Working Well With Devs (no code required) (MacDevOps::YVR)

Presented at MacDevOps::YVR 2016.

Based on my "Be a Better Developer (no code required)", but customized a bit for a more DevOps/Mac sysadmin audience.

Presented at MacDevOps::YVR 2016 in Vancouver, ~30 minutes: http://matx.ca/mdoyvr/2016/day2/kwu/Default.html
Storify of responses: https://storify.com/kwugirl/working-well-with-devs-no-code-required

Transcript

1. Working Well With Devs
   (no code required)
   Katherine Wu
   @kwugirl
   Software Engineer
   

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2. where I’m coming from
   

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3. @kwugirl
   https://flic.kr/p/e9UTz
   where I’m coming from >
   Long
   way
   to go…
   

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4. @kwugirl
   where I’m coming from >
   

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5. @kwugirl
   where I’m coming from >
   

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6. @kwugirl
   where I’m coming from >
   

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7. @kwugirl
   where I’m coming from >
   

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8. @kwugirl
   where I’m coming from >
   

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9. @kwugirl
   where I’m coming from >
   smart people
   

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10. @kwugirl
    where I’m coming from >
    smart people
    technical people!
    lazy people
    

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11. @kwugirl
    these two weird tricks!!1!one!
    where I’m coming from >
    

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12. Better relationships
    1. Get people to want to help you
    2. Make your team look good
    3. Recognize Ask vs. Guess Cultures
    Better communication
    1. Make it easy for people to help you
    2. Ask good questions
    3. Give good feedback
    next: better relationships, step 1 @kwugirl
    Where We Are
    

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13. 3-step plan for
    better relationships
    

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14. @kwugirl
    friendship
    is magic!
    better relationships >
    

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15. @kwugirl
    1. get people to want
    to help you
    better relationships >
    

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16. @kwugirl
    get to know people
    better relationships > get people to help you >
    

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17. @kwugirl
    better relationships > get people to help you > get to know people
    

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18. @kwugirl
    better relationships > get people to help you > get to know people
    

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19. @kwugirl
    share common interests
    better relationships > get people to help you >
    

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20. @kwugirl
    technical
    book club
    better relationships > get people to help you > share common interests
    

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21. @kwugirl
    lunchconf
    better relationships > get people to help you > share common interests
    

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22. @kwugirl
    lunchconf
    better relationships > get people to help you > share common interests
    kwugirl.blogspot.com/2015/10/continuing-education-at-work-talk.html
    

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23. @kwugirl
    show your appreciation
    better relationships > get people to help you >
    

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24. @kwugirl
    tell their manager
    better relationships > get people to help you > show your appreciation
    

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25. Better relationships
    1. Get people to want to help you
    2. Make your team look good
    3. Recognize Ask vs. Guess Cultures
    Better communication
    1. Make it easy for people to help you
    2. Ask good questions
    3. Give good feedback
    next: better relationships, step 2 @kwugirl
    Where We Are
    

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26. @kwugirl
    2. make your team
    look good
    better relationships >
    

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27. @kwugirl
    give awesome demos
    better relationships > make your team look good
    

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28. @kwugirl
    https://flic.kr/p/fbQZmF
    better relationships > make your team look good > demos
    write a script
    

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29. @kwugirl
    status updates
    better relationships > make your team look good
    

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30. @kwugirl
    “…so what?”
    better relationships > make your team look good > status updates
    

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31. @kwugirl
    before:
    “We changed email reports to be sent at
    1am local time.”
    better relationships > make your team look good > status updates
    

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32. @kwugirl
    after:
    “We changed email reports to be sent at
    1am local time, allowing customers to
    receive data in the correct local time
    window.”
    better relationships > make your team look good > status updates
    

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33. @kwugirl
    be responsive,
    thorough, & empathetic
    better relationships > make your team look good
    

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34. Better relationships
    1. Get people to want to help you
    2. Make your team look good
    3. Recognize Ask vs. Guess Cultures
    Better communication
    1. Make it easy for people to help you
    2. Ask good questions
    3. Give good feedback
    @kwugirl
    next: better relationships, step 3
    Where We Are
    

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35. @kwugirl
    3. recognize ask vs.
    guess cultures
    better relationships >
    

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36. @kwugirl
    better relationships > ask vs. guess cultures
    

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37. @kwugirl
    better relationships > ask vs. guess cultures
    You
    

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38. @kwugirl
    better relationships > ask vs. guess cultures
    You
    Jamie
    

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39. @kwugirl
    better relationships > ask vs. guess cultures
    You
    Jamie
    Taylor
    

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40. @kwugirl
    better relationships > ask vs. guess cultures
    You
    Jamie
    Taylor
    

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41. @kwugirl
    better relationships > ask vs. guess cultures
    You
    Jamie
    Taylor
    Can Taylor stay
    with you?
    

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42. @kwugirl
    better relationships > ask vs. guess cultures
    You
    Jamie
    Taylor
    ?
    

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43. @kwugirl
    better relationships > ask vs. guess cultures
    You
    Jamie
    Taylor
    I’ll just tell them no.
    

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44. @kwugirl
    better relationships > ask vs. guess cultures
    You
    Jamie
    Taylor
    or
    

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45. @kwugirl
    better relationships > ask vs. guess cultures
    You
    Jamie
    Taylor
    Ugh, this puts me in
    a difficult position.
    

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46. @kwugirl
    “I’ll just tell them no.”
    better relationships > ask vs. guess cultures
    “Ugh, this puts me
    in a difficult position.”
    Ask Culture Guess Culture
    

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47. @kwugirl
    better relationships > ask vs. guess cultures > background
    

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48. @kwugirl
    it’s OK to ask for anything
    +
    you’re OK getting ‘no’
    for an answer
    better relationships > ask vs. guess cultures > background
    ASK
    

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49. @kwugirl
    avoid asking unless
    the answer will be yes
    better relationships > ask vs. guess cultures > background
    GUESS
    

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50. @kwugirl
    better relationships > ask vs. guess cultures > background
    ASK GUESS
    

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51. @kwugirl
    better relationships > ask vs. guess cultures > background
    ASK GUESS
    

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52. @kwugirl
    better relationships > ask vs. guess cultures > background
    ASK GUESS
    

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53. @kwugirl
    better relationships > ask vs. guess cultures > background
    ASK GUESS
    

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54. @kwugirl
    better relationships > ask vs. guess cultures > background
    ASK GUESS
    

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55. @kwugirl
    a few examples
    better relationships > ask vs. guess cultures > examples
    

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56. @kwugirl
    “The Seattle No”
    better relationships > ask vs. guess cultures > examples
    https://medium.com/lessons-learned/the-seattle-no-177091f864a4
    

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57. @kwugirl
    Hey, I’m going to this party,
    do you want to come?
    better relationships > ask vs. guess cultures > examples > Seattle No
    

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58. @kwugirl
    better relationships > ask vs. guess cultures > examples > Seattle No
    Hmm that sounds interesting,
    I’ll have to check.
    

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59. @kwugirl
    better relationships > ask vs. guess cultures > examples > Seattle No
    or
    

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60. @kwugirl
    Oh yeah, maybe…
    better relationships > ask vs. guess cultures > examples > Seattle No
    

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61. @kwugirl
    Oh yeah, maybe…
    better relationships > ask vs. guess cultures > examples > Seattle No
    + don’t hear from them again about it
    

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62. @kwugirl
    THIS MEANS NO.
    better relationships > ask vs. guess cultures > examples > Seattle No
    

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63. @kwugirl
    THIS MEANS NO.
    better relationships > ask vs. guess cultures > examples > Seattle No
    (not obvious to all of us.)
    

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64. @kwugirl
    better relationships > ask vs. guess cultures > examples > so much food
    

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65. @kwugirl
    better relationships > ask vs. guess cultures > examples > so much food
    Me: “Hmm, I don’t have time to make 

    lunch for next week.”
    

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66. @kwugirl
    better relationships > ask vs. guess cultures > examples > so much food
    Me: “Hmm, I don’t have time to make 

    lunch for next week.”
    Dan hears
    

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67. @kwugirl
    better relationships > ask vs. guess cultures > examples > so much food
    Me: “Hmm, I don’t have time to make 

    lunch for next week.”
    “Could you make extra meals
    so I have lunch for the week?”
    Dan hears
    

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68. @kwugirl
    better relationships > ask vs. guess cultures > examples > so much food
    Dan: “I’m going to cook 2 meals this 

    weekend.”
    

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69. @kwugirl
    better relationships > ask vs. guess cultures > examples > so much food
    Dan: “I’m going to cook 2 meals this 

    weekend.”
    I think
    

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70. @kwugirl
    better relationships > ask vs. guess cultures > examples > so much food
    Dan: “I’m going to cook 2 meals this 

    weekend.”
    “That’s so weird, Dan’s planning to make
    an extra meal this weekend, but ok.”
    I think
    

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71. @kwugirl
    better relationships > ask vs. guess cultures > examples > so much food
    Dan: “I’m going to cook 2 meals this 

    weekend.”
    “That’s so weird, Dan’s planning to make
    an extra meal this weekend, but ok.”
    I think
    What I did not say: “Oh, you don’t 

    have to do that.”
    

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72. @kwugirl
    better relationships > ask vs. guess cultures > examples > so much food
    End Result
    Me Dan
    

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73. @kwugirl
    better relationships > ask vs. guess cultures > examples > so much food
    End Result
    Me
    “Why do we have
    so much food
    in the fridge??”
    Dan
    

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74. @kwugirl
    better relationships > ask vs. guess cultures > examples > so much food
    End Result
    Me
    “Why do we have
    so much food
    in the fridge??”
    Dan
    “I’m such a

    ..good husband.”
    

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75. @kwugirl
    pros/cons
    better relationships > ask vs. guess cultures >
    

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76. @kwugirl
    Ask Culture
    better relationships > ask vs. guess cultures > pros/cons
    

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77. @kwugirl
    Ask Culture
    better relationships > ask vs. guess cultures > pros/cons
    Prioritizes
    efficiency
    

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78. @kwugirl
    Ask Culture
    better relationships > ask vs. guess cultures > pros/cons
    Prioritizes
    efficiency
    No ambiguity
    

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79. @kwugirl
    Ask Culture
    better relationships > ask vs. guess cultures > pros/cons
    Prioritizes
    efficiency
    No ambiguity
    Gets what you want

    (in the short-term)
    

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80. @kwugirl
    Ask Culture
    better relationships > ask vs. guess cultures > pros/cons
    More open conflict
    Prioritizes
    efficiency
    No ambiguity
    Gets what you want

    (in the short-term)
    

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81. @kwugirl
    Ask Culture
    better relationships > ask vs. guess cultures > pros/cons
    More open conflict
    Can make people
    feel uncomfortable
    Prioritizes
    efficiency
    No ambiguity
    Gets what you want

    (in the short-term)
    

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82. @kwugirl
    Guess Culture
    better relationships > ask vs. guess cultures > pros/cons
    

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83. @kwugirl
    Guess Culture
    better relationships > ask vs. guess cultures > pros/cons
    Prioritizes not 

    hurting feelings
    

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84. @kwugirl
    Guess Culture
    better relationships > ask vs. guess cultures > pros/cons
    Prioritizes not 

    hurting feelings
    More polite
    

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85. @kwugirl
    Guess Culture
    better relationships > ask vs. guess cultures > pros/cons
    Hard if you’re bad at 

    reading social cues
    Prioritizes not 

    hurting feelings
    More polite
    

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86. @kwugirl
    Guess Culture
    better relationships > ask vs. guess cultures > pros/cons
    Hard if you’re bad at 

    reading social cues
    Can feel like no one
    is listening to you
    Prioritizes not 

    hurting feelings
    More polite
    

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87. @kwugirl
    strategies for handling
    better relationships > ask vs. guess cultures >
    

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88. @kwugirl
    If you’re from Ask Culture…
    better relationships > ask vs. guess cultures > strategies
    

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89. @kwugirl
    If you’re from Ask Culture…
    better relationships > ask vs. guess cultures > strategies
    Make a Guess Culture close friend
    

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90. @kwugirl
    If you’re from Ask Culture…
    better relationships > ask vs. guess cultures > strategies
    Make a Guess Culture close friend
    Listen more closely
    

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91. @kwugirl
    If you’re from Ask Culture…
    better relationships > ask vs. guess cultures > strategies
    Make a Guess Culture close friend
    Listen more closely
    Apologize if you realize >1 interpretation
    

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92. @kwugirl
    If you’re from Guess Culture…
    better relationships > ask vs. guess cultures > strategies
    

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93. @kwugirl
    If you’re from Guess Culture…
    better relationships > ask vs. guess cultures > strategies
    Remember that people might be 

    unaware of “the rules”
    

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94. @kwugirl
    If you’re from Guess Culture…
    better relationships > ask vs. guess cultures > strategies
    Remember that people might be 

    unaware of “the rules”
    Resist the urge to “soften” a “No”
    

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95. @kwugirl
    “Hey, I have a request, 

    but it’s totally cool 

    if you want to say no.”
    better relationships > ask vs. guess cultures > strategies
    

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96. @kwugirl
    Better Relationships
    1. Get people to want to help you
    2. Make your team look good
    3. Recognize Ask vs. Guess Cultures
    next: better communication
    

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97. 3-step plan for
    better communication
    

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98. @kwugirl
    1. make it easy for
    people to help
    better communication >
    

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99. @kwugirl
    better communication > make it easy
    

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100. @kwugirl
     articulate why
     you’re confused
     better communication > make it easy
     

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101. @kwugirl
     “You had me up
     until ______.”
     better communication > make it easy > articulate why you’re confused
     

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102. @kwugirl
     give context
     better communication > make it easy
     

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103. @kwugirl
     “I’m confused, because I
     thought you said a==b,
     and b==c, but here… a!=c ?”
     better communication > make it easy > articulate why you’re confused
     

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104. @kwugirl
     “I am trying to ___, so that I can ___.
     I’m running into ___.
     I’ve looked at ___ & tried ___.”
     better communication > make it easy > articulate why you’re confused
     

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105. @kwugirl
     better communication > make it easy > articulate why you’re confused
     courage to say
     “I don’t know”
     

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106. @kwugirl
     “Wait, I actually don’t even
     know what that word means.”
     better communication > make it easy > articulate why you’re confused
     

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107. @kwugirl
     give specific, positive
     reinforcement
     better communication > make it easy
     

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108. @kwugirl
     “It really helped me
     when you…”
     better communication > make it easy > positive reinforcement
     

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109. Better relationships
     1. Get people to want to help you
     2. Make your team look good
     3. Recognize Ask vs. Guess Cultures
     Better communication
     1. Make it easy for people to help you
     2. Ask good questions
     3. Give good feedback
     next: better communication, step 2 @kwugirl
     Where We Are
     

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110. @kwugirl
     2. ask good questions
     better communication >
     

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111. @kwugirl
     https://flic.kr/p/e5PKTt
     how to use
     questions
     for good??
     better communication > ask good questions
     

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112. @kwugirl
     “Are we working on
     the right thing?”
     better communication > ask good questions
     

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113. @kwugirl
     “Is there a reason we’re
     doing it this way?”
     better communication > ask good questions
     

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114. @kwugirl
     https://flic.kr/p/6eFVyB
     better communication > ask good questions
     don’t put
     people
     on the
     defensive
     

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115. @kwugirl
     better communication > ask good questions
     ask All The Questions
     https://flic.kr/p/chf4im
     

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116. Better relationships
     1. Get people to want to help you
     2. Make your team look good
     3. Recognize Ask vs. Guess Cultures
     Better communication
     1. Make it easy for people to help you
     2. Ask good questions
     3. Give good feedback
     next: better communication, step 3 @kwugirl
     Where We Are
     

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117. @kwugirl
     3. give good feedback
     better communication >
     

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118. @kwugirl
     https://flic.kr/p/hgrkXJ
     better communication > give good feedback
     step into their shoes
     

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119. @kwugirl
     https://flic.kr/p/4PdRQ8
     better communication > give good feedback
     speak up when
     you have good
     things to say
     

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120. @kwugirl
     “I don’t have an opinion
     on this topic.”
     better communication > give good feedback
     

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121. @kwugirl
     accept feedback
     graciously
     better communication > give good feedback
     

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122. @kwugirl
     Better Communication
     1. Make it easy for people to help
     2. Ask good questions
     3. Give good feedback
     next: pitfalls to avoid
     

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123. pitfalls to avoid
     

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124. @kwugirl
     https://flic.kr/p/7Eu25y
     pitfalls to avoid >
     “Girl Scout tax”
     

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125. @kwugirl
     https://flic.kr/p/cwrm2u
     pitfalls to avoid >
     stay focused on your goal
     

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126. @kwugirl
     Recommended Resources
     Team Geek: A Software Developer's Guide to Working Well with Others
     Site Reliability Engineering: How Google Runs Production Systems
     The Up Side of Down: Why Failing Well Is the Key to Success
     “How to Survive Your First Year as a Programmer” (http://bit.ly/1mSoyYI)
     “5 Undervalued Skills in Tech & Why You Should Master Them
     Anyway” (http://bit.ly/1hu796E)
     “Self-promotion for Game Developers” (http://bit.ly/1kdVsmH)
     “Becoming an Influencer” (http://bit.ly/1htNrlt)
     next: recap, Q&A
     

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127. Katherine Wu
     @kwugirl
     Software Engineer
     Better relationships
     1. Get people to want to help you
     2. Make your team look good
     3. Recognize Ask vs. Guess
     Better communication
     1. Make it easy for people to help you
     2. Ask good questions
     3. Give good feedback
     ?
     “Full Stack Engineer - Build and Deploy”
     “Network Engineer”
     “Director of Site Engineering"
     “Site Reliability Engineer - Infrastructure”
     “Site Reliability Engineer - Provisioning”
     & more!
     

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128. Katherine Wu
     @kwugirl
     Software Engineer
     Better relationships
     1. Get people to want to help you
     2. Make your team look good
     3. Recognize Ask vs. Guess
     Better communication
     1. Make it easy for people to help you
     2. Ask good questions
     3. Give good feedback
     ?
     “Full Stack Engineer - Build and Deploy”
     “Network Engineer”
     “Director of Site Engineering"
     “Site Reliability Engineer - Infrastructure”
     “Site Reliability Engineer - Provisioning”
     & more!
     

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