{"id":1043,"date":"2018-09-14T12:56:04","date_gmt":"2018-09-14T16:56:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bloomberg.com\/company\/stories\/find-voice-trust-advice-young-women-tech\/"},"modified":"2024-08-07T15:16:03","modified_gmt":"2024-08-07T19:16:03","slug":"find-voice-trust-advice-young-women-tech","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bloomberg.com\/company\/stories\/find-voice-trust-advice-young-women-tech\/","title":{"rendered":"Seeking out the unexpected: how to identify future female tech leaders"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Jaime Chan is a manager on the Engineering Technical Operations team in Bloomberg\u2019s New York office.<\/em><\/p>\n

Like many software developers at Bloomberg, I went to school for computer science and mostly learned about \u201cfor\u201d loops and \u201cif\u201d statements. Communication was never an area of focus for me. When I first started, right out of college, I communicated in grunts. The stereotypical developer in a hoodie was really me. Over the next couple of years, I gained some more agency, and, in the process, a better understanding of who I was and the culture I wanted to be a part of.<\/p>\n

Flash forward more than a decade, and I\u2019m now a manager on the Internal Applications team at Bloomberg. I work with an amazing group, creating solutions that help our employees provide great customer service to our hundreds of thousands of clients. I\u2019m also involved in corporate diversity programs \u2014 particularly for women in tech at Bloomberg. I found my voice, and grew my career through participation in our company culture.<\/p>\n

Looking back, I often wonder how I got to where I am today. When did I become so involved? And could what helped me grow in my career, help other fellow technologists grow in theirs?<\/p>\n

Here are some lessons I\u2019ve learned, both from being a leader and benefitting from the leaders who have helped me.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong>\"Jaime<\/a><\/p>\n

Challenge standard definitions of \u201cleadership\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

At Bloomberg, we talk about different leadership qualities and how to bring them out. And it\u2019s important to remember that the ways in which these traits show themselves can vary widely for different employees.<\/p>\n

For example, by definition, tenacity and persistence can be considered great leadership skills. But one of the things I realized in leading women on my team (and as a woman in technology myself) was the difference in how these qualities are expressed \u2013 and how it doesn\u2019t necessarily have a bearing on a man or woman\u2019s performance leading a team.<\/p>\n

A woman who might be less likely to follow up on her own behalf could still be tenacious when it came to vying for budget for her team. I\u2019ve stopped equating tenacity \u2014 or any other one \u201cleadership\u201d quality \u2014 with the ability to thrive in a role. I\u2019ve had to challenge what my standard definition of leadership competency was.<\/p>\n

And I\u2019ve started telling women, who may be reluctant to follow up: \u201cIf you get feedback, don\u2019t be hard on yourself. The feedback is meant to help you grow.\u201d As a female leader, it\u2019s important to identify leadership potential, and find ways to provide productive feedback to help people grow in their roles.<\/p>\n

Ask what people need<\/strong><\/p>\n

One of the things that kept me from getting personally involved with corporate D&I early in my career was feeling that the conversations didn\u2019t specifically apply to me. I didn\u2019t perceive it that way, at least. Sure, I was a woman, and a woman in technology, but conversation about diversity can start to sound generic if the employees it\u2019s supposed to benefit don\u2019t find the conversation personally relevant.<\/p>\n

In my group, I\u2019ve made a point to speak with women, in a candid setting of ten people, to get their thoughts, ask for their feedback, and try to understand their needs. What\u2019s on their mind? What things are in their heads that we want to start getting out? What problems are women tired of discussing as \u201cwomen\u2019s issues\u201d just because research pointed to it? What issues are strictly women\u2019s issues that don\u2019t get talked about, whose taboos should be questioned?<\/p>\n

Speak with different groups on your team, so that you\u2019re not making assumptions. Be receptive to the nuances of diversity issues. Even if it\u2019s one-on-one, solicit that input, and be open to hearing feedback. The best way to understand the nuances of diversity issues and how they play out on your team is simply to ask. And keep asking. People will tell you what their priorities are when you foster the environment \u2013 and if you ask.<\/p>\n

Be judicious with growth opportunities<\/strong><\/p>\n

The tipping point in my early career \u2014 when I really found my voice \u2014 was the moment someone tapped me on the shoulder and said, \u201cHey, here\u2019s a new challenge: to rethink how ADSK (Bloomberg\u2019s communications analytics desk) is going to work.\u201d It was the first time I had to make a choice: Do I leave my old team? Do I take on this big project? Needing to make a career altering decision doesn\u2019t give you much choice but to find your voice fast, and trust it.<\/p>\n

Leaders may not think of stretch assignments as an inclusion tactic, but the work you delegate implicitly says: \u201cYou are depended upon for this project.\u201d<\/p>\n

While corporate D&I channels are hugely important for building community and holding the business accountable for delivering on inclusion goals, it\u2019s also up to employees to seek out those opportunities to grow. One thing I recommend to my team members \u2013- both men and women \u2013 is to find their \u201cBoard of Directors,\u201d as I call them. This is the network you can rely on to remind you of your greatness and push you forward.<\/p>\n

Employees need to advocate for their own advancement, but leaders play a big role in the development of a diverse and inclusive team. It\u2019s up to us to notice what we can do to support diversity outside of formal channels. I\u2019ve had to learn how to meet employees where they are \u2014 like where I was when I started. Managers have many tools at their disposal to complement the formal channels of engagement in companies. Give them new projects. Look for unconventional leadership traits. Solicit their ideas. Your team\u2019s \u201cgrunter\u201d of today may be an important voice of your organization\u2019s future.<\/p>\n

Explore job opportunities in Engineering<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

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