I want to be a developer who pushes boundaries and welcomes challenges. I want to work on teams that ask millions of questions about their user base so they can create dynamic AND inclusive products. I want to be a developer who challenges my own biases and tries to overcome them. I recently realized that from the anger, chaos, and violence of my surroundings, I ended up with some pretty hateful biases about the people who tore me down, manipulated me, judged me, or harrassed me. These are biases I should challenge. My ignorance of why others act out in anger or violence should not shape my bias but it should shape my curiousity. I should see every ugly conversation as an opportunity to learn about others.
Throughout your time at Turing, you will develop tehcnical and professsional skills to become a software developer. While at Turing, you will be forming habits that will impact the software developeor you become. Reflect on your biases, consider how you treat each other and begin to imagine the impact you can have on the world.
I know that I have many biases, especially when it comes to how "useful" I deam another person. This is super unhealthy, all humans are useful, but more than anything, their "use" doesn't imply their validity as humans. I recognize this, but I also realize I am so driven, that this ugly thought can sometimes show up. I want to challenge this so I work in teams with healthy and effective outputs. If I can overcome this bias, and my various other biases, I feel my impact on the world will be that much greater. Even if I never leave a "lasting mark" on this earth, I can leave a positive mark on this earth. I can leave kindness, empathy, honestly, an open-ear, and treating everyone like the amazing human they are.
My husband and I, like many, have our fair share of issues. We have both battled some treacherous paths and have spent a good few years working on our communication and empathy in the aftermath. Without empathy, I don't know if I could have overcame the hurdles we faced. It took a lot of strength in ourselves, but more importantly, the ability to put ourselves in the other shoes and ask empathetic questions that allow our partner to explain their feelings. As our communication with each other increases, I am also able to take what I learned into my work and life; it makes me a better friend, a better teacher, a better employee, and a better citizen of the world.
The article, "Why Empathy is Important to Design" really helped shape why empathy is crucial to the entire design process. Not only does it create user friendly and worthwhile end results, but it can also save you and your team time and money. By interviewing and seeing the products or projected projects in action, you can see things you may not have noticed before. This allows you to adapt and evolve your product or scrap the whole thing for a better or more marketable option.
Working with others oftentimes introduces variables that we don't have control over. With empathetic communication you can create a work environment that is healthy and productive. Empathy lets people learn how they communicate best, what conditions they can work in and what conditions they prefer, when they like to work, how they recieve feedback, their needs to be productive, their weaknesses and strengths, and perhaps, even a little about their personal life. Knowing all this information (and acting on it) creates a cohesive environment where people can be their best working self and their best team self.
One of my coworkers became severly ill for a few months this past year. Though I didn't have the time to help create lessons for her class, I knew I could help with the grading load her classes would create. I offered my help and began grading stacks every week with our director. I couldn't do much from campus and since I was new, I didn't feel comfortable visiting her at the hospital. So instead, I began creating cards and posters for the kids to sign so we could decorate her door and walls. I wanted her to know how much she was missed because I knew, as a 30 year plus teacher, her biggest heartache would be missing her students. When she returned, she let me know how much it helped her to see her door covered with student notes.
When do you find it most difficult to be empathetic in professional settings? How can you improve your skills when faced with these scenarios?
I am a talker, and a very passionate one at that. Sometimes this can put me in direct conflict with people who label themselves introverts, shy, socially anxious, etc. This can also mean when I think there is a more efficient or logical method, I become very stubborn. Again, not a great mindset for working on a team. So, I actively work on the following at work (and at home):
- Taking time to quiet myself, both verbally and in my mind (Daily meditation is the number way I've reduced my brash tendencies)
- Completely and actively listening
- Focus on making eye contact and reducing my physical movements
- Thinking twice before I speak
- Thinking about the reaction to what I am about to say (is it positive = great job, is it negative = think again).
Side note: I enjoyed these articles so much. They helped me put words to how I have felt about "failed" technology and it also helped me with my own outlook. The "Why is Empathy Essential to Design" really sucked me in and I went down a rabbit hole of article after article on that site. Also - epic TED talk :) These were great resources! Thank you so much.