Resource: LCE13 Name: Leslie Hawthorn - Keynote at LCE13 Date: 10-07-2013 Speaker: Leslie Hawthorn Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9kuThWA82Y

1. Cultivating Community
Best Practices for
Overcoming Challenges to Collaboration
Leslie Hawthorn
Red Hat
@lhawthorn

2. The Human Element in Development
Why Focus on Collaboration and Community?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/epsos/5444678656/

3. The Valueof Open
http://www.flickr.com/photos/redhatmagazine/4727896383/
http://www.zdnet.com/red-hat-ceo-whitehurst-on-innovation-openstack-hadoop-7000015292/
“Open source is
how innovation
is happening.”
– Jim Whitehurst
CEO, Red Hat

4. Rules of Engagement
We have many rules and
guidelines for sharing code.
We do not have rules or well
defined processes for our
interpersonal interactions.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/cogdog/5910598311/

5. The Challenge of Innovation
http://www.flickr.com/photos/leoplus/2744390812/
Creating consensus within a global team,
despite numerous logistical barriers

6. Mitigating Difficulties
Solutions for a Few Common Problems – Non-Native English Speakers
●
People are shy communicating in their non-native language
●
Avoid the use of idiom unless you explain the reference
http://www.flickr.com/photos/wfryer/4773103417/

7. ●
Contact submitter before providing review
●
Offer help first, criticism second!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/82072056@N00/2611293086/
Mitigating Difficulties
Solutions for a Few Common Problems – Contributor Embarrassment

8. ●
These people are
often your “rock stars”
●
Understand
escalation path for
communication
●
It is OK to walk away
Mitigating Difficulties
Solutions for The Most Common of Problems – Difficult People

9. R
●
Harvard Law School Project on Negotiation
●
Extensive use in a variety of difficult situations,
including Middle East Peace Process
●
We don’t realize how many of our
conversations are negotiations
Source: Harvard Negotiation Project Website
Mitigating Difficulties
Creating Consensus Using Negotiation Theory

10. Negotiation Theory Basics
Interests vs. Positions
Focusing on positions
instead of interests...
precludes finding
optimal solutions
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jonnygoldstein/4564003386

11. http://www.flickr.com/photos/acme/2800661776/
“There is no one right
way to do things.”
– Larry Wall
Creator of Perl

12. What About Those ‘Difficult’ People?
●
Be polite
●
Be clear about
your goals
●
Be professional in
your communication
●
It is OK to walk away

13. Smoothing the Waters
Tips for Recovering from Difficult Conversations
Randy Pausch Memorial Fence, Carnegie Mellon Silicon Valley Campus
http://www.flickr.com/photos/85059137@N00/2710097713/

14. Thank you
for your attention
Leslie Hawthorn
Linaro Connect Europe 2013
@lhawthorn
slideshare.net/lhawthorn

15. Further Resources
●
Project on Negotiation at Harvard Law School:
http://bit.ly/HarvardNegotiation
●
David Eaves on Negotiation Theory in Open
Source Projects:
http://eaves.ca/tag/open-source/
●
Center for Non-Violent Communication:
http://www.cnvc.org/
●
Randy Pausch’s Last Lecture:
http://www.cmu.edu/randyslecture/

16. Appendix – Additional Slides

17. Creating Consensus
The Power of Empathy
Transparency is
required for open
source approaches
and methodologies
to work.
Transparency creates
empathy.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/quinnanya/8043812614/

18. Understanding Cultural Norms
Empathy Helps Us to “Meet People Where They Are”
We can’t talk
to anyone!
Don’t drop software
on us and run away!
No one notices us!
My patch was rejected;
I should not participate
in open source.

19. Focusing on Interests
Achieving Consensus and Setting Goals Collaboratively
Understanding our
colleagues’ needs
allows for more
rapidly achieving
consensus and invites
collaborative goal
setting