My interview with Eva Xu, my 100,000th follower on LinkedIn

A few months ago, I realized that I had now more than 100,000 followers on LinkedIn. Beyond the joy and gratitude I felt for the fact that so many different people follow me and are interested in my activities on LinkedIn, I wanted to find out more: what motivates someone to follow an "influencer" on LinkedIn? What does he or she expect from them in the long run? And above all, how can I be more inspiring every day for all those who have shown their confidence in me by subscribing to my profile? It is obviously impossible for me to exchange personally with all my followers, and each one of them would probably answer these questions differently.

I therefore delved into my notification history to try to identify the person who had allowed me to cross this symbolic line of 100,000 followers. I then discovered Eva Xu’s profile. Coincidence sometimes helps (but maybe it wasn’t such a coincidence after all): Eva has a background and interests which have a lot in common with mine. I was particularly happy that my 100,000th follower was a young Chinese, as China holds a special place in my professional life, and in my heart. As a headhunter, she is entirely focused on discovering the talents that our companies, economies and societies need to succeed tomorrow. In addition, she specializes in technology and innovative industries. This is perhaps where our convictions meet most closely: technological progress and human talent do not oppose each other; on the contrary, they are complementary! 

Those who follow me know this better than anyone else: I am an optimistic technophile. I believe in the power of technology to help us build a better world. And I believe that social networks, LinkedIn in particular, are great tools to build real links with people you probably wouldn't have met otherwise! I thus suggested that we meet at my new office in Shanghai, in the Jing'an district, to get to know each other. So we did; I asked her my questions and she asked hers. The exchange was spontaneous and exciting, and I wanted to share the main elements with you here. A big thank you to Eva for her interest and curiosity. I hope we will be able to continue this very interesting conversation soon!

CHARLES-EDOUARD: Thank you for taking that time. We both have very busy schedules, but I was really looking forward to meeting you to be able to ask you a couple of questions. The first one would be: why do you follow me on LinkedIn?

EVA: I started to follow you after reading your book The Fall of the Human Empire. I found it attractive, as it is about the history and the future development of AI. It made me eager to know more about your latest news and activities.

CHARLES-EDOUARD: Did you read the book in Chinese or in French? I am asking because it was translated into English only a couple of months ago...

EVA: In Chinese.

CHARLES-EDOUARD: What do you expect from a LinkedIn influencer?

EVA: What I am mostly looking for is insights on technological topics, such as the future of the Internet for instance. LinkedIn is a great place to have these conversations, because it is where business leaders ask themselves these questions, all aiming at the same common interrogation: how can technology help business to create value?

CHARLES-EDOUARD: Why would you choose a management thinker and executive to get insights on the world?

EVA: Reading your books and then following you, I found you were an example of a talented global executive, with diverse and successful experiences. The fact that a large part of this experience happened in China was also very appealing to me. Your passion for technology issues also raised my interest. As a recruitment consultant, I also focus on tech, and I think we are on the same page regarding these topics.

CHARLES-EDOUARD: Thank you for mentioning the Fall of the Human Empire (I don’t know the Chinese title by the way!) Are there any other of my publications, on LinkedIn or elsewhere, that caught your attention? Any ideas or topics you were more interested in?

EVA: All your publications related to the future of AI are interesting.

CHARLES-EDOUARD: Is there anything else that you like about my profile? Anything I should develop or propose to my followers?

EVA: You post a lot of content in French and I can't understand it. So, I enjoy the pictures! But what you post on AI is mostly in English, with a very international perspective. I think you have an original approach on the topic, like when you say that it should not be about the human vs AI, but how AI can empower the human. As a human resources worker, I could not agree more.

CHARLES-EDOUARD: That’s a nice transition into the next question! Can you tell me more about what do you do for a living? You mentioned you were a headhunter?

EVA: I am a recruitment consultant focused on technology.

CHARLES-EDOUARD: In China?

EVA: Yes, in China.

CHARLES-EDOUARD: If you could choose, in which country would like to live, work and explore?

EVA: China for sure. And even Shanghai, which is such a great city, so innovative. I am so proud to be part of it!

CHARLES-EDOUARD: What do you think the world will look like in 20 years from now?

EVA: I have a lot of imagination! I think people will get healthier. Working hours will go down. Companies will die, but organizations will last. A more common, shared sense of humanity and community will arise.

CHARLES-EDOUARD: Thank you. So now I've been asking questions, it’s your turn to ask me  some!

EVA: What is the motto, the catchphrase or sentence you go through life with?

CHARLES-EDOUARD: I have two mottos. The first one is about my management style, which I define as "aggressively patient". Because you must be, at the same time, moving on and doing many things, and patient enough to build something in the long run. I prefer to be aggressively patient than patiently aggressive. A second motto is the one I mentioned in one of my LinkedIn notes. It is the "four L" motto: "Living, live your life fully; Loving, love the people around you; Learning, learn all your life. And Legacy, leave something behind." I think this motto reflects well on the importance of finding the right work-life balance.

EVA: Were you a daydreamer?

CHARLES-EDOUARD: Yes, as a child, I always dreamt of flying to the moon. I was passionate about new technologies. I read a lot of sci-fi, and I was always looking at the future with hope and determination.

EVA: What was your biggest dream back then?

CHARLES-EDOUARD: My biggest dream was to fly to the moon. I haven't done it! My second biggest dream was to be able to interact with important people, to create an impact. For this reason, I dreamt of going to the best schools in the world. I loved the idea of the American dream and what it conveys. And I had the chance in 2006 to move to China and live the Chinese dream.

EVA: Any tips to face life hurdles?

CHARLES-EDOUARD: I think we all face personal and professional difficulties. We need to look at life in the long run, in which we all have our own percentage of good luck and bad luck. Focus on the good things life has brought to us, and address difficulties with determination.

EVA: Do you think that thinking right is thinking ‘outside the box’?

CHARLES-EDOUARD: Yes. I've always tried to think out of the box since I was a kid. When I was doing mathematics, for instance, I was always looking for a more elegant and more "out of the box" solution. Thinking out of the box is not something you achieve once and for all. It is a permanent challenge. When you do, it gives you the opportunity to dream, and thus to find things that other people won't find.

EVA: What's your favorite question to ask someone you just met?

CHARLES-EDOUARD:I will ask you the same after the interview, as you are a headhunter  But my favorite question when I meet someone is: "What's driving you in life?" Because if you know what is driving someone in life, what someone really wants to achieve, then you can really make a difference for that person, as a colleague, or a friend.

EVA: Could you tell me two key milestones of your professional life?

CHARLES-EDOUARD: The first milestone has to do with my education. I had the chance to attend one of the best engineering schools in France, to become a lawyer, and then to go to Harvard Business School. This international training has been key for me. On a more professional and personal note, the 13 years I spent in China have opened many new opportunities for me.

EVA: Any key learnings from your career?

CHARLES-EDOUARD: Never give up. You always need to think about yourself as a gifted, talented, determined person. Go for the things you want to do and do not go for the things that people want you to do. Go for things you like; go for things that you know will bring you a sense of fulfilment. As we only live once, trying to live the life of someone else is never good. Forget about the people around you and what they say, as their advice is very often something they would not even apply to themselves.

EVA: Can you describe what the world will look like in 20 years from now?

CHARLES-EDOUARD: Maybe I don’t have as much imagination as you do! However, I believe that in 20 years from now, artificial intelligence will be everywhere. We will all have our own portable AI, allowing us to make our life much easier. You mentioned that we would be working less, so you may know that Arthur C. Clarke always said that the purpose of humans should be to eliminate work, so we can all play. I think a new era of entertainment and leisure is coming. I also think that we will have, as you said, less accidents and lead a healthier life. Hopefully, we will be able to address the challenges to make our planet healthier. I am looking forward to the day we will have been able to make the world a better place.

EVA: Any advice for a 20 year old like me?

CHARLES-EDOUARD: Just what I said at the beginning of the interview: focus on what you like in life; make sure that when you go to work, you're enjoying it – you are smiling like you are now. Follow the four L: live fully, love fully, learn fully and create a legacy. Protect yourself from toxic people and toxic ideas. And never have any regrets. Tell yourself that you will always make the right decisions and that your mistakes will only be opportunities to learn.