Leading with Integrative Thinking

A user-centered culture must grow self-sustainably. How can we do this without adding more work? Introducing: Integrative Thinking. Leading with Integrative Thinking means holding opposing ideas together. We observe their dualities and generate a new solution. With this, we enhance our team culture instead of blocking it.

Transcript

1. Leading with Integrative Thinking Susan Lin CONNECT 2019 @mintlodica @WomenWhoCode #WWCode #CONNECT
2. Hello, I'm Susan a.k.a. @mintlodica Photo: Helena Price @mintlodica @WomenWhoCode #WWCode #CONNECT
4. CodePen
5. CodePen
6. bysusanlin.com
7. TXL
8. I’m a Lead Product Designer at Cloudflare. a.k.a. “The orange cloud company.” Photo: Patrick Lu @mintlodica @WomenWhoCode #WWCode #CONNECT
9. Cloudflare’s audience is 10% of all internet users each month, about 2 billion requests. @mintlodica @WomenWhoCode #WWCode #CONNECT
10. The truth about my career. @mintlodica @WomenWhoCode #WWCode #CONNECT
11. Mid-career crisis Mid-career crisis Mid-career crisis Mid-career crisis Mid-career crisis
12. Hired a Career Strategist
13. My ability to do the work. The perception of my ability to do the work.
14. I am a great lead. And I could be a great manager? @mintlodica @WomenWhoCode #WWCode #CONNECT
15. Integrative Thinking
16. 50 leaders. 6 years of research. The participants who exhibited this thinking were "remarkably diverse." @mintlodica @WomenWhoCode #WWCode #CONNECT
17. Old / Young Overthinkers / Plainspoken Aggressive / Laid Back Gregarious / Reserved @mintlodica @WomenWhoCode #WWCode #CONNECT
18. Google’s Project Aristotle Tenure, seniority, and extraversion did not affect the team's performance. @mintlodica @WomenWhoCode #WWCode #CONNECT
19. Google’s Project Aristotle Psychological safety. Participate without being embarrassed. @mintlodica @WomenWhoCode #WWCode #CONNECT
20. Google’s Project Aristotle Psychologically safe teams perform 19% better. @mintlodica @WomenWhoCode #WWCode #CONNECT
21. Google’s Project Aristotle The most unsafe teams came in at -17% below average. @mintlodica @WomenWhoCode #WWCode #CONNECT
22. 36% delta
23. "The ability to face constructively the tension of opposing ideas and, instead of choosing one at the expense of the other, generate a creative resolution of the tension in the form of a new idea that contains elements of the opposing ideas, but is superior to each."
24. "The ability to face constructively the tension of opposing ideas and, instead of choosing one at the expense of the other, generate a creative resolution of the tension in the form of a new idea that contains elements of the opposing ideas, but is superior to each."
25. "The ability to face constructively the tension of opposing ideas and, instead of choosing one at the expense of the other, generate a creative resolution of the tension in the form of a new idea that contains elements of the opposing ideas, but is superior to each."
26. "The ability to face constructively the tension of opposing ideas and, instead of choosing one at the expense of the other, generate a creative resolution of the tension in the form of a new idea that contains elements of the opposing ideas, but is superior to each."
27. Integrative Thinking
28. Integrative Thinking in practice.
29. 1. Hiring @mintlodica @WomenWhoCode #WWCode #CONNECT
30. Where is all the “diverse” talent? @mintlodica @WomenWhoCode #WWCode #CONNECT
31. Hiring shouldn’t be so binary. @mintlodica @WomenWhoCode #WWCode #CONNECT
32. Bad at job. Good at job.
33. Define “Culture Fit.” @mintlodica @WomenWhoCode #WWCode #CONNECT
34. 1. Innate Curiosity 2. Ability to Abstract 3. Kindness @mintlodica @WomenWhoCode #WWCode #CONNECT
35. Dormant Skill Low Will Dormant Skill High Will Activated Skill High Will Activated Skill Low Will
36. Unaware of Others Down on Self Looks Outward Down on Self Looks Outward Considers Self Unaware of Others Considers Self
37. Needs not met Not a team fit Needs not met Fits our team Fits needs now Fits our team Fits needs now Not a team fit
39. Integrative Thinking enables us to approach hiring holistically. @mintlodica @WomenWhoCode #WWCode #CONNECT
40. 2. Building Products @mintlodica @WomenWhoCode #WWCode #CONNECT
41. Integrative Thinking depends on multiple, working hypothesis. @mintlodica @WomenWhoCode #WWCode #CONNECT
42. “Good design is simple.” @mintlodica @WomenWhoCode #WWCode #CONNECT
43. Simplification encourages us to construct a limited understanding of the problem before us. @mintlodica @WomenWhoCode #WWCode #CONNECT
44. The alternatives are meager. That trade-off means picking the best bad choice available. @mintlodica @WomenWhoCode #WWCode #CONNECT
45. Simple is deceiving because the simplest appearing interfaces are the most complex underneath. @mintlodica @WomenWhoCode #WWCode #CONNECT
46. Login
47. S'identifier
48. Add Record
50. All Records – 1
51. All Records – 10,000
52. Minimal isn’t the only viable aesthetic. "Clutter" is effective information density. "Noisy" is bold and striking. @mintlodica @WomenWhoCode #WWCode #CONNECT
53. The world is a place with infinite number of branching paths. Why settle for bad or worse alternatives? @mintlodica @WomenWhoCode #WWCode #CONNECT
54. 3. Fulfillment @mintlodica @WomenWhoCode #WWCode #CONNECT
55. Renaissance Teams @mintlodica @WomenWhoCode #WWCode #CONNECT
56. Low Effort Low Visibility Low Effort High Visibility High Effort High Visibility High Effort Low Visibility
57. Huge Drain Low Visibility Gives Energy Low Visibility Gives Energy High Visibility Huge Drain High Visibility
59. Inclusivity has to be a core tenant. @mintlodica @WomenWhoCode #WWCode #CONNECT
60. @mintlodica @WomenWhoCode #WWCode #CONNECT Inclusivity has to be a core tenant. No inclusion, no promotion.
61. Product Design Team’s Code of Conduct @mintlodica @WomenWhoCode #WWCode #CONNECT
62. @mintlodica @WomenWhoCode #WWCode #CONNECT Practicing inclusion: Moderation, Solicitation, and Attribution.
63. @mintlodica @WomenWhoCode #WWCode #CONNECT Moderation: Facilitating smooth and democratic meetings.
64. @mintlodica @WomenWhoCode #WWCode #CONNECT Solicitation: Actively seeking out feedback and diverse stances.
65. @mintlodica @WomenWhoCode #WWCode #CONNECT Attribution: Crediting your teammates & sources of inspiration which shaped your work.
66. Stance is how you see the world around you and how you see yourself in that world. @mintlodica @WomenWhoCode #WWCode #CONNECT
67. Everyone has a stance. @mintlodica @WomenWhoCode #WWCode #CONNECT
68. Your stance is mutable. @mintlodica @WomenWhoCode #WWCode #CONNECT
69. Integrative Thinking
70. A framework for you in your unique context. @mintlodica @WomenWhoCode #WWCode #CONNECT
71. A framework for you in your unique context. Unique solutions. @mintlodica @WomenWhoCode #WWCode #CONNECT
72. Thank you! Susan Lin CONNECT 2019 @mintlodica @WomenWhoCode #WWCode #CONNECT
73. Appendix
74. Books The Opposable Mind Creating Great Choices Articles A rubric for evaluating team members’ contributions to an inclusive culture. Leveling up to lead by changing their perceptions of you. What Google learned from its quest to build the perfect team. The most productive teams at Google had these dynamics.