Diversity in the technical workforce is a valuable asset for all companies, because it encourages different types of thinking and taps into the full potential of your team. Come learn from one AWS organization how a fast-moving, fast-growing team has put in place a "diversity circle" for personal and professional development. This program provides a peer mentoring group that builds skills and establishes informal networking support. The host and active participants of this two-year program will share tips and best practices for running a diversity peer mentoring group that spans engineering, product management, and operations.

1. Women in Technology: Supporting Diversity
in a Technical Workplace
August 11, 2016
Laura Grit, Sr. Principal Technologist, AWS
Sarah Zamith, Software Development Manager, AWS
Neha Shetty, Software Development Engineer, AWS

2. Why is diversity important?

3. Amazon retail flywheel
Growth
Customer
Experience
Sellers
Traffic
Selection

4. AWS: unleashing untapped potential
Growth of
AWS
Innovators
Career development
for innovators
Role models attract
more innovators
Innovation
leaders

5. What is a
Diversity Circle?

6. Circle structure
Circle members – employees at relatively the same stages
in their career (or other commonalities)
Sponsor – senior employee typically 1-2 levels above circle
members

7. Circle membership
Common
• All women
• All part of the same organization
Diverse
• Diverse levels of experience
• Diverse roles: managers, product managers, software
engineers, systems engineers
• Diverse cultural backgrounds

8. Circle member responsibilities
Circles are member-led
• Schedule meetings
• Define agenda
• Lead discussions
• Plan activities

9. Sponsor responsibilities
Create environment where people are comfortable
expressing thoughts, sharing experiences, and asking
questions

10. Creating trust in the circle
Create a safe environment for learning
Develop strong relationships among members

11. Facilitating the circle
Hold regular meetings

12. Facilitating the circle
Hold regular meetings
Leverage existing resources

13. Facilitating the circle
Hold regular meetings
Leverage existing resources
Establish circle members as leaders

14. Facilitating the circle
Hold regular meetings
Leverage existing resources
Establish circle members as leaders
Provide feedback, encouragement

15. Circle Sponsor Perspective

16. Launching a circle
Determine your motivation
Identify sponsor & members
Allocate time for members

17. Learnings: Circle structure development
Stay connected
Adjust circle formula to meet the needs of your circle
Allocate a budget
Make time for retrospectives

18. Learnings: Circle member development
Advocate for each other
Develop circle members as leaders
Limit the size of the circle
Continue other types of mentoring and development

19. Learnings: Circle sponsor development
Build relationships
Accelerate the virtuous cycle of growth
Fuel passion for myself and others

20. Have fun!
Get members out of normal work environment
• Blackberry picking
• Happy hour
• Lunches
• Pottery painting
• Hiking

21. Circle Member Experiences and
Learnings

22. Types of meetings
Inspiration
Knowledge
Practice
Retrospective

23. Inspiration
Learning from experiences

24. Practice
Example:
Design reviews
What we did:
Technical presentation practice

25. Knowledge
Technical and
career development

26. Personal learning: Communication strategies
Communication changes impact perceptions
Remove lessing language
• Just
• Sorry
• Try

27. Retrospective
Reflect back
Brainstorm topics for future sessions

28. Personal learning: Gaining confidence
Previously
• Limited participation in meetings
• Being a follower instead of leader

29. Personal learning: Gaining confidence
Currently
• Organizing circle sessions
• More involved with hiring
• Mentoring
• Host for Amazon S3 tech talks

30. Measuring success
Career path
Growing influence

31. Start your own circle

32. Remember to complete
your evaluations!

33. Thank you!