Tech Community Building

Technical leadership isn’t about knowing everything. It’s about creating a framework where the right answers can emerge. 1 / The best leaders don’t rush to provide solutions. Instead, they frame the problem so the team can see it clearly and then step back. Leadership isn’t about showing what you know — it’s about empowering others to think. 2 / In technical fields, complexity is the enemy of progress. Great leaders aren’t adding layers; they’re stripping them away. They know that simplicity and clarity are often harder to achieve but lead to solutions that last. 3 / And the strongest leaders don’t seek followers; they build thinkers. A team that only executes orders will eventually stall. A team that questions, explores, and challenges assumptions will find breakthroughs you can’t plan for. True technical leadership isn’t about controlling every detail — it’s about fostering an environment where innovation thrives. Thoughts??

Is your leadership's management philosophy stuck in the 1960s? Let's redefine it: Leadership by Being Engaged. The concept of "management by walking around" came from Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard (HP founders) in the 1960s, popularized by Tom Peters in 1982, and gets used today to describe what's missing in #remote work. "The expected benefit: by random sampling of events or employee discussions, managers are more likely to facilitate improvements to the morale, sense of purpose, productivity and and quality... compared to remaining in a specific office area, or the delivery of status reports." The literal concept doesn't work if your managers have people who are working in multiple locations, now the majority case. 60 to 80% of all "enterprise" company managers now have #distributed teams. 100% of Fortune 500 Execs have teams that are #distributed today, according to Atlassian (kudos Molly Sands, PhD). #RTO mandates rooted in this philosophy are trying to return to a world that no longer exists. Leaders need a both/and approach. Get employees together to jump-start #belonging, and build better #culture and #performance by being involved in the digital #collaboration tools that your teams use every day. Let's redefine a philosophy rooted in co-location into one for the #digital age. Four starting points for leaders looking to get digitally engaged: 🔸 Increase transparency. Internal transparency around clear goals and realistic progress against them drives focus on outcomes, and builds trust. 🔸 Get engaged in the work. Execs need to stop saying "Teams/Slack etc are for the kids; you'll find me in email" and get into the tools people use every day to work through account issues, project updates, and problem solving. 🔸 Participate in digital communities. Social forums at work build belonging. That cuts across everything from an Abilities ERG to Sneakerheads. Finding community at work boosts retention; even leaders need to find that. 🔸 Get a reverse mentor. Being available and engaged digitally can feel foreign as a leader, and initially scary to a team. Find a digital native in your organization who can coach you! What's your take? Retire the phrase, or revive an important concept?

Should Startup Founders Prioritize Building an Online Community? This past week at the Uniting The Prairies in Saskatoon, you could directly see and feel the power of community in the startup ecosystem. Speaking to a room full of innovators about engaging remote groups, I shared why and how startups should prioritize building an online community of users, buyers, or members. Why Build an Online Community? 1️⃣ Sustainable Growth: As demonstrated by brands like the LEGO Group during their turnaround phase, engaging with a community can drive long-term loyalty and innovative ideas that are crucial for sustainable growth. 2️⃣ Immediate Feedback: Direct interaction with your community allows for immediate and actionable feedback, essential for iterative development. 3️⃣ Brand Advocacy: Engaged community members become brand advocates, organically increasing your reach and credibility. How Can Startups Approach This? ✅ Start with Clear Objectives: Define what you want to achieve with your community (support, feedback, advocacy). ✅ Engage on the Right Platforms: Choose platforms where your audience is already active and engaged. ✅ Foster Genuine Connections: Create opportunities for real engagement. Use tools like Slack for ongoing communication and Zoom events for deeper, face-to-face interactions (amongst many other options). ✅ Provide Value Consistently: Whether through insider information, direct support, or engaging content, ensure that being part of your community is beneficial. For any startup founder questioning the investment in community building, remember: the value lies not just in the immediate returns but in the enduring relationships and trust you build, which can pivotally support your startup’s journey. I hope my talk last week, literally pointing out these potentials (see image attached ha), helped show a path to startup success in today's digital age through vibrant, engaged online communities. I’d love to hear from you: How are you leveraging community for your startup or remote group? What challenges and successes have you encountered? #StartupCommunity #Community #TechStartups #UnitingThePrairies Co.Labs #CanadianStartUps #UP24 Prairies Economic Development Canada I Développement économique Canada pour les Prairies

I know I say this often but technology is no longer a separate sphere that sits alongside our lives, it has become the backbone of how we live, how we learn, how we work and how we connect with one another. Every career path, every opportunity for growth and every interaction with society is now touched by a digital layer that cannot be ignored (or if you attempt to ignore it, it will find you eventually). Yet millions of people remain excluded from this reality because they lack digital literacy. This absence is not just a matter of missing skills, it is a fundamental rights issue. When individuals cannot navigate the digital world with confidence, they are shut out of opportunities to progress, unable to properly protect their own data and left with little or no voice in shaping the very technologies that increasingly govern their futures. The future of work will only amplify this divide. Artificial intelligence, automation and global collaboration are already transforming entire industries at a pace that few of us can fully grasp. Those who have digital fluency will be able to adapt, retrain and thrive but those who do not will find themselves excluded from the jobs, the networks and the influence that will define the decades ahead. If we are serious about preparing for the future of work, we must start treating digital literacy as we once treated reading and writing. It should not be viewed as an optional advantage but something that everyone deserves access to. It is the foundation upon which lifelong learning, career resilience and meaningful participation in society must be built. However this cannot be the responsibility of a single sector; schools cannot do it alone, businesses cannot simply outsource it and governments cannot legislate it into existence without collaboration. Building digital confidence for all requires a collective commitment, where every organisation, every leader and every community recognises the role they play in creating inclusive and accessible spaces for digital learning. The future of work cannot be designed for a select few who happen to be digitally fluent, it must be accessible to the many, grounded in the principle that opportunity in the digital age is not a privilege but a right.

A year in the making… THE REPORT IS LIVE! Building inclusive work cultures for disabled employees to drive innovation… you can download my Churchill Fellowship report at the link below. (I am also working on creating different versions, including a printed report in standard and large print- bear with me while I make this happen!) This report has been a labour or love, and one I am excited to share to support businesses and policy makers to drive change. I travelled to North America and around Europe visiting: ✈️ Washington DC to talk all about inclusive AI at MEnabling conference. 🚌 Ithaca, New York State to talk to Cornell University about inclusive HR and employment research. 🚌 New York City to chat with disabled founders, Heads of Accessibility and People Teams. ✈️Austria to learn about Zero Project and meet global change makers in disability equity. 🚆The Netherlands to shadow the awesome Accessibility team at ING bank. 🚆And Paris to look at the global difference within the same organisation, country to country. The report has culminated in four key themes, presenting the latest thought leadership on 💡Reasonable adjustments 💡Senior leadership and Employee Network Groups 💡Global accessibility policy creation and implementation 💡AI and HR technology As we await the Autumn budget from our new Labour Government, we are expecting to hear more about the governments mission to get more disabled people into employment. It’s important to recognise the social and business culture barriers that prevent many disabled people from being employed, or even setting up their own company. Many of the recommendations talk about wider social changes, and access to information, services and support that would benefit a wider range of people. I’m looking forward to talking more about the findings, and would welcome opportunities to share this research with wider networks and organisations- please do reach out if this is of interest to you! Thank you to everyone who got involved in this research, whether you were interviewed, facilitated conversations, hosted me or suggested the best place to get coffee- the support and love from the wider business and disabled community was hugely appreciated. This is only the start! https://lnkd.in/ehNBPPrD

🍒 Here's how we helped a healthy food brand transform their social media in 3 months by using 4 steps: When our new client approached us at The Z Link, they were struggling with: 🌀 Low engagement on their Instagram despite consistent content 🌀 Consistently getting less than 1000 views on TikTok 🌀 Minimal conversions from their social posts 🌀 Frustration with paid ads that weren’t delivering an ROI Their team was disappointed, seeing their efforts fall flat, and doubting whether social media was the right channel for their brand to be on at all. When we started working together, we focused on redefining their strategy from the start. Here are the 4 steps we took to turn things around: 🎨 Content revamp: We developed a new creative approach that showcased the brand’s appeal to audiences interested in health and wellness, while focusing a lot on founder-led storytelling that showcased the humanity behind the brand. 🤝 Community engagement: We implemented tactics to foster a genuine connection with their audience, proactively engaging with them and including them in the brand's story by purposely creating content that started conversations. 📱 Influencer partnerships: We identified micro-influencers who aligned with their brand, and started strategic short and long-term collaborations that boosted their reach and credibility. 📈 Analytics-driven adjustments: We believe in consistently analyzing what's working, experimenting and adapting, to optimize every post and campaign for maximum impact. Now, they're seeing a 60% monthly increase in engagement on Instagram, their community is growing consistently, and TikTok is getting them new customers through word of mouth thanks to creators and organic content. I'm doing this little deep dive today because I want to highlight that this could be your brand too. 👀 I’m looking for 3 more brands who want to refresh and improve their social media presence and start turning engagement into sales. DM me "social strategy" and I'll send over some details!! 💙👩🏻💻

Since 2017, I have been part of different communities and also managing my own. In Lebanon, I co-led a community of developers and tech professionals that started as a Meta-affiliated group, grew to more than 7000 members, and later continued under the name TechCircle. Across this journey, we organized more than 56 activities — from the first Facebook Tech Week in Lebanon to TechCrunch MENA, international hackathons, masterclasses, panels, and tech talks. I am often approached by people who want to start their own communities, seeking advice from almost a decade of experience in the space. Here are my two cents: 🔹 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗲𝗽𝗹𝘆. Communities thrive when there are no hidden agendas. If you genuinely care, the process becomes rewarding in itself and members feel that authenticity. 🔹𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽. I co-led this community with Salah Awad, my husband, and we treated it as an equal partnership. We split responsibilities based on our strengths and complemented one another’s skills, which allowed us to sustain the effort over years. Beyond the practical side, it also helped challenge stereotypes around women in tech. Having a visible woman leader, supported by her partner, created space for more women to join. By 2019, 37% of our members were women. 🔹𝗘𝗮𝗿𝗻 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁. Leaders need credibility to set rules, foster respectful communication, and build meaningful partnerships. Members should see you as mentors, at least in some areas, to trust the direction you set. 🔹𝗕𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲. For a community to stay alive, every member should feel valued and part of the journey. This went beyond participation — we aimed for inclusivity when shaping the roadmap of activities themselves. By listening to different needs and making sure the activities reflected the diversity of the community, members could engage in ways that mattered to them and feel that their contribution truly counted. 🔹𝗘𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴. Some of the most powerful outcomes came from simple networking. Many members found opportunities, collaborations, and lasting connections by meeting peers who shared their interests. Community leadership is demanding, but when guided by care, inclusiveness, and credibility, it becomes one of the most rewarding ways to create real impact. #community #impact #tech #technology

Too often, events and congresses are treated as standalone activations, disconnected from the larger engagement ecosystem. But in reality, they should be an integral part of a broader, data-driven engagement strategy, seamlessly integrated into systems like Veeva Systems, Salesforce, and omnichannel CRMs. How, you may ask: • If an HCP asks a specific question during a congress panel, that data should trigger tailored content recommendations in the CRM, instead of a generic post-event email. • Ensure that digestible short-form key learnings from live sessions flow into on-demand content libraries, allowing non-attendees to engage later. • A Veeva-integrated chatbot could automatically send relevant whitepapers, webinars, or advisory board invites based on what an HCP engaged with at the event. • A Salesforce-powered HCP journey map could ensure that a congress attendee automatically receives digital touchpoints (e.g., follow-up emails, LinkedIn discussions, or small-group webinars) aligned with their specific interests. • A company using Veeva Vault CRM (or other CRMs) + Events Management + Salesforce Einstein AI (or Copilot) can dynamically adjust post-event outreach strategy based on how an HCP interacted with content at the congress. • Sprinklr + Salesforce CDP for social listening enables Digital Opinion Leaders (DOL) Activation by tracking and analyzing post-event conversations across various social and digital platforms. The key takeaway is that events and congresses should be fully integrated within the CRM, digital engagement, and omnichannel ecosystem—ensuring that every interaction contributes to a seamless, long-term engagement strategy rather than just a single event touchpoint. Check the full episode with Pierre Metrailler at Onomi / SpotMe on demand: https://lnkd.in/dwg7BYiu And if you want to learn more about our expertise at The Palindromic across "Next-Gen CX Strategy" and "Expert Engagement & HCP360 Enablement" - drop me a note at claude.w@thepalindromic.com

🧠 Is Your Workplace Designed for Everyone—Or Just the Majority? 👀 Imagine this: A brilliant new hire is ready to contribute—but the tools, meetings, and environment weren’t built with their needs in mind. They’re not underperforming. They’re under-accommodated. ➡️ And this is exactly where universal design comes in. 💡Universal design is not about making special exceptions. It’s about building inclusion into the very foundation of your workplace. When we design with everyone in mind from the start, regardless of ability, background, or communication style, we don’t just accommodate; we empower. This approach transforms workplaces from reactive to proactive, from surface-level compliance to deep systemic inclusion. And here’s the truth many leaders are realizing: 👉 👉 True inclusion isn’t about making room—it’s about designing a workplace where no one is ever left out to begin with. 🛠️ Below are 5 ways to start embedding universal design into your organization: ✅ Audit accessibility – Regularly evaluate your digital tools, websites, and physical workspaces. ✅ Invest in inclusive technology – Use platforms that work seamlessly with screen readers, voice input, and other assistive tools. ✅ Diversify communication – Incorporate alt-text, audio descriptions, and transcripts; avoid relying solely on visuals. ✅ Train your teams – Equip staff and leaders with practical tools and mindsets that promote inclusion. ✅ Institutionalize it – Update hiring practices, performance reviews, and promotion paths to reflect inclusive values. 🧠 These changes don’t just benefit one group—they improve the experience for everyone—and that is the brilliance of universal design. 🏆 The Payoff: Equity that drives engagement and innovation. Organizations that embrace universal design consistently see: ✔️ Higher employee satisfaction ✔️ Better team collaboration ✔️ Greater innovation (because diverse perspectives are heard and valued) ✔️ Lower turnover and higher retention 🔥 The hidden cost of exclusion isn’t just about morale—it’s about missed potential, lost innovation, and the quiet departure of voices we never truly heard. When systems, tools, and environments aren’t built with inclusion in mind, we don’t just create inconvenience—we create barriers. And those barriers silently push away the very talent we say we want to attract and retain. Universal design flips that script. It ensures that everyone, not just the majority, can participate, contribute, and thrive from day one. 🎓 Ready to Take Action? Start With Our Signature Workshop “Working with Diverse Physical and Mental Ability.” 📩 Message me to learn how we can bring this powerful session to your team. #UniversalDesign #InclusiveWorkplaces #ChampionDiverseVoices #Neurodiversity #BelongingByDesign #AccessibilityMatters

I am researching, discussing and working a lot with inclusive workplace culture in tech, but have you ever thought about tech inclusive workplace culture? 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐡? An inclusive workplace culture in tech refers to an environment where different perspectives, experiences, backgrounds, and skills are equally valued and leveraged to build technology that is made by all for all. It is about creating spaces where every team member feels seen, heard, and empowered to contribute. 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐝𝐨 𝐈 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐛𝐲 𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐡-𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞? A tech-inclusive workplace culture goes one step further. It is a culture where technology, particularly AI and emerging tools, is seamlessly integrated as a collaborative partner rather than a replacement. Here, we view AI and other technologies as contributors to our team's collective success, not just enablers or tools we use passively. 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫? When employees don't feel threatened or excluded by technology, magic happens: 🧷 𝘗𝘴𝘺𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘴𝘢𝘧𝘦𝘵𝘺 𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦𝘴 - Team members embrace learning and experimentation 💡 𝘐𝘯𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘴 - The synergy between human creativity and technological capability drives breakthrough solutions 🧠 𝘚𝘬𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘴 𝘮𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘪𝘱𝘭𝘺 - Employees develop both technical fluency and uniquely human competencies that complement AI 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐩𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐚 𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡-𝐈𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐂𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞: 1️⃣ 𝘋𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘤𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘻𝘦 𝘈𝘐 𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘺 - Provide accessible training that helps every team member understand and interact with AI tools, regardless of their role 2️⃣ 𝘙𝘦𝘧𝘳𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘦𝘤𝘩𝘯𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘺 𝘢𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 - Position AI and emerging tech as thought partners that amplify human potential 3️⃣ 𝘊𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘤𝘰-𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘴 - Provide opportunities, such as internal hackathons, where humans and technology work together I believe that true equality in tech means building environments where both human diversity and technological work hand in hand. After all, technology built by everyone, for everyone, requires cultures that embrace both. How are you preparing your teams for this collaborative future? ***** 🔄 𝑹𝒆𝒔𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒆 if you believe in building tech cultures where everyone thrives 🔔 𝑭𝒐𝒍𝒍𝒐𝒘 me if you want to learn more about creating inclusive environments where diversity and technology work hand in hand 📩 𝑪𝒐𝒏𝒏𝒆𝒄𝒕 with me if you want to explore how cultural diversity and tech inclusion can transform your organization As a diversity, equity & inclusion expert in tech, I help teams and companies navigate the intersection of human potential and technological advancement. #TechInclusive #DiversityInTech #AICollaboration #InclusiveCulture #FutureOfWork Picture: Sculpture at the Haslla Art World in South Korea