5 Things I Wish I Knew Then & The Fire Starter's Manifesto
•
178 j'aime•41,729 vues
Sarah Bird covers 5 things she wished she knew early in her career. The presentation closes with the Fire Starter's Manifesto--a statement of core beliefs about increasing diversity in tech. This presentation was designed for and delivered at ACT-W, a conference for women technologists held in Seattle on May 18th 2015.
Recommandé
Recommandé
Contenu connexe
Tendances
Tendances (20)
En vedette
En vedette (18)
Similaire à 5 Things I Wish I Knew Then & The Fire Starter's Manifesto
Similaire à 5 Things I Wish I Knew Then & The Fire Starter's Manifesto (20)
Dernier
Dernier (20)
5 Things I Wish I Knew Then & The Fire Starter's Manifesto
- 1. Sarah Bird, CEO of Moz @Sarah Bird I Wish I Knew Then…
- 2. Things I wish I knew then…
- 3. The Fire Starter’s Manifesto
- 5. Brief Intro to Moz
- 6. Moz Basics $35.6 million/year in total revenue
- 7. 155 talented team members Moz BasicsMoz Basics
- 8. Over 30,000 paying customers from all over the globe. Moz Basics
- 9. Moz makes software that helps marketers understand and improve their SEO, business listings, social media, links and brand mentions.
- 10. It looks a little like this…
- 11. And this…
- 12. And this…
- 13. Lots of Awards ‘N Stuff Best Places to Work
- 14. Brief Intro to Me…
- 15. I’m on my journey.
- 16. I started as a cleaning lady.
- 17. Chains!
- 19. Studied Literature & Philosophy
- 20. So… Law school then!
- 21. Practiced law For a few years…
- 23. Rand’s company was taking off right at the moment I decided to leave the firm.
- 24. Joined Moz as General Counsel in 2007
- 25. I can’t go on.
- 26. Fuck it.
- 27. That’s my job!
- 28. Things I wish I knew then…
- 29. Get out of your own way.
- 30. This Is Water by David Foster Wallace
- 34. “The most obvious and important realities are often the hardest to see and talk about.”
- 35. We don’t see the world as it is. We see it as we are. Initial conditions
- 36. We’ve inherited layers of culture.
- 37. Helen taught me that you can fly, if you want to.
- 38. Find people who ‘see’ your potential better than you do.
- 39. Find people who ‘see’ your potential better than you do.
- 42. ALL YOUR MENTORS ARE BELONG TO US
- 43. They don’t come with a capital ‘M.’
- 44. Take what you want, and leave the rest.
- 45. Invest heavily in professional development.
- 47. It’s not like riding a bike.
- 49. Manage your energy Like an athlete.
- 50. Why?
- 51. Shit happens
- 52. Don’t pray for easy times, pray for the strength to endure hard times. --Bruce Lee “Do not pray for an easy life, pray for the strength to endure a difficult one.” --Bruce Lee
- 53. Google It
- 54. Let go of the guilt.
- 55. Figure out matters to you, and let go of the rest.
- 56. What my dad taught me.
- 58. Don’t lose track of what’s important.
- 59. Keep reminding yourself “this is water.”
- 61. The Fire Starter’s Manifesto
- 62. Access to technology is not optional. It is not a lifestyle.
- 63. Technology fundamentally transforms… Access to capital and critical services
- 64. Technology fundamentally transforms… Access to capital and critical services Employment opportunities
- 65. Technology fundamentally transforms… Access to capital and critical services Employment opportunities Human connections
- 66. Technology fundamentally transforms… Access to capital and critical services Employment opportunities Human connections Health & wellness
- 67. Technology fundamentally transforms… Access to capital and critical services Employment opportunities Human connections Health & wellness Education
- 68. The rate of innovation is increasing.
- 69. Technologists, therefore, have an outsized impact on our experience of the world.
- 70. There is a widening chasm between the urgent need for qualified technologists and our ability to develop them.
- 71. The technology industry does not reflect the diversity of experiences, perspectives, and backgrounds that make up our communities.
- 72. The overwhelming homogeneity of the tech pipeline is acute early on…
- 73. The overwhelming homogeneity of the tech pipeline is acute early on… And becomes excruciating at executive levels.
- 74. We believe a person’s opportunity should not be limited by gender, skin color, religion, or socio- economic background.
- 75. Fostering a diverse and rich tech industry is a moral imperative.
- 76. Access to technologies created by and for diverse perspectives will improve income equality and social justice.
- 77. Although we face powerful structural barriers that erode the tech talent pipeline…
- 78. …there is nothing inherent about technology that makes it unfriendly to women and underrepresented minorities.
- 79. The structural barriers are man-made and they will be unmade.
- 80. We believe in tackling big, seemingly insurmountable challenges by breaking them down into smaller tasks.
- 81. As Martin Luther King reminds us, “The arc of the moral universe is long but it bends towards justice.”
- 82. Every small act of virtue creates a ripple effect beyond measure.
- 83. Together, we are creating a more welcoming, enriching, and equitable technology industry.
- 84. It is difficult to dream about something that you have never seen.
- 85. Many people are discouraged from pursuing tech careers simply because they either do not know anyone who works in these fields, or they do not understand what people in these fields do.
- 86. We believe that telling our stories matters.
- 87. You can change the course of someone’s life by sharing the right idea at the right moment.
- 88. Telling someone “It’s important to me that you’re here” and “You can do this” makes a profound difference.
- 89. "Education isn't the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire." --William Butler Yeats
- 90. We believe in lighting the fire and inspiring everyone -
- 91. We believe in lighting the fire and inspiring everyone - especially women and underrepresented minorities
- 92. We believe in lighting the fire and inspiring everyone - especially women and underrepresented minorities - to explore the compelling world of technology.
- 93. We are the fire starters.
- 94. It’s important to me that you’re here. You can do this.
- 95. The last thing that I wish I knew then…
- 96. I wish I knew then, that I belong here, with you.
Notes de l'éditeur
- I’m passionate about increasing the diversity of the tech pipeline and social justice. And it’s all wrapped up for me. It can also feel overwhelming.
- Last 12 months.
- Deloitte Fast 500 Inc. 5000 PS Business Journal to 50 Fastest Growing Companies Best Places to Work (PS Business Journal and Seattle Met) Geekwire: Startup Of the Year WTIA Award: Marketing Innovation WTIA Award: Commercial Product of the Year Geekwire: Perk of the Year
- I never would have guessed growing up, or in university, or in law school, or even when I started at Moz that I would be the CEO of a Tech company. It took years. It took a lot of struggle.
- Education
- Education
- Kind of a jack of all trades, master of known attorney. General practice. Yeah. It’s a saw, but seriously, are you going to use it to saw much?
- Transitioned to Moz in the heady days of 2007. I had no idea what I was doing. Unsure how to hire fire build launch price products. Grow leaders. Lead myself. It was and remains hard work. I was chief operating officer in 6 months, and then president, and now CEO.
- I can't go on, I'll go on. Becket. I had no idea what I was doing. I had never done this before. I didn’t study it in school. I started thinking more and more, Moz should fire me and get someone who actually knows what they are doing. The more successful Moz became, the more I doubted whether I belonged there, whether I could keep up with the company’s needs. Luckily, I got help. I found a group of peers and did a lot of reading etc. I invested in me. I realized after talking with them, that they don’t have magical answers. There is always a challenge and they are troubleshooting and learning just like I am. There is no shortcut around hard stuff. There is no magic bullet that makes this stuff less hard—well, confidence does.
- I worked on myself. A lot of the things I’m going to share with you today, the things I wish I had known earlier in my career are things that helped me let go of the fear and self doubt and guilt. Things that helped me get out of my own way. I am not going to le my fear of failing stop me from trying. I learned more skills. I read a lot. Relied on my peer group. Surrounded myself with people who supported me.
- We still have challenges. But I don’t think about quitting anymore. I’m excited by them! I now know that I’m where I’m supposed to be.
- There are two young fish swimming along.
- And they happen to meet an older fish, swimming the other way, who nods at them and says, “Morning guys. How’s the Water?”
- And the two young fish swim on for a bit…And eventually one of them looks over at the other and says “What the hell is water?”
- There are probably a lot of things that you’re doing right now that are part of legal norms, you’ve forgotten. It’s the water. I have those same things about tech now. It’s very hard to be intentional about something you can’t even see.
- We have to understand initial conditions, and our current culture before we can even begin to ponder how to change it. It goes so strongly against unspoken but known conventions.
- Your biggest career limiter is you. Don’t accept initial conditions. “What’s the Water? We, I, perpetuate limiting stereotypes. We inherit a culture. Learning to see it, to analyze it for what it is, is incredibly difficult. We participate in our own oppression. It’s so hard to start to see the water. I want to talk to you about what that’s been like for me.
- What Helen Taught Me…
- The first time someone told me that I would be a great CEO. It was Michelle Goldberg. It was an offhanded remark. And she said something like, “Sarah?! She’s going to be running a fortune 500 company.” And I was so shocked. I didn’t see myself that way. It wasn’t part of my identity. The second time was a contract CFO we had… Dave… We were working on something together. Maybe a budget proposal. And he got thoughtful and said, “you’d be a great CEO.” And I remember feeling shocked. And guilty. Sort of defensive of Rand. We’ve got a great one. And doesn’t he know me.
- And there is Rand. My biggest champion. The single biggest impact on my leadership and growth. He believed in me more than I believed in myself. When he started talking about me being CEO, I didn’t believe him
- The Confidence Gap The Atlantic Women don’t apply for a job unless they meet all of the pre-requisites. Men apply even if they only have 60%. It doesn’t occur to them that they don’t have something valuable to offer. How are you self-limiting right now? What fears are holding you back? A review of personnel records found that women working at HP applied for a promotion only when they believed they met 100 percent of the qualifications listed for the job. Men were happy to apply when they thought they could meet 60 percent of the job requirements. At HP, and in study after study, the data confirm what we instinctively know. Underqualified and underprepared men don’t think twice about leaning in. Overqualified and overprepared, too many women still hold back. Women feel confident only when they are perfect. Or practically perfect. “When people are confident, when they think they are good at something, regardless of how good they actually are, they display a lot of confident nonverbal and verbal behavior,” Anderson said. He mentioned expansive body language, a lower vocal tone, and a tendency to speak early and often in a calm, relaxed manner. “They do a lot of things that make them look very confident in the eyes of others,” he added. “Whether they are good or not is kind of irrelevant.” Kind of irrelevant. Infuriatingly, a lack of competence doesn’t necessarily have negative consequences. Among Anderson’s students, those who displayed more confidence than competence were admired by the rest of the group and awarded a high social status. “The most confident people were just considered the most beloved in the group,” he said. “Their overconfidence did not come across as narcissistic.”
- I’m done yet. Confession: I’ve never asked for a raise or negotiated my salary. Well. That’s not true. I did it accidentally once. ‘ I can’t do this without my team. I need them. Don’t spend it on me. I’m not going to work any harder. I’m taken care of. My needs are more than met. Take care of my team. ’
- Mentors don’t come with a capital M. I bet people who are my mentors don’t know they are. Men can and should be great mentors for you. Take what you want, and leave the rest. I know I’ve cracked open a view perceptions for some, especially older gentleman, about women in business. I’m not sure… But it was pretty clear, I wasn’t what they thought. Tips for getting the most from your mentors…. Take notes. Come prepared. Followup with good news too. (it sounds like bragging, right?) Do it!
- Mentors don’t come with a capital M. I bet people who are my mentors don’t know they are. Men can and should be great mentors for you. Take what you want, and leave the rest. I know I’ve cracked open a view perceptions for some, especially older gentleman, about women in business. I’m not sure… But it was pretty clear, I wasn’t what they thought. Tips for getting the most from your mentors…. Take notes. Come prepared. Followup with good news too. (it sounds like bragging, right?) Do it!
- Intermittent rest. You have to be able to stop and refuel. Pay attention your emotional fuel tank.
- Why are we even talking about rest and values and training and culture? Because bad things are going to happen. And when they do, it is your professionalism, your values, your culture, and your brand that is going to get you through them.
- Why are we even talking about rest and values and training and culture? Because bad things are going to happen. And when they do, it is your professionalism, your values, your culture, and your brand that is going to get you through them.
- Do not pray for an easy life, pray for the strength to endure a difficult one.
- Oh, you don’t have experience in that or know how to do it. Google it. Don’t ask for help before doing several google searches. You’ll figure it out on your own, or at least you’ll ask much better questions. You can learn anything on the internet. Srsly. It’s what smart people do.
- Figure out what’s really important to you, and then forget about the rest. Guilt when I had my son. Guilty at work. Guilty at home. And then I remembered that my dad worked, and we all still loved each other. We’re very close. And I knew he loved me. Because when I needed him, he was there. Not becuase he was by my side for x hours a day. Guilt for not baking Jack’s cake or making his halloween costume--Guess what. That’s not important to him (yet). And it tasted better and allowed me to spend more quality time These are examples of me thinking something was important, feeling guilty, and then realizing that it’s not what is actually important to me--It’s important to him.
- Here’s an example of when you need to priortize something--Family dinner is VERY important to my husband. His family did it every night. All together. At the same time. I’ll be honest, it sometimes drives me nuts. But we had the kind of conversations about what was important to each other, and instead of talking him out of it, which is dumb and doesn’t work. I accept it and plan around it. Now, if I miss dinner, I do feel guilty. And that’s okay. That’s conscience! The key here is to do yourself a favor and think very deeply about whether that is something you can let go of, or if it’s genuinely important to you.
- I’m passionate about increasing the diversity of the tech pipeline and social justice. And it’s all wrapped up for me. It can also feel overwhelming.
- I’m passionate about increasing the diversity of the tech pipeline and social justice. And it’s all wrapped up for me. It can also feel overwhelming. I’ve started to gather my beliefs into something I’m calling a manifesto. This is a great opportunity for me to share it with you.
- I’m passionate about increasing the diversity of the tech pipeline and social justice. And it’s all wrapped up for me. It can also feel overwhelming. I’ve started to gather my beliefs into something I’m calling a manifesto. This is a great opportunity for me to share it with you.
- I’m passionate about increasing the diversity of the tech pipeline and social justice. And it’s all wrapped up for me. It can also feel overwhelming. I’ve started to gather my beliefs into something I’m calling a manifesto. This is a great opportunity for me to share it with you.
- I’m passionate about increasing the diversity of the tech pipeline and social justice. And it’s all wrapped up for me. It can also feel overwhelming. I’ve started to gather my beliefs into something I’m calling a manifesto. This is a great opportunity for me to share it with you.
- I’m passionate about increasing the diversity of the tech pipeline and social justice. And it’s all wrapped up for me. It can also feel overwhelming. I’ve started to gather my beliefs into something I’m calling a manifesto. This is a great opportunity for me to share it with you.
- Many people are discouraged from pursuing tech careers simply because they either do not know anyone who works in these fields, or they do not understand what people in these fields do.
- .
- It is my sincere belief that many fires will ignited today. To start the day, I’d like you to turn to whoever is next to you. And tell them, “It’s important to me that you’re here. You can do this.”