How Books Are Rewiring Me
The Day I Finally Understood Why Reading Matters To Me (Dennis Irorere)
Today reminded me of something simple but powerful: how much you can get done when people choose to work together, not because they have to, but because they want to.
That kind of energy is rare. And it’s special.
It happened on October 23rd, 2025, during something we called AI Day 2025 at work. The idea was simple: give people time and space to explore something exciting with AI, no pressure, no deadlines, just curiosity, creativity, and collaboration. And the outcome? Genuinely inspiring.
We built things. We learned things. Personally, I picked up something new about Looker ML and its data modeling layers. I also learned about storytelling and how story arcs shape how we understand ideas, especially in presentations. But more than the tools or the takeaways, what stood out to me was the people. The way everyone showed up. The way we uncovered the real problem, not the one we thought we had, but the foundational one hiding beneath, and how solving it together felt seamless.
It was a reminder that people really are the most important part of any company. I know that sounds like something you read in a culture doc or hear in a team meeting. But it hit different this time. Because when people are free to be curious, to feel safe, to explore and contribute without hierarchy or ego, you see what they’re capable of. You see their value. And that changes how you show up too.
Someone once told me that your coworkers are often the closest version of friends you’ll make in your adult life. Not because you spend most of your time together, but because they often get to see you in your rawest, truest state. And when you allow yourself to be present in those relationships, when you intentionally show up to understand and collaborate, you become better. Not just at your job, but at being a person.
I haven’t always gotten this right. There’ve been times I’ve been in my head too much, overthinking, too focused on outcomes or expectations to notice the people right beside me, trying to make something meaningful too. But I’m learning. And what I’ve noticed, especially recently, is that the best way to unlock collaboration is to be calm. To slow down, to listen, to make room for other people’s thoughts, not just your own.
Relaxation isn’t something I used to think much about in the context of work. But now I’m seeing how essential it is. The best leaders I’ve worked with, the kind you quietly admire, carry themselves with a calm presence. It doesn’t mean they’re not under pressure. It just means they’ve learned to give themselves space to think. And because they’ve made peace within, they can hold space for others too.
That’s who I want to become. Someone relaxed. Someone calm. Not passive or indifferent, but present. Someone who listens fully and sees clearly. Because when you’re calm, you start seeing problems differently. You see connections that weren’t obvious before. You don’t rush past insights just to get to solutions. And you create an atmosphere where others feel safe to do their best work.
And maybe that’s why AI Day felt different. We weren’t just building cool things, we were building trust. We allowed ourselves to explore, to learn, to disagree, to align. And in the end, we implemented something that actually worked. That felt good.
So, here’s what I’m taking with me: be calm, be present, be collaborative. Because great things happen when people feel safe enough to think freely and brave enough to share their ideas. And the only way to make space for that is to slow down, just enough, to notice.
