Reflection: Connection

Happy Thursday!

I have been a little absent with my Thursday Thoughts and I sincerely apologize.  It is not surprising that ISO has been on many of our minds and taking over our calendars too. 

Next week, I can’t wait to share with you pictures of George and Martha, our Canadian Geese who have returned (without Bryan / Ryan) and have nested on the island on our pond.  George has become very demanding of late.  Following me in the morning to the food bin and waiting within feet of me until I scoop him some food.  From last year, do you all remember how big George is?  He is HUGE!  But, pictures to come (maybe even a video). 

Reflection:  Connection

I want to thank you for your patience with my calendar.  It had become quite unruly, but I feel it is now settling down and my time is becoming more my own.  

Connection is so critical for us humans.  Especially important in our virtual environment right now at Wells Fargo (and our world).  I wanted to encourage connection and offer ways where you should be connecting!  

Bottom line:  Let’s connect!

1x1s

I encourage you to take the initiative and set up individual meetings – 1x1s - with me or your Tech Lead throughout the month.  This helps us get to know each other but also allows you to showcase the work you are doing and share obstacles that we can assist in breaking down. I suggest starting with monthly, but encourage you to schedule a 1x1 whenever you have an idea to pitch, a challenge you need assistance with, or simply have a question1x1s are open for team members and contractors!  I also encourage you to schedule 1x1s with your manager/team lead to discuss day-to-day work.  I will let the others share their availability, but for me, If you are in India, 6am to 9am Pacific time might be the best time for us to connect.  If you are domestic, eastern/central time zone, float a time/date between 5am – 7am (pacific), and if you are mountain / Pacific, 3pm – 6pm Pacific. 

Daily Stand-Ups and Agile Ceremonies

Participation in the daily stand-ups and agile ceremonies is an excellent way to bond with the team.  Show up, actively engage, and share what your top 3 focus for the week is.  Remember, it is important to use this time to share, connect, and ask for help!   Agile ceremonies are for team members and contractors.

NEW All Hands Meeting

Our monthly all-hands is a way for our entire team to get together, connect, and showcase topics.  Again, show up, actively engage, and be willing to share what you are working on as a larger topic! 

Type	Facilitated By	Duration	Participation Expected?
One x Ones	You!	Up to You	No, but encouraged
Weekly Stand Up	ScrumMaster	Weekly	Yes
All Hands	Me	Monthly	Yes
Performance Review	Me	Quarterly	Yes

Happy Thursday all,

-srt

Optimism

Happy Thursday!

Adjusting to being back after a few weeks of travel.  First to our Fremont office where our FUS / M2M team did work on our 2023 Product Roadmap (see Fremont.jpg).  Then to Chandler where our domestic squads gathered for a conversation on roles, turning challenges into opportunities and a start at the 2023 / 2024 Roadmap (see Chandler.jpg).  Additionally, I sat on the Charlotte offsite via video this week were Product Leadership along with Technology Leadership discussed Payment Transformation, Industry Standards and other hot topics.  

Optimism

“There is good in us, and it does good for us,” says Jamil Zaki

Found another podcast #HelloMondayPodcast and this past Monday (1/30), podcaster Jessi Hempel interviewed Professor Jamil Zaki, a researcher running the Stanford Social Neuroscience Lab who has spent 15+ years studying humans and how they interact. 

Albeit sometimes dry, the underlying message in the podcast was about trust, how the words we speak to ourselves matter, embracing curiosity, and how we can be optimistic even though the news is often bleak (and lately the nightly news in the US has been).  

The #HelloMondayPodcasts or this week, Choosing Optimism with Jamil Zaki, covered:

1. What humans need to learn to trust each other again

2. Rethinking optimism as a muscle that needs to be strengthened

3. How storytelling supports individuals embracing the collective vision for the future

4. Why optimism is merited right now

Click on the Choosing Optimism with Jamil Zaki link to hear the podcast.  Let me know if anything resonates with you.   I know that I am all in for strengthening my optimism muscle in 2023.

Happy Thursday all,

-srt

Fostering Inclusiveness

Happy Thursday!

Filling out my January planner and wall calendar, I noticed many, many holidays in the next two weeks.  As I dug in and read more about each, I found myself intrigued reading more about each.  For example:

January 17 – Martin Luther King, Jr. Day - A federal holiday in the United States honoring the achievements of Martin Luther King, Jr. - the chief spokesman for nonviolent activism in the civil rights movement to end racial segregation. It is observed on the third Monday of January each year, which is close to January 15, King's birthday.  Want to learn more?  Consider taking time to reflect on his legacy on Monday, January 16.  To learn more, check out the WF reflection here.

January 24 – International Day of Education - Without inclusive and equitable quality education and lifelong opportunities for all, countries will not succeed in achieving gender equality and breaking the cycle of poverty that is leaving millions of children, youth, and adults behind.  This holiday celebrates that education is a human right, a public good, and a public responsibility.  Want to learn more?  Check out International Day of Education | UNESCO and consider dedicating time to a local school or to STEM. 

January 26 – Vasant Panchami – Vasant means “spring” and Panchami means “fifth”, which seems totally appropriate to describe the Hindu festival that falls on the fifth day of the Hindu lunar month of Magha that highlights the coming of spring and winter’s end.  This time is considered to be a good time to start new ventures.  Want to learn more?  Wikipedia is a good place to go.   To extend that thinking, contemplate what new ventures excite you that you might want to dive further into.  I am going to take some dedicated time to dig into my learning plan this year with a focus on new growth and opportunities. 

January 27 – International Holocaust Remembrance Day - commemorates the victims of the Holocaust, which resulted in the murder of one-third of the Jewish people, along with countless members of other minorities. The resolution came after a special session was held earlier that year on 24 January to mark the 60th anniversary of the liberation of the Nazi concentration camps and the end of the Holocaust.  While in Israel, I had the opportunity to visit Yad Vashem – The World Holocaust Remembrance Center.  Walking through the Children’s Memorial brought me to tears as I realized the senseless act of violence that occurred.  Want to learn more?  I encourage you to visit https://www.yadvashem.org/remembrance/intl-remembrance-day.html#.Y78FxCG_CIU.mailto as they include different ways to commemorate International Holocaust Remembrance Day. 

Fostering Inclusiveness

Entrepreneur Magazine is reporting that there is a trait demonstrated by leaders and it is the trait that stands above the rest.  Of all the leadership skills, can you guess what it is? 

Validation.  Probably surprised you with that one. 

According to the article, when we feel unheard or unseen, or invalidated, our job satisfaction is not optimal.   Validation is understanding and acknowledging someone’s circumstances and validating what they are going through.  It is about truly listening and understanding where people are coming from, which is crucial for fostering inclusiveness in the workplace.  I personally want the latter in my day-to-day, don’t you?

So, why if this skill is so important and can make a tremendous difference in morale and value, that is often overlooked?

Because we get so busy with the day-to-day that we sometimes forget the human element of slowing down and validating our peers, managers, family, and friends. 

The study shows that when leaders and peers alike take the time to meet, have a one-on-one conversation, and understand what is going on with their lives and what motivates them at work team members happiness grows.  And, we all want a workplace environment that we collectively enjoy. 

It is also recognized that it is also a skill that just doesn’t “happen”.  It requires intentional practice to be someone who consciously and actively validates others.  

Intentional practice includes acknowledging someone’s experience.  Acknowledging their presence, by being fully present when you are with them.  It is showing them you care and they matter, by intentionally listening and hearing them out.  All of these actions make a big difference which translates into feeling value at the workplace, building trust, and laying the foundation for relationships that last lifetimes. 

Challenging myself this year to be even more intentional about validation.  Curious how might you include this skill in your day-to-day, take some time this weekend or next week to think about it.  Always open to a call as well to discuss this as I welcome hearing your ideas on validation. 

Happy Thursday all,

-srt