Lessons from the urban classroom

Abstract: At first glance, a classroom of 8th graders being led by a teacher through an algebra lesson looks nothing like the open floor plans, standing desks, macbooks, foosball, and beer we're all used to. However, below the surface, the motivations, drivers, and obstacles are very similar, and strategies that are effective for leading a classroom of middle schoolers to Algebra mastery can be equally effective in helping an engineering team perform at the top of their game.

Details: - How humans learn (the abbreviated version) - Growth vs. ability-centric mindsets - How to work a room and manage a team - Expectation- and goal-setting, and how it can backfire - The human element of systems

Why me? Why this talk?

The message of "DevOps" as empathy continues to sweep the community, but I worry that we sometimes practice empathy when it's easy. Real empathy means being empathetic even in trying or conflict-ful situations, and even when those we're trying to work with are very different than ourselves.

As a product manager, a support specialist, ...., I've managed heavy interpersonal conflict across work, departmental, and class and race lines, and developed strong skills in defusing hot situations and helping different parties come to understand and see each others' perspective. I'm passionate about helping operations, developers, and every other department in a company realize that everybody is on the same team, working toward a common good. Speaker: Speaker 32