In this conversation, Dr. Ian Hoyle shares his extensive career journey from his early interests in science and education to his significant roles at BHP and Microsoft. He discusses the importance of communication skills, the value of teamwork, and the lessons learned from both successes and failures throughout his career. Dr. Hoyle emphasizes the significance of personal values and the impact of relationships in professional growth, providing insights and advice for those starting their careers. Ian also talks about how being diagnosed with Autism helped him understand how he was able to work with his strengths and understand any weaknesses he had and how to overcome them to be successful.TakeawaysDr. Hoyle was always interested in science from a young age.He pursued degrees in theoretical physics and geophysics before transitioning to ITHis first jobs were as a paperboy and in a hardware store , which helped him develop communication skills at an early age.Can you explain your PhD degree to a plumber?He learned to explain complex concepts to non-experts, a skill that served him well.His passion for technology led him to become head of computing at BHP's research labs.He experienced a significant career shift when he was made redundant from BHP.At Microsoft, he held various roles, including account technology strategist and security technical specialist.Being diagnosed with Autism and how that helped him overcome areas of work that he struggled with and how to ultimately be successful at Microsoft.He values being a decent human being and helping others in his career.The highlight of his career was the trip to Israel for a security product launch.He advises to focus on personal values and what one is good at in their career.Links and locations of the podcast Spotifyhttps://open.spotify.com/show/0zu1gsYgd0rmXCXNwXTRWIAmazonhttps://music.amazon.com/podcasts/9c73deb7-75af-44fa-ae40-70506949bdccApple Podcastshttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sympa-says/id1809071990Castboxhttps://castbox.fm/vh/6572789Goodpodshttps://goodpods.com/podcasts/sympa-says-681171iHeartRadiohttps://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-sympa-says-272967966/OvercastPocket Castshttps://pca.st/67eufjizChapters00:00 Introduction to Dr. Ian Hoyle02:39 Early Interests and Education05:21 Career Beginnings at BHP07:52 Transition to IT and Internet Services10:55 Growth and Challenges at BHP14:08 Journey to Microsoft17:31 Roles and Responsibilities at Microsoft20:48 Career Highlights and Lessons Learned24:16 Values and Advice for the Future