As the tech industry continues to evolve, sadly one seemingly constant variable in IT is the underrepresentation of women across the board. How can we as a community work to bring down the barriers to entry in this industry? What are the things leaders can do to support these endeavors?
To answer some of these questions, we are excited to show you some of the highlights of the inspiring conversation with leading women in tech who are breaking barriers and driving innovation in the tech landscape Tech in Motion hosted recently. Join us as our panel of trailblazers (Shayla Crudupt, Technical Program Manager at Dell Technologies (Host); Sashieka Seneviratne, Director of Sustainability for Networks at Ericsson; Amber Morey-Wu, Senior Program Manager, Business Rhythms at Atlassian; Monica Ugwi, Growth and Product at turbopuffer) share their lived experiences, personal goals, invaluable career success tips, and strategies for advancing into leadership positions in 2024.
Check out the video below to watch the full conversation, and stay up to date with all of Tech in Motion's upcoming webinars and in-person meetups by bookmarking our Events Page today!
Crudupt: What are the most important things to know for someone wanting to actually get into tech?
Seneviratne: I think the main thing with tech is it's constantly changing so you need to have the desire to learn all the time. If you like something monotonic, that's definitely not tech; it's constantly changing and being okay with being a learner. Sometimes with tech, you become so good at something but when something new comes along it's okay to be curious and to be a learner.
Crudupt: What were some of the things you did to establish yourself in tech?
Seneviratne: Every time I've changed a role, I've made myself what we call a 30-60-90-day plan. The first 90 days are the most important in any role. The first 30 days, I create what I call a relationship map. I map out my internal and external stakeholders, what are their challenges, what are their expectations of my role. Also knowing in the company who are my go-to people because it's all about learning.
Then for the next 60 days, I build a governance structure, meaning who do I need to meet with on a consistent basis, what are my expectations of those meetings, and who do I need to meet with to keep up with all the changes. I also know that time is the most valuable asset that anyone has, so I'm cautious about the time that I ask and give people.
In the 90 days, I build a strategy for what I am going to deliver. Also, one other key thing that I do in any role is be up to date on what's going on in the market. I look up all the newsletters and market reports that come out. On a daily basis, I set time in my calendar in the morning to read what's going on in the market in that area.
Crudupt: What are some of the things that you did to establish yourself in your role and in your career?
Ugwi: I'm very curious so I do a lot of reading. But to get to the point where you feel comfortable learning again it goes back to preparing yourself mentally for discomfort. I've worked with some of the smartest people that I could imagine and those were some of the most uncomfortable times, but it was also times when I grew. So as a general principle, I strive to work with the very best people that I can work with and many times it's going to make you uncomfortable but that's because you're learning. One other thing I've noticed is sometimes when somebody's amazing, it can be intimidating and you need to fight the urge to turn away and go hide. Instead, go towards those people because you will learn and you will see what excellence looks like.
The other thing that I guarantee you will see is that we're all human and even geniuses make mistakes and don't know everything. That in itself can give you the courage to live out your best life, to push yourself to say the answer you think is right. The more you put yourself in circles with excellence, the more you will normalize our humanity and normalize the fact that nobody has all the answers.
So, the best way I've learned is I look around and figure out who are the people I admire most, and I find the very best people no matter how senior they are, and I put myself closer to them.
Morey-Wu: If you're doing the same thing, then you're not achieving and you're not growing, so in discomfort lies opportunity. I remember several companies ago I was in a particular role and they were internally looking for somebody to become a director of a brand new group. I looked at what that person would do and I said, "I think I could do those things but director sounds like a terrifying title." So I reached out to one of the senior leaders and said, "Can I have a coffee with you and just talk about this?"
She said, "I was really hoping you might put your hand up for this role!" So I ended up talking with them and I took on the role.
Crudupt: There are a lot of layoffs happening right now. How do you ladies navigate in those spaces?
Morey-Wu: I've been laid off from my last two companies. There's no shame in being laid off. It’s what happens when you work in tech. I also think about this as an opportunity. Take some time to feel bad for yourself. Set some time for yourself. It is a full-time job but not entirely full-time. You want to have some time to job search, but you also want to have time to refresh and take care of yourself. Find a balance between those two things and give yourselves a 4-hour block of, "I'm going to spend an hour on looking for jobs, I'm going to spend an hour on updating my resume, I'm going to spend an hour on reaching out to people."
Also, schedule and say, "Here are some fun things I want to do for myself." I love going out and cycling in nature or going for walks or quilting - go do whatever your passion is. Once you get to those interviews, if you're so burnt out from searching for jobs, you're not going to come across as a refreshed interesting, exciting person.
Crudupt: I would love to hear your thoughts about imposter syndrome, where it's shown up, how it's shown up, and what you do to combat it when it does come.
Seneviratne: It (impostor syndrome) shows up every time I switch to a new role, take a new opportunity, apply for a promotion, or anything like that. There is no other way to combat imposter syndrome other than really tackle it head-on, doing the things that make you uncomfortable despite the feeling that you don't belong there or someone’s going to find out you are a fraud. You keep on going and when you keep on going, at some point it just goes away.
I was listening to this podcast and one of the things she said is "imposter syndrome is a battle between who you are today and a version of your past self that keeps on showing up". That really opened my eyes. Every time I feel insecure about something, I feel like my 17-year-old self who moved from Sri Lanka, whose English wasn’t the first language, and she's the one who keeps showing up when I feel imposter syndrome. So, it's kind of learning to talk to her and say, "Hey, you know my 40-year-old self can speak English fine."
Ugwi: One very tactical tip that I try to encourage people to use is if you're feeling like you don't understand something or just don't know how to do "x" yet, that's part of the growth mindset of believing in yourself that you can get to where you want to get to, it's just a matter of continuing facing that thing.
Morey-Wu: One of the things that I've been seeing a lot of people talk about on LinkedIn is very successful women CEOs and how are they doing it, and a lot of times you'll hear that they get a lot of help. They get help with the house, they get help with all the other things, and I think in life it really helps to have a community that provides support for you.
This sounds a bit silly, but I say, "What would I do if I were a guy in this situation?" I shouldn't have to say that, but it’s surprising what I answer, and what I answer is often something much bolder and more straightforward.
Crudupt: How can men be an advocate or an ally for women in the workplace?
Morey-Wu: Make sure that when you're in a situation where you feel like as a female you're being pushed down, talk with somebody in that group, in that meeting. If you're constantly being talked over or your ideas are being taken, look around that group and identify a guy who might be a potential supporter and talk to them outside of that group. Say, "I'm just curious, have you ever noticed in this meeting when this happens? Would you be okay with speaking up or supporting me next time?" Actively ask for their support. They may be willing to give support, they may just not have noticed. Be careful about who you choose. I've chosen well and chosen unwell. I've done both so it doesn't always work.
Seneviratne: I think one of the main things whether it's male or female, if you have a seat at the table, you need to speak on behalf of women. The reality is today there's still a majority of men who are in executive positions compared to the number of women, so they're in a position to speak up for women behind closed doors where decisions are made. Should we put a quota of how many women leaders we need by a certain timeline? So that kind of fundamental systematic changes if you're a man, if you have a seat at the table, you can step up to speak.
Crudupt: What are some actual steps or even new skills that those who are entering tech can be doing to advance their own career?
Ugwi: The thing I've learned, especially about promotions, is if you want a promotion, ask for it. Especially when you grow up in different cultures there are some places where culturally you just put your head down and do the work and you'll get rewarded.
My experience in the US is if you want a promotion, the first step is to talk to your manager and say, "Hey this is what I'm going towards, how can you help me get there?" Because then your manager can show you what it takes, can identify what they perceive as your gaps and that's how you figure out what you need to do.
But it's not just your manager. You should be telling your mentors. You should be going and looking at people who recently got promoted to the level that you're interested in and asking them how they got promoted. There is nothing embarrassing about having ambition and wanting to be promoted and we each should feel comfortable speaking about our promotions. When you do that, it helps people around you understand what you want and they are more likely to help you because they know where you're trying to go.
I'll also tell you that from the other side of the table as a senior manager, it is such a relief when I understand people’s expectations. Like this person is trying to get promoted in two years, here are all the things I can give them that might help them get there.
Crudupt: What is the best professional advice you've ever received from a mentor?
Morey-Wu: As for how to find a mentor, don't go up to somebody and say, "Will you be my mentor?" Because that’s terrifying to them. Develop relationships, find the people who you find inspiring, and find the people who are a step, two steps, three steps beyond you. Find reasons to talk with them.
Look for people at your company, but also outside of your company. Go to Meetup, look at LinkedIn, look at people who are posting interesting things and comment on them, build your profile, and start making your own observations. You'd be surprised how little outreaches like that can get a lot of touch points, so look in many different places.
The faith that mentors were able to give me helped me the most, so I don't know if it was any particular words; it was more the feedback and the faith that I got from that relationship that helped me be stronger and more confident.
Seneviratne: Don't overestimate people and put them on pedestals. We see someone amazing but actually if you go back and look at where they started, they're not that far away from where you are today, so don't overestimate the people on a pedestal. Learn about their journey and you can get there.
The second part, especially for women is, “pick courage over perfectionism.” We tend to not go for things like a job application; if we don't have all the requirements, we don't apply because we think we're not there.