Governing the Future in the Age of AI

"How can I be the best?"

For Al Olama, striving to be his best self intellectually requires that he surround himself with people who perform at a high enough level to hear, challenge and inform his thinking. He recognizes that many different global players are shaping the future, and for the UAE to successfully play its role, he must be part of the conversation at a conceptual level.

"Note taking is like going to the gym for your brain."

With an insatiable appetite for information, Al Olama spent his early years in government taking session minutes in meetings with high-profile leaders. He delighted in this position not only because it allowed him to capture and organize myriad details, but also because it exposed him to great leadership.

"There are so many things to learn."

Al Olama cultivates his curiosity in many subjects. He sections the time he spends learning about a topic into a “sprint,” focusing on gaining depth and expertise. Once he has gained sufficient mastery of an issue, he moves on to another sprint.

"The stress that I need to make a decision allows me to move forward."

To prevent “analysis paralysis” that can accompany making complicated, important decisions, Al Olama sets deadlines for himself. Often, he generates time limits by establishing agreements with interested parties to make his decision by a certain time or date.