making decisions that involve money or growth or whatever we were gonna be a better sounding board.

[00:06:52] And that way, like a conscience for them, to bounce things off. And that these problems that they have, we can help provide them with solutions, sometimes deploy them ourselves with their businesses or just help them be accountable for deploying them. And their massive changes.

[00:07:06] So how would all that going on Nima how’d, you keep focused on the right things that are going to deliver the biggest amount of value for the business.

[00:07:12] Nima: [00:07:13] actually happening by all the developing kind of growth mindset. So also understanding and constantly learning. What is necessary in our business. And you mentioned quite nicely being a kind of sounding board, but not only a sounding board, but also the advisory board, the situation when somebody is coming and seeing a new car, I said, Oh, I would love to have that car.

[00:07:36] Yeah. And then of course it could be the element of fun. That you’re going to say I get to simplify my life and so on. And then I would like to enjoy my life. So that is actually the car that I was dreaming about. But then if you’re sitting down on a little bit asking, so what is the purpose of it?

[00:07:50] For that what you need. And then challenging a little bit and saying, okay then for this trip that you have in mind for this purposes that you have, maybe a bicycle is a better solution than a car. And this type of positive, challenging, it requires that you understand really what is happening and what is going on.

[00:08:06]And for that you need to come closer to the business. You need to understand the concept of the business. You need to understand the new technologies. You need to know actually how the new suspicions are going to create an impact. On that what we are delivering to the clients and how the expectations of the clients are.

[00:08:23]When you’re adding all these topics and journeys together, you’re learning actually to work in teams, which are much more agile and much more independent on one side, but at the other side also much more innovative. And so you are permanently taking the bar higher. From my point of view, one of the key element is the ownership mindset, but develop a kind of ownership mindset to say, look, I am taking actually ownership well for this topic together with my team and we are coming and providing you actually ideas and solutions and let’s figure out if these ideas would fly. And so you’re stepping actually in the growth mode.

[00:08:58] Andrew: [00:08:59] Yeah, I like that you’re taking ownership, accountability. Accounting came from yeah, but it’s like keeping track of things, keeping a count and it’s like we could do, we’ve been doing it for thousands and thousands years. I just can’t help, but feel that.

[00:09:11] Maybe we’ve just been a bit more fixed in our mindset around routines processes and got stuck in that when actually the whole purpose of accounting in the first place was being able to allow for accountability, to measure things, keep track of things. Cause they were important. I think actually that, and that’s why I love for your first question there to ask them back.

[00:09:28] So what’s the purpose of that? Why are you looking for that? And then I think another one throw in there is. Why is that important to you? How much does that matter to you? Because then you get around the quantification because they probably have a finite amount of money to invest in things, making sure to do in the most valuable things.

[00:09:44] So it’s you’re going to invest in the most important things, aren’t you? So that might mean doing less of something to do more of something else. I like, and then it’s, again, that’s where we can bring a lot of our experience. You mentioned agile as well.  Apart from asking better questions?

[00:09:57] Is there anywhere else that that we can start as finance professionals making that bigger impact, driving more value in your mind?

[00:10:03] Nima: [00:10:04] This is really a good point. As I was taking more care about the cost here. One of the topics was reduced costs, tried to actually reduce the cost and cost is going with head count costs. And I was always asking the question why, why we are doing that because in each and every change process

[00:10:22] people need to see. If you are going to say I am reducing costs. Because I would like actually to pay higher dividend to my shareholders. I sense that nowadays the people are saying, wait a second. So what

[00:10:35] Andrew: [00:10:35] yeah.

[00:10:35]Nima: [00:10:35] Of course there is actually is out of question to shareholders needs to actually have a benefit.

[00:10:40]Investing their money actually into the companies and so on. This is not giving any kind of purpose and any kind of care at the other side, if you are going to say we are saving this money because we need to fund a few investments. And these investments will bring these on those benefits.

[00:10:56] Then that’s great. It’s going to make much more sense to the people. And then they’re also more willing to discuss and debate and go the journey with you. And I sense that this type of conversation is something that finance can play a very important role. Because this translation of what we would like to achieve to the benefits and then to the value.

[00:11:17] And a dollar at the end of the day  is going to give the whole exercise a meaning. And even all of those projects, which which are going to say these are long-term investment. These are strategic investments. We know that this is not going to immediately pay off the next five, 10 years, but still,  you understand that

[00:11:34] the reason why we are doing that, now you understand the purpose and you understand why this topic is so important. Not that it’s own, but maybe actually in conjunction with the bigger picture.

[00:11:45] Andrew: [00:11:45] Yeah, you’re completely right Nima. I was gifted a fabulous book by a vice president I worked with number of years ago. It was called drive. I can’t remember the exact author. I don’t know if you’ve come across it, but the first point you also made. Yes. That’s the one. Yes, that’s the one.

[00:11:58] The first point he made was about that purpose. You give people a purpose worth following, like you’re not just doing downsizing or cost reduction for the sake of it. Or maybe even just to pay shareholders more dividends, but it’s going to be reinvested so way in some sort of growth that you can get behind some worthy purpose then people will, that’s a good first step.

[00:12:17]And then also want to get onto the topic as well on the importance of learning maybe now actually is a good time because that learning. It’s about mastery. It’s about developing a quality competence behind something. And I know we were talking off air about this. Why is the importance of learning and let’s call it maybe mastery or craft person ship or whatever.

[00:12:36] Why is that? Why is that important nowadays in your mind?

[00:12:38] Nima: [00:12:38] So I shared with you actually a story I can remember. As I was studying. And so on here, there was this picture of, Oh, you need actually to finish your studies. And then you find this nice job and looked at, you are reading two, three books a year and few courses and seminars. And then you were fine, then there is all done and then you can relax and actually focus on other topics of your life. However, if I’m honest to myself and I would ask myself, what is the sense of life? Probably one of the topics, which is first coming to my mind is going to be learning.

[00:13:10]Because this learning is so important  to stay not only in the curve, but also ahead of the curve. Now look, actually the world that we two were born in, probably. Actually there were no mobile phones. There were no Wi-Fi there were no some self-driving cars or something like that.

[00:13:28]The telecommunication I can really remember the first day as my it boss and he was the CIO of the company, came to the office with a suitcase in his hand and put it on the table and he asked us, do you know what it is? And we said your new suitcase. And he said, this is my mobile phone.

[00:13:48] It was a suitcase. It was, I think at least 10 kilograms. And and he was so

[00:13:52] Andrew: [00:13:52] Great. You must have big arms so that.

[00:13:54] Nima: [00:13:54] so proud of that. now if you are looking actually what happened with the technology only in the last 30 years, the other that we are looking, the pace of changes and we see that this pace is becoming exponential.

[00:14:07] It is not actually a linear growth is exponential growth. So you cannot learn everything. It is impossible. I believe that the whole idea around the learning is going to be first having an understanding around the bigger picture and then having a great network, which can also tell you,  these are the topics which are maybe important for you.

[00:14:27] That you need to a little bit deep dive. These are topics, which may be interesting for you. And then staying actually in touch and focusing on those topics, getting priority. I can tell you the first time I’d heard about the blockchain, I was reading and reading, and I was not understanding what the hell it is all about.

[00:14:46] And then I went actually to one of  the colleagues, which usually you need to take a valium to survive actually when he is explaining you something, but within the 30 minutes, As he explained to me the whole concept of blockchain, then it was crystal clear and five books could not deliver.

[00:15:03] So this constant learning is becoming actually a habit that we need to develop if we would like to progress. And that’s really close to my heart. And in fact, telling, sitting with our people, the only thing that I’m telling them is nobody’s investing in your learning. Except you. So they’re all tools that we are offering you, but at the end of the day, you are the one who needs to actually steal priorities, sit down and.

[00:15:27] Andrew: [00:15:27] Yeah. Oh God.  I completely agree Nima and it’s funny. Cause I don’t think throughout my entire schooling accounting qualification, or even in my corporate career. No one’s ever sat me down and taught me how to learn, what the right way to do it.

[00:15:40] I imagine to a large extent, it’s an individual process of people, but I feel just some common things we can all do to maximize our benefits from learning. And I think you’ve already nailed a few there, which is. He’s building our network, in areas that interest us. I don’t think there’s any point that we’re not going to find interesting.

[00:15:57]That’s probably one, some really good recommendations we’ve had on the show before it’s actually blocking time in our calendar is non-negotiable. And I’ve actually where people have been failing to do it. I, my teams I’ve actually blocked their diaries out and said, I’m giving you that time.

[00:16:10] You go learn and over time they appreciate the importance of that. And then unblock it for themselves. So it could be three hours on a Friday or whenever, just that dedicated learning time. Do you have any sort of tips on how you either start building your network or find the time to learn or picking the right things to learn, grow

[00:16:28] Nima: [00:16:28] We introduce in our company a concept which is actually called learn learning one. Which has given you all type of topics. First in a very short so one to two minutes introduction as a kind of read or video or something like that. And then you can deep dive.

[00:16:45] And then these system is getting connected also with. All the courses that you can get from LinkedIn or from other platforms  that you can add to. And it is about you. How far you would like to go, how deep you would like to go. Some of the courses are done actually within 30 minutes.

[00:17:02] They’re divided in videos sections that you can actually look at them when you’re sitting in the bus or commuting to the job or at the moment before going to bed maybe. But then there is one very important element which is around, you said how to build the network.

[00:17:17] Very often we have this picture. That we are networking with people that are like us.  So if I see actually in you something, which is, you have a lot in common with me, I am coming and would like to actually spend more time with you because this is a kind of mirror and I enjoy to see myself.

[00:17:34] Now the problem is networking that. A lot of people that we need to learn, we are learning from people who are not like us. We need to go and sit down with them. So if, for example, if I’m taking actually now from the finance world. Maybe it is nice actually that I’m talking about a few people who are actually mastering in accounting but.

[00:17:54] Sometimes, maybe it is better to have all the spend time with few IT guys. A few people who are actually salespeople marketing people, communications people because, only. If you are looking to a problem from different angles, then you can understand the solution that you’re putting in front is the right solution for that problem.

[00:18:14]And I sense that this is something which needs time and which is a lot of time investment. I am telling to the people always look,  I am learned extrovert originally I am an introvert person. I am actually getting my energy from silence, from being alone for going actually for long walks and so on.

[00:18:32] But I learned that actually in this environment that we are working you need to get in touch with people and you need to overcome this kind of unpleasant networking element the time investment is needed. And that is something that the people need to keep in mind. It is not about introvert extrovert.

[00:18:49] It is how you’re training yourself and how you’re starting actually to reach out to the people. I’m telling to the people. This is, I’m giving an example. I had once a  360 feedback here, one and it was really  360. It was not only about  the classical one your superiors peers and subordinates.

[00:19:06] But all people outside of the company, a business partners, and family members and friends. So family members and friends  were saying this guy is extremely introvert.  Everybody else in the business side, we’re say these guy’s absolutely extrovert. And the psychologist that I was working, he was telling me, there is a certain sense of schizophrenia is maybe there, you need to be aware of.

[00:19:26] Andrew: [00:19:27] But I think awareness is key Nima, that self awareness. And I think that for me comes back to  measuring. If you’ve got to have a goal in terms of learning and you write it down, you can then assess your progress towards that goal, whether it’s meeting one new person a week or maybe one person outside of your field.

[00:19:43]I was gifted another really good book lately called ask your developer. The software is redefining industries. We have industries and companies out of cropped up out of absolutely nowhere that, that very few people saw coming the likes of Uber, Netflix. And so on blockbuster didn’t even invest in Netflix when they had the opportunity.

[00:20:01] And no one’s a massive business, a multi-billion dollar business, the now it’s gone, so there are areas that we can talk with, like the developers that are in our businesses, because there’s more often though. They’re not strange. So it’s worth having a talk with a developer understanding what’s going on.

[00:20:17] The programming languages. What’s working on what, where there may be applications say in finance, or even in sort of sales, who might be closer to their customers are going out with customers or engineers in our companies are operational people, so many to choose from. And I think people like to talk about, themselves and their experiences and their thoughts and opinions on things.

[00:20:38]We have a lot to share as well in terms of our perspectives. I’m finance on the numbers, as long as you’re not giving away too much sensitive information we’ve got valued just having those conversations and it’s I think that’s another great thing about finance because of that broader view.

[00:20:51] We tend to have of transactions more end to end, and I’m not talking about senior levels here. I’m just talking even analysts and an entry level can see a lot. We can connect the dots. And how we connect the dots could be the difference on how we progress and grow our not thrive at all.

[00:21:05]So no, I think it’s a really good call to arms Nima, you’ve been giving us some really loads of great advice. I’ve always wondered though. What’s been the best bit of advice you’ve ever received.

[00:21:14] Nima: [00:21:14] Yeah. I came actually from Iran without knowing the language. And learn the language. And because I lost a few years then I decided the moment that I felt comfortable with the language you had to over jump the class. So I made all the exams and I jumped that class.

[00:21:30] And then Sunday I was in a class higher and I had Latin. I had Latin lessons and suddenly the Latin teacher was also the director of the school. Ask me question. And I was assuming that I’m not going to be asked because last time she was asking me something, so I was not prepared and I gave her a smile.

[00:21:49] And she smiled back and told me something that I never forget. That is actually, I believe one of the best lessons that I received, she told me, Nima, you cannot live with the victory of the past. That means everything good that they, you get all your accomplishments, everything that you delivered. You celebrated them already. Now is now. And now you need to look for new victories.  Otherwise you’re not moving anywhere. And that is something that I am always observing a little bit.

[00:22:21] Some people who are hanging in their successes.  So they say, Oh, because, Oh, a few years ago I delivered this and that project or I was so good in this and that presentation. I am fine. He is not, it is a permanent journey. You need to permanently question yourself, you need to permanently challenge yourself.

[00:22:38] You need to be in the position that you are not only looking for to be the number one, but also stay in there. And and that is actually for me, the definition of excellence. That is actually the journey that, that you would like to go. You’re never reaching that because this is not the goal.

[00:22:50] This is really a journey. Yeah you’re following that. But. Keeping in mind that, your achievements laying in your past and you need to look always to what is in front of you. That was I believe that the best advice that I received in my entire life.

[00:23:05] Andrew: [00:23:05] Yeah,  fantastic. I can see the plaque of applicability of it, Nima. And also really great fact, I didn’t know about your Latin background as well. We’re going to have to talk more about that off air.

[00:23:15] Nima: [00:23:15] I had for four years latin and I can not even order a pizza in Italy.

[00:23:18] Andrew: [00:23:18] Ah, no worries. All right. We can work with that. It’s a good fundamentals. Both with that’s like what I look at finance at a company has great fundamentals on the language of a business, and then we get our victories within our organizations, within our industries, community, just loads of opportunity for us to go and get those victories even as parents or as friends and family members doesn’t know what the victories, it’s just that constant evolution, the journey and the journey in itself is fun yeah. That’s the big thing about it as well. It’s the victories are important, but we need to be accumulating, but I’m trying to think actually there was someone, there was some comments saying yeah, but what have you done for me lately? I think was some sort of movie.

[00:23:54]And it was just like, yeah, that’s, I find human being sometimes a very short memories. So as much as you remember your previous victory people might not, it’s what have you done for me lately? So yeah, if you want to be front of mind and have presence and. And be the go-to person for people that have influence you really need to keep delivering all those victories.

[00:24:13] Nima: [00:24:13] Absolutely. Yeah, absolutely.

[00:24:15] Andrew: [00:24:15] so great advice, Nima.  I know we shared resources previously, but for our audience, if you were to recommend any resources for them to go check out, maybe any books or documentaries or whatever, where would you give them one or two tips?

[00:24:26] Nima: [00:24:26] So I try to actually read or listen a lot  books or audiobooks. And by  moving actually more toward the audio books, I also more or less increase the quantity of the books that you can digest actually and they’re really a lot of good books here that I could recommend.

[00:24:44] Yeah. But I am not going  so far, I’m saying actually with that, what I finished just yesterday is really yesterday was Sunday  it was 21 letters on life and its challenges from Charles Handy.  That was quite interesting.  Some somewhere around age of 85, 86 years.

[00:25:00] Sitting down and writing 21 letters to himself as a kind of passing the experience. And it started very nicely with saying everything is changing and how important the element of changes. But the second letter was around, what are those topics which are remaining. And there’s needs to be always stable, which is around the values

[00:25:21]that you would like to have in life. And these two need to be in balanced with each other. We, in the business world we realize that the topic of the values are becoming more and more important.  The topic of values, the topic of purpose.  The times are over that most of the people were only actually have

[00:25:38] to work in order to pay their bills. Now, if you are looking actually the parents and grandparents,  already generated so much wealth that the grandchildren can think a little bit more relaxed about their future.  Then the people like me who had to build everything on their own and that’s actually then making actually the topic of

[00:25:59] doing something meaningful, doing something purposeful, giving something back to the society is so important. And What are the topics that I really love about our company is this topic of the purpose it’s coming more in front. We wrote this year last year, a lot of loss.

[00:26:14] But we, at the same time, very proud that our financial stability allowed us to pay so much claims.  And with those claims we help our clients and we help the people. And if you are putting that in balance  then even if you are actually a junior member of this team, which is working with something, which is far away from the big picture.

[00:26:35]You can actually feel yourself that you are contributing and that is so important  at the end of the day,

[00:26:40] Andrew: [00:26:40] Yeah, I think that’s the whole thing about organizations. It’s just that leverage  to better deliver the purpose. And it’s interesting, you call it out and values in particular. I don’t think I paid as much attention to them 20 years ago as perhaps I do know even as a leader of a team within an organization, it’s important to be clear on your values and the purpose and helps get everyone behind

[00:27:02] so people know. What they’re aiming towards and even as a leader to freeze up so much time as someone’s making the decision, they can go back to those fundamental values  how my mentor think about this here without having to run everything by you. It’s so freeing having a good purpose and good values to live by and work by.

[00:27:18]So I’m really delighted. You mentioned that

[00:27:19] Nima,

[00:27:19] Nima: [00:27:19] You know,

[00:27:21] Andrew: [00:27:21] you’re going to

[00:27:21] Nima: [00:27:21] interrupting you but that brought a memory. 21 years ago, as I was studying actually London business school. Somebody asked the professor the question. Shall companies donate? And the answer was from the guy? No. From his point of view, company needs to make the shareholders so wealthy that they are going and donating and not the company.

[00:27:42]Now. You know that was something.  Which is still caught to me  and now when you are talking actually after the people and still on the shareholder value needs to be put in connection. With the values of the company, with the values of giving back  to our clients, to the society, to our environment.

[00:27:59] And if that is not working . You can not motivate anybody because of the shareholder value. 

[00:28:04] Andrew: [00:28:04] A hundred percent. Yeah. It’s a really weird thing as a finance professional saying it, it’s like donations. So taking away potentially shareholders dividends is actually a good thing for the business, but there are so many benefits for it. If you look close and again, I think having that better end to end understanding  it makes complete, not just intuitive sense, but financial sense.

[00:28:23] We can test these things out. So no, I completely agree with you mentioned it. Yeah, just took me back to college as well. Nima. Yeah. I’m glad we’ve evolved enough to appreciate the importance of giving back. So that’s good. But I suppose looking for audience wish to continue the conversation with you.

[00:28:38] Where’s the best place to connect with you at.

[00:28:40] Nima: [00:28:41] LinkedIn. Yeah, actually it is the best way to get connect. I have a large number of of people connected with me. Yeah. It would be a lie if I would say I am in close contact with all of them. I am not considering that, but once somebody is reaching out to me, I actually replying to that.

[00:28:56] And I’m sharing all the, some of the topics and experiences latest developments quite frequently on the LinkedIn. So I believe that this is the easiest way 

[00:29:05] Andrew: [00:29:05] awesome. Thanks for that Nima. And so we’ll put that link to your profile in the show notes as well. And I suppose this as always look, thanks for being such a great guest mentor, Nima really appreciate you giving your time for free and whatever and being here with us today. But before we wrap up, would you perhaps have any parting thoughts for our audience?

[00:29:23] Nima: [00:29:23] Excuse me. I didn’t get the question. Can you repeat?

[00:29:26] Andrew: [00:29:26] I was just saying before we wrap up and finish up would you have any parting thoughts for our audience?

[00:29:30] Nima: [00:29:30] Yes I would like to, I was reading  this book 12 rules for life. From Jordan Peterson. And there was one rule which I thought is not finding concentration and that was around  be precise in your speech so very often we try in order to please other people in order to not create any kind of conflict in order to not actually make the situation maybe a little bit emotional.

[00:29:55]We try actually to describe the stuff in a way that the end of the day, nobody’s understanding what we are talking about. I sense that being precise in our language, Being actually sometimes direct is helping us to better understand each other positions and also to see where are the elements that we are good at.

[00:30:13] And then the facts that we can follow and build on that. And maybe where certain ideas  which are flaw and we need to actually correct them. And if you are not actually precise in that, it is going to be extremely hard and it is. As I said, one sense of life is learning. So  when we are two sitting together with each other, I need to actually assume that, something that I don’t know.

[00:30:34] And that should help me actually to also get better

[00:30:36] Andrew: [00:30:36] that’s great advice. Yeah. No, I think there was a lot bundling and those parting thoughts there, but I liked the fact, the preciseness and also that very key point is when we’re talking with a peer or someone else, just assuming that there’s something that they know that we don’t, which is generally true.

[00:30:52] It’s one of those assumptions tend to hold true and I’m with benefit much more from those conversations coming back to the growth again, and the importance of learning. So Nima thanks. What a great way to wrap that up. Thanks again, Nima, for coming on the show today,

[00:31:04] Nima: [00:31:04] Thank you very much, Andrew. It was great. Wonderful.

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