Continuous Delivery, Psychological Safety and Inclusive Leadership in Software Engineering
Aug 16, 2024
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Hannah Foxwell, a distinguished leader in the DevOps community, shares her insights on continuous delivery and inclusive leadership. She discusses the evolution of engineering practices, shifting to smaller, more frequent updates while maintaining team dynamics. Hannah delves into the emotional challenges of cultural clashes during mergers, emphasizing the need for participation. She also highlights the transition to management and the significance of fostering equity and inclusion in tech, stressing mentorship and tailored support for underrepresented groups.
Continuous delivery practices, like smaller updates and pair programming, significantly reduce stress and enhance team collaboration in software engineering.
Psychological safety and equitable opportunities are essential for fostering inclusive leadership, enabling team members to grow without fear of failure.
Deep dives
The Importance of Engineering Practices for Human Well-Being
Engineering practices in software development serve not only to create better software but also significantly enhance the well-being of the teams involved. Over the past decade, the speaker has focused on identifying practices that alleviate the stress of delivering complex software by promoting principles like continuous integration and delivery. By advocating for frequent, smaller updates instead of large, cumbersome releases, risks can be managed more effectively, leading to less anxiety for team members. Examples include pair programming and test-driven development, which foster collaboration and quality while providing a supportive environment for both new and experienced developers.
Creating Psychological Safety in Teams
Psychological safety is crucial for fostering an effective team environment, enabling members to engage freely without fear of judgment. This safety can be cultivated through deliberate practices such as assigning buddies for new joiners, creating an environment where any question is welcomed, and encouraging open communication when challenges arise. The promotion of a shared language around failures helps teams understand that mistakes are part of the process, allowing for a focus on learning rather than assigning blame. Leaders play a pivotal role in maintaining this safety by addressing incidents calmly and emphasizing that failure is not catastrophic but an opportunity for growth.
Navigating Management and Inclusion Challenges
Transitioning from individual contributor to manager presents unique challenges, particularly in fostering team inclusion and equity. New managers must recognize that fairness does not mean treating everyone identically; rather, it's about providing equitable opportunities tailored to each individual's needs. Sponsorship emerges as a critical element in promoting professional growth, as it allows team members to take on new roles and risks while supporting them through mentoring and coaching. Understanding these nuances equips managers to build trust and a diverse team culture that champions all members' success and addresses systemic biases.
This is the Engineering Culture Podcast, from the people behind InfoQ.com and the QCon conferences.
In this podcast, Shane Hastie, Lead Editor for Culture & Methods spoke to Hannah Foxwell about her journey in the DevOps community, emphasizing the importance of continuous delivery, psychological safety and inclusive leadership in engineering practice
Read a transcript of this interview: https://bit.ly/4fCwGdR
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