TheBridge profile: Michael Flores

Name: Michael Flores

Current city: Tysons Corner, VA

Current job: Client Technical Leader at IBM

Past job: Architect at IBM

Q. Favorite spot for a coffee meeting? Depends on the location and purpose. Different spots inspire different conversations/ideas. Big fan of Swings, Tryst, Republik, and Teas'n You.

Q. Describe how a skill you learned in a previous job helped you in your current job. Looking for the greater context driving every work process is a skill that's served me well my entire career. As we go about our work days, there's a tendency to focus solely on executing the tasks we are assigned. If you look behind the curtain and try to understand the way your work plays into your organization's business processes, you will uncover new ways of working that can transform your organization, job, and career. I try to understand the reasoning behind everything I do at work, and this has led me to new innovations that have helped advance both my career and my team.

Q. Job advice in three words? Never stop growing.

Q. How are you (or your company, org, nonprofit) currently bridging the gap between innovation and regulation? In my experience, the best way to bridge gaps is by increasing understanding on both sides. To that end, I work with agencies and technologists to help demystify the relationship between tech/innovation and regulation. I mentor many technologists on the importance of understanding the human/political context surrounding problems, prior to coming up with technology solutions to address these problems. As a technologist, I believe that creating shared contexts are important before effective approaches can be created.

Q. What can innovators learn from policymakers? Innovators can learn the art of effective collaboration from the world of policymakers. No policy is ever made in a vacuum, and policymakers know that they are only as good as their collaboration skills. As innovators, we can sometimes lose sight of the world outside the scope of our innovations. This type of thinking can prevent our innovations from reaching their full potential and making greater impact.

Q. What can policymakers learn from innovators? To be a good innovator, you must be able to see the world as it could be versus what it currently is. This type of thinking allows innovators to come up with new ideas and approaches to realizing those ideas. By contrast, policymakers are bound by the realities of the world today. Policy is built through collaboration guided by current circumstances. I believe policymakers can learn from innovators how to embrace the possibilities of what could be, alongside ways to productively incorporate those ideas into existing discussions.

Q. Favorite book/podcast/long-form article you recommend? Philosopher's Holiday by Irwin Edman

Q. Looking back, what advice would you give yourself in the beginning of your career? Embrace failure by seeking out challenges. Everyone fails and the more you fail the better you will get at recovering from it and getting through it.

Q. Most underrated virtue in an employee? Curiosity.

Q. If you had to live in another city, which would it be? Miami, Florida.

Q. Best advice you’ve received? Everyone has something to offer. Take the time to learn what people bring to the table, especially if you can't immediately recognize it.

Q. Morning routine? Put on music and dance to wake up, shower and prepare for the day, enjoy a cup of coffee with a light breakfast while I plan my day.

Q. How often do you work from home? Most days I work from home, though I often venture to my company's offices and various coffeeshops to get inspiration while working on deliverables.

Q. How do you unwind after work? Playing video games with friends and coworkers, enjoying good meals in great company, and going out dancing.

Click below to join TheBridge community.