Interview: How Omar Sultan Al Olama Leads With Strengths
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About the Leader
Omar Sultan Al Olama
Artificial Intelligence Minister, UAE
- Achiever®
- Analytical®
- Input®
- Learner®
- Intellection®
Omar Sultan Al Olama is a driving force behind the UAE's groundbreaking initiatives in technology and innovation. At the forefront of shaping policies that propel his country into a digital future, Al Olama’s leadership informs everything from AI innovation to revolutionizing remote work opportunities. Learn how Al Olama’s vision for a digitally empowered society intersects with his CliftonStrengths.
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.
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.
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.
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.