Upgrade to Pro — share decks privately, control downloads, hide ads and more …

Reverse Engineering People

Reverse Engineering People

From designers, to DevOps, to your favourite personality-driven work-place scandal, there are a lot of people talking about empathy and why it's so important at work. Perhaps you think it's a waste of time; or maybe you think it's important, but you don't really understand how to apply the technique professionally.

Usually when we say the word "empathy" there's an underlying "woo-woo let's talk feelings" undertone, but it's also a tool you can use to understand what motivates your team; to spot blockers before they become a problem; and to get a "health check" on the projects you oversee. Sounds useful when you read it from that definition, doesn't it.

This session will be broken into three parts:

Level 1: "Caring just enough." The basic human skills you know about, and use, outside of work. This section is most relevant to team members who want to promote a healthy workplace culture.
Level 2: "Thinking strategies." Using your team’s motivators to help them succeed. This section will be most useful to those who manage people and team leads.
Level 3: "Imagination." Learning to complain from the other person’s perspective. This section will be most useful to those who manage people and team leads.
Even if you still aren't comfortable with the "e" word by the end of this talk, you will have a better grasp on how to apply work-place appropriate, tangible techniques to produce higher functioning, happier teams.

Emma Jane Hogbin Westby

September 22, 2015
Tweet

More Decks by Emma Jane Hogbin Westby

Other Decks in Technology

Transcript

  1. Actually, this talk is titled... A primer on how I

    taught myself to
 be more empathetic.
  2. PRACTICING EMPATHY Level 1: Care just enough to learn more

    about a person’s life. Level 2: Use thinking strategies to structure interactions. Level 3: Engage with the world from another’s perspective.
  3. The biggest mistake is believing there is only one way

    to have a connection. Deborah Tannen
  4. REWARDS & RISKS Able to engineer successful outcomes. Improves capacity

    for diverse thinking. Perceived as manipulative. THINKING STRATEGIES
  5. THINKING STRATEGIES Decision-Making validate values-driven experience crux trust your heart

    conclude Understanding clarify empathise tune-in scan express structure Creativity brainstorm challenge reframe envision flow flash of insight
  6. RECOGNISE
 CREATIVE LANGUAGE Can we try ... I know we’re

    done, but what about ... OMG! I just had this great idea ... Why do you think ... Is this the best we can do ...
  7. RECOGNISE UNDERSTANDING LANGUAGE So what you’re saying is ... Just

    to clarify ... I think this is related to ... So I made this spreadsheet ... That must feel horrible!
  8. RECOGNISE DECISION LANGUAGE I’m ready to move on to ...

    I don’t know why I think this, but ... Last time we tried this ... The real problem is ... My gut tells me ...
  9. REWARDS & RISKS Truly creative problem solving. Overwhelming for (highly)


    sensitive people. Cause doubt for self-worth. IMAGINATION
  10. Bob Wiele The thinking process should be no more left

    to chance
 than the deliberate practice of a skill.
  11. LEVEL UP. Level 1: Care just enough to learn more

    about a person’s life. Level 2: Use thinking strategies to structure interactions. Level 3: Engage with the world from another’s perspective.
  12. AIM FOR EMPATHY Sympathy: Care just enough to learn more

    about a person’s life. Understanding: Use thinking strategies to structure interactions. Empathy: Engage with the world from another’s perspective.
  13. Maya Angelou I think we all have empathy.
 We may

    not have enough courage to display it.
  14. PRACTICE EMPATHY follow-up:
 @emmajanehw
 emma @ gitforteams.com feedback via the

    session node
 https://events.drupal.org/barcelona2015 http://gitforteams.com/resources/cultivating-empathy.html
  15. Sprint: Friday https://www.flickr.com/photos/amazeelabs/ 9965814443/in/faves-38914559@N03/ Sprint with the Community on Friday.

    We have tasks for every skillset. Mentors are available for new contributors. An optional Friday morning workshop for first- time sprinters will help you get set up. Follow @drupalmentoring.