Lightning Talk by Paula Kennedy at SpringOne Platform 2017

1. Help Me Help You:
Show Me The Empathy
PAULA KENNEDY

2. Help me help you:
show me the empathy!

3. Paula Kennedy
@PaulaLKennedy

4. Hi, I’m Clippy! I’m the
browser assistant and
my job is to help you
navigate this page. Do
you need assistance?

5. Definition: help·ful
(hĕlp′fəl)
adj.
Providing assistance; useful.
Serving a useful function; giving help
Assumption: “Everyone likes to be helpful”
(no-one wants to be an a**hole)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/01/science/01human.html
http://healthland.time.com/2012/10/08/is-human-nature-fundamentally-selfish-or-altruistic/
http://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/the_compassionate_instinct

7. (lack of) Delegation
verb
ˈdɛlɪɡeɪt
entrust (a task or responsibility) to another
person, typically one who is less senior than
oneself.
Definition:

8. WHY AM I NOT
TRUSTED TO DO
THE WORK?

9. Microagressions
noun
mʌɪkrəʊəˈɡrɛʃ(ə)n
a statement, action, or incident regarded as an
instance of indirect, subtle, or unintentional
discrimination against members of a
marginalized group such as a racial, ethnic or
gender minority.
Definition:
https://skillsmatter.com/skillscasts/6265-microaggression-impact-on-women-in-it

10. DO I
BELONG
HERE?
https://skillsmatter.com/skillscasts/6265-microaggression-impact-on-women-in-it

11. Hiring for Director of D&I
Description:
Employee of company, appointed with
responsibilities focusing on diversity and
inclusion such as driving D&I initiatives,
implementing best practices.

12. • Diversity
• Inclusion
Done!
☑
☑

13. Events for Under Represented
Minorities
Description:
An event aimed exclusively at a group that is
considered a minority

15. Self-care
Definition:
The actions that individuals take for
themselves, on behalf of and with others in
order to develop, protect, maintain and
improve their health, wellbeing or wellness.
https://youtu.be/TiQF9XFhse8 “Healthy minds in a healthy community”, Sasha Romijn

16. https://youtu.be/TiQF9XFhse8 “Heathy minds in a healthy community”, Sasha Romijn

17. Lending privilege
Description:
“No matter your background, you have
privilege and can lend it to marginalized
groups in tech.”
https://youtu.be/8Nvg-MMtN_A “Lending Privilege”, Anjuan Simmons

18. https://youtu.be/8Nvg-MMtN_A “Lending Privilege”, Anjuan Simmons

20. empathy
/ˈɛmpəθi/
noun
“the ability to understand and share the
feelings of another.”

21. Some suggestions:
- Consider your motivations / biases before acting:
are you genuinely helping?
- Resist the instinct to do everything yourself
- Look for ways to lend privilege / offer to be a
mentor
- Seek feedback.…it will help you improve