Inclusion
Changing the way we break through the diversity challenge
Tech diversity statistics are still abysmal in 2016. In the effort to make companies more inclusive, has our movement latched on to the wrong way of thinking about this issue? It’s not “get diversity and get good outcomes.” We need to stop saying this if we want to get to the root of the matter—if you don’t have diversity in your company, it’s a symptom of structural failing, and that is what blocks innovation. And if you do have it? It is more likely your business is hiring correctly, rewarding talent correctly, and likely doing other things that lead to business success.
Why One Female Tech COO Encourages More Women To Cry At Work (or changing the way we understand male and female non-verbal messages)
In this talk, Erin shares personal and universal experiences highlighting the surprising role that vulnerability plays in improving workplace productivity and happiness. By understanding and empathizing with the full spectrum of human responses to workplace stress, we lay the foundation for a workplace that’s more conducive to equality and productivity.
Why One Female Tech COO Thinks We Should Embrace Our Biases (or changing the world starts by acknowledging and addressing our own biases)
We need to constantly remember and take action to correct our biases. We can’t feel ashamed of our biases and let that shame prevent us from doing the right thing. As leaders, that may mean taking ourselves out of a decision if we know ourselves and our biases may be affecting our decision. We need to out our biases to ourselves and each other and not be afraid to say, “I’m biased.” Erin lays out a framework for recognizing the universal human nature of bias—and how to transmute it and transform it to create more inclusive workplaces.
Why One Female COO Thinks Women Need To Stop Treating Careers like College (or how the reward system we train ourselves to follow in higher education works against us in the real-world workplace)
Women now earn a greater percentage of degrees than men, at all levels, yet still lag behind in business leadership roles and board rooms. Erin explores the idea that we have trained women, through high school and university, to put your head down, work hard and generate great grades—essentially that the grade is the result. But the workplace is not like academia. Being smart and hardworking is table stakes, but being promoted to the highest levels comes as a result of trust, strong relationships and personal respect. In this talk, Erin shares ways to shift your perspective to value these more and achieve higher levels of leadership success.