For a long time, tech culture has focused too narrowly on technical skills; this has resulted in a tech community that too often puts companies and code over people. Greater Than Code is a podcast that invites the voices of people who are not heard from enough in tech: women, people of color, trans and/or queer folks, to talk about the human side of software development and technology. Greater Than Code is providing a vital platform for these conversations, and developing new ideas of what it means to be a technologist beyond just the code. Featuring an ongoing panel of racially and gender diverse tech panelists, the majority of podcast guests so far have been women in tech! We’ve covered topics including imposter syndrome, mental illness, sexuality, unconscious bias and social justice. We also have a major focus on skill sets that tech too often devalues, like team-building, hiring, community organizing, mentorship and empathy. Each episode also includes a transcript. We have an active Slack community that members can join by pledging as little as $1 per month via Patreon. (https://www.patreon.com/greaterthancode)
166: From Software Engineer to Management with Phil Wheeler
01:10 - Phil’s Superpower: Putting Himself in Others’ Shoes.
02:03/09:14 From Software Engineer to Management
- Empathy Through The Career Shift
- The Learning Curve
- Making a Conscious Choice To Switch
- Gaining Leadership Skills
- Making Your Own Opportunities
03:34 - How Phil Came Into The Greater Than Code Community
- Found Through Twitter
- Codemania
05:54 - Commonalities Between Issues Between USA and NZ
- Inclusion, Equality in Technology
07:05 - Life Science Software Experience
- Cloud Based, LT
- Awareness of Accessibility
16:45 - To Get Into Management or Not
- It’s Not For Everyone
- Impostor Syndrome
18:55 - The Parallels Of Management And Parenting
26:17 - Working From Home Or The Office
- Setting The Right Examples For The Team
- Encouraging People To Take Leave, Learning And Development Opportunities, Health Reasons Without Repercussions
31:47 - Living In A College/University Town
32:54 - Overcoming Impostor Syndrome
- Exists In The Technology Sector
- Exists In Other Disciplines
- Turn The Ship Around!
- The Manager’s Path
35:58 - Empathy For Managers And Employees
- Leadership Development
- Self-Reflection/Self-Awareness
- Journaling/Note Taking
- Becoming A Technical Leader
51:11 - Phil’s Thoughts For The Future
- Citizens Before Consumers
- What Can We Do Better?
- The Global Digital Citizen Foundation
Reflections:
Jacob: Happy being an individual contributor but contributing to the art of management by being a better employee and having empathy for managers.
Phil: Self-Awareness and empathy. Wanting to push his people in a certain direction but taking that step back and determining where that motivation is coming from.
Chanté: Impostor syndrome: at some point in time we’re all impostors. Doing reading about leadership can help whether you are taking that path or not.
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Special Guest: Phil Wheeler.