Biweeklynotes: S2 Ep5

Three things that went well:

• I ran a workshop that’s been on my to-do list since I started, and it was really helpful.
• I compiled and shared some important research findings (delivering value feels good.)
• I spent quite a lot of time having long conversations with a colleague I work closely with, about design things and non design things. After a year of working totally remotely, not seeing anyone and not making deep connections, these talks have made such an impact and really filled my cup.

Three things that challenged me:

• This week, I’ve been wishing I was better at facilitation: both teasing out the discussion, and being able to steer the conversation when it gets off track.
• I was told something I did this week was “bold” and I got the initial impression that it was not meant in a good way. It’s all fine and just a miscommunication, but it’s prompted me to think about boldness as an attribute and reminisce about the “BE BOLD” days at GDS (Man, I wish I had one of those stickers still!)
• Parenting has felt like more of a challenge than normal lately. I’ve been less than patient with my kids at some (many) points recently. The mom guilt I feel over this is real.

Three things that inspired me:

• This tweet from my colleague Heather about teams and trust gave me a lot to think about. I’ve been in teams before that felt false, where I didn’t feel trust and wasn’t sure I was valued, yet the team portrayed itself outwardly as happy and healthy and inclusive and and I spent so much time thinking that I didn’t fit in for seeing things differently. This is an important and candid reminder that building strong teams takes time and work and honesty.
• This article format of a talk from Cassie Robinson at last year’s SD was recently shared again on twitter, and I’m glad I found it — it’s so lovely and thoughtful and makes me really bummed I wasn’t there to see the actual talk.
• This thread on imposter syndrome from a former colleague of mine really challenged how I think about my own imposter syndrome, and the role the organizations and teams I worked with/for have contributed to it.

Reading, watching+ listening

• I finally read Pachinko, by Min Jin Lee, a book that’s been on my “to read” list for actual years. It was excellent.
• I generally find sports and mainstream American television annoying (and a combo of the two even more so,) so I was skeptical about Ted Lasso but actually I loved it and blasted through all the episodes this week.
• Having recently discovered On Being podcast, I’ve been making up for lost time by catching up on many of the old episodes. This one on love was so good I listened to it twice in a row.