Failing gracefully

Failing Gracefully

Katie Bradford | @katierbradford

Agenda• What is failure?• Women in information

technology• Imposter syndrome• Iterating on failure• Workshop activity

About Me

What is your definition of failure?

I’m a fraud, and everyone

is about to find out.

When people praise you, you fear you won’t live up to their expectations.

You feel your success is due to luck.

You’re afraid others will discover how little you know.

When you succeed, you have doubts about being able to do it again.

You believe others are more intelligent than you.

If you’re up for a promotion, you don’t tell anyone until it’s a done deal.

You feel you have to work harder than others.

You always have a backup plan ready in case you’re “discovered.”

You seek external validation, yet don’t fully believe it when it comes.

You keep your real life – upbringing, degrees, etc. – secret from peers.

• Focus on providing value.

• Keep a nice file.

• Stop comparing yourself to others.

• Recognize what’s causing your feelings.

• Realize nobody knows what they’re doing.

Iterating on Failure

Conduct early and frequent experiments to test parts of the idea.

Reflect on what you learned from the iteration and determine how to integrate the learning into the next iteration.

Let others in your network know you are iterating because they will be a good source of information and feedback.

Employ customers in early iterations and experiments. They really enjoy being involved in cutting-edge stuff.

Don’t use the “failure” word. It’s simply depressing and not important.

Failure Toss

Questions?Email: katie@instructure.com

Twitter: @katierbradford

Slideshare:

References• http://www.michaelgregoryii.com/2015/03/5-

ways-to-deal-with-failure/• http://www.forbes.com/sites/babson/2013/01

/28/entrepreneurs-reframe-failure-as-intentional-iteration/#471cd1a53457

• http://oncourseworkshop.com/life-long-learning/failure-toss/

• http://www.womenwhotech.com/womenintechinfographic

• https://www.ncwit.org/resources/numbers• https://www.cnet.com/news/women-in-tech-t

he-numbers-dont-add-up/• http://startupbros.com/21-ways-overcome-i

mpostor-syndrome/

• http://www.business2community.com/human-resources/10-signs-suffer-impostor-syndrome-work-0615400#ZggcXyG1khM9kbdv.97