Disruption with Technology and People

What is fascinating to me is that the concept of disruption is lauded with praise on a regular basis with respect to technology--whether it is Uber changing the model of taxi service, or Amazon changing how we purchase books (and now everything else).   Disruption is about revisiting truths that people have held for a great deal of time, turning them on their head and finding a new way to look at them.

Inclusion is the same thing...it is just disrupting how we think about people.  Instead of having systems where women receive less pay than men, what if we revisit our systems and have them paid equally?  Instead of having unconscious bias influence the way we select people for positions, what if we eliminated it from the process and selected them and promoted them truly based on their merit?  Instead of mentoring people with whom we feel most comfortable, what if we mentored someone outside of our normal circles so we could both learn something new?


Disruption is what resulted in the Wright brothers inventing modern flight, women receiving the right to vote, and all black Texas Western team beating Kentucky in the NCAA championship, Jackie Robinson playing baseball---these were all disruptions.  Some with technology, some with people...but they each have changed the modern landscape.   There a are plenty of truths, but one day we can say "no it isn't", and move in a different diretion.

Diversity in Tech--Continued

The recent emphasis of technology companies on filling the pipeline with more diverse engineering candidates has been laudable.   I hope at the same time that the development process for these new candidates is also designed to teach them critical thinking skills.  Although computer engineers are all valued, most technology companies want people who can also be high level strategic thinkers and can pivot quickly. Coding itself is a commoditized skill.  And the need to fill the void of engineers feels very similar to the need that the North had for blue collar workers after the Civil War.  However, as we saw in that example,  even though many people of color were put on assembly lines, they were never made a part of the permanent power structure.   To truly create an inclusive environment in tech, it will require a change in how the actual power structure is composed in technology companies (Board level, C Suite), and a focused, sustained effort on creating an inclusion.  

Diversity in Tech..Only addressing step one

It has been great to see the attention that tech companies are paying to diversity and inclusion. I am sure that the motivation is one part altruistic (it is the "right thing to do") and one part realistic (the enormous need for more engineering talent).  Both motivations will be important for the success of the initiatives.

However, the vast majority of energy and effort that organizations are expending is on developing the pipeline and recruitment.  The next part is to some extent even harder, and that is creating an inclusive organizational culture.  Most tech companies hold their culture dear to their hearts, and will do anything to maintain it--they equate it with their success.

However, if organizations are going to significantly change their composition, the culture will need to grow and transform with that.  Companies are made of people, and often , people resist change.   These changes , however will be needed to ensure that the money spent on developing the pipeline isn't simply about becoming the best graduate school to recruit from, but creating a long term sustainable culture of inclusion.

Great examples of Small Acts of Inclusion

Listed below are examples of small acts of inclusion for one’s personal transformation and for influencing the transformation of others.

• Having lunch with someone different than you
• Coaching someone culturally different
• Mentoring someone outside your comfort zone
• Thinking outside the box
• Teaming with someone with the opposite brain orientation (Right/Left)
• Confronting yourself in terms of exclusion
• Honestly evaluating your commitment to inclusion
• Noticing diversity in everything you do with others
• Sending notes of thanks to managers and leaders who are visible examples of inclusion
• Seeking to understand your social network differences
• Sharing a professional learning experience
• Coaching a new skill
• Adopting a zero defect mentality; and coaching it in others
• Learning a new skill every week; and passing it on
• Clarifying your career plan, then helping others clarify theirs
• Evaluating your skills—Interpersonal, Self-Management, Cross-Cultural, Technical, Management,
Leadership, etc.
• Evaluating others in terms of results—with sensitivity
• Helping others with career planning
• Helping others adopt a mind-set of 100% responsibility and accountability
• Extending tips for job support
• Sharing a personal learning experience
• Discouraging gossip
• Listening to a personal problem without giving advice.
• Thanking someone for his/her support
• Doing something kind for someone with whom you work
• Forgiving someone who was unkind to you
• Creating a “space” between experience and anger
• Being sensitive to the shortcomings of others—no one is “truly” perfect
• Learning from the shortcomings of others—they may be a mirror
• Making every interaction “a moment of truth”
• Counting the number of friends you made by being “right”