Diversity in the Tech World with Nicole Scheffler

Agile Coaches' Corner

This week, Dan Neumann is joined by Nicole Scheffler who is an Engineering Leader from VMware. Nicole has some passion projects around the Tech Diva Success collection, including podcasts, books, and courses, all with diversity as their main component.

Tech is a field that is not particularly diverse and that is the reason why in today’s episode, Nicole is sharing the meaning of diversity, inclusion, and equity and what that might look like in the workplace from an organization to an individual level.

Key Takeaways

• What do diversity, inclusion, and equity mean?
• • Nicole shares an analogy: Diversity is being invited to the dance, inclusion is being able to dance and being asked to dance when you are there, and equity is the feeling that you belong there.
  • Progress happens when everyone has a voice and is being heard.
  • Psychological safety and culture building is crucial in an organization.
  • Innovation is another pillar for success.
• How are companies handling diversity?
• • Design thinking is a great way of practicing inclusion.
  • Most organizations have diversity on their radar, but there is a need to make sure that they are not just “checking the box.”
  • Organizations need to do a statistical analysis to determine where diversity is broken.
  • Ask questions, if you don’t ask, you won’t know.
• What does sharing perspectives look like?
• • Don’t assume someone’s role.
  • Nicole shares some valuable examples.
• What can teams do independently from the organization?
• • Ask yourself if you are judging a woman differently than you do with a man, are you being fair?
  • Good leaders take seriously the job of creating psychologically safe workplaces.
• What can you do to promote diversity and inclusion?
• • Speak up and share resources.
  • Evaluate if you have unconscious bias.
  • Make sure that your team knows what is available.
  • Be an ally and speak up when something is wrong.

Mentioned in this Episode:

Pillars of Success, by Nicole Scheffler

Purl, directed by Kristen Lester and produced by Gillian Libbert-Duncan

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