Tech Community Building

#Diversity in high-tech fields remains critically low. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) recently reported that #Black and #Latino professionals are underrepresented in high-tech roles, especially in leadership. These numbers highlight ongoing structural barriers in hiring, promotion and retention. This gap is a missed opportunity to tap into a wealth of diverse talent and perspectives essential to the future of tech. However, addressing and thoroughly fixing these challenges will require time, consistent effort and a long-term commitment to systemic change. Companies can support the progression of representation in tech by investing in training, mentorship and internship opportunities that open doors for people who were historically shut out. Programs like internXL, a platform that is committed to increasing diversity and inclusion in the internship hiring process for top companies, are making a significant impact. Similarly, the expansion of STEM education at institutions like Cornell University is helping to connect talented young people from underrepresented communities with opportunities for high-tech careers. When we work together to remove these barriers, we’re fostering a more inclusive workforce and strengthening innovation, problem-solving and leadership in the industry. Let’s build a tech future that reflects the diversity of our society. https://bit.ly/3UNtOCh

A Simple, 7-Step Networking Strategy (Anyone Can Use!): 1. Networking, How Do You Even Start? Of all the job search challenges, networking can be the toughest. What do you say to a total stranger that will get them to reply? And how do you keep the conversation going after? I developed the “Advice Triangle Strategy” to help solve for each of those things. Here’s how it works: 2. Find A Contact A Few Steps Ahead Identify someone you want to network with who is a few steps ahead of you on the journey. “A few steps” can mean anything from:  - Has successfully made a transition you’re trying to make  - Is working in a job you aspire to work in  - Has more expertise / experience in a skill than you do 3. Reach Out And Ask For Advice With 2 Options Reach out to them using the following framework:  - Mention finding their info on LinkedIn  - Position them as an expert (call out experience, etc)  - Share your goals for leveling up  - Ask them if you should take “Action A” or “Action B” 4. Example Advice Triangle Message “Hey Austin, I came across your profile while I was looking for people who transitioned from healthcare to tech. Your experience going from medical devices to Microsoft really stood out to me. I’m looking to make a similar switch and am building my skills in tech sales. If you don’t mind me asking, would you recommend: A) Taking Hubspot’s digital sales course B) Getting certified in Salesforce” I know you’re busy so simply replying with A or B would be immensely helpful! 5. Take Action And Report Back When someone replies with a recommended action? Go take that action! When you’re done, follow up with them letting them know:  - You appreciated their advice  - You took action on it  - You learned X, Y, and Z Then Ask For More Advice! 6. Continue To Repeat The Cycle Now you’ve created a cycle where you always know the next step: - Ask For Advice - Take Action On The Advice - Report Back And Ask For More Advice Why does this work so well? 7. Why This Works So Well This strategy is crazy effective for several reasons:  - Offering two options makes it easy to reply to  - It positions you as someone who is worth investing in  - You’re actively skill building while you network  - You always have the door open for the next step in progressing the relationship Happy networking!

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?

We’ve all seen how quickly a single moment on social media can spiral. One tone-deaf comment, one AI-generated response that misses the mark, or just a slow internal handoff and suddenly, your brand is trending for all the wrong reasons. When I started building our AI-First Mindset™ transformation program, I knew we couldn’t just focus on opportunity. We also had to prepare leaders for risk and that includes public-facing crises fueled by speed and automation. That’s why I developed a new module focused on building a social media crisis management plan designed for today’s AI-powered workplace. We cover the essentials: • How to build a clear, flexible crisis communication plan • The best crisis management tools to monitor and respond in real time • How to define team roles across marketing, legal, leadership and tech • And how to account for AI-powered systems that can escalate issues if not handled properly In a world where content and backlash move at machine speed, your people need clarity. That starts with a plan that’s actually usable and practiced before the pressure hits. This isn’t about fear. It’s about preparation. AI adoption comes with incredible potential, but it also changes how we manage trust. A good crisis response needs to e part of your broader AI change management strategy. If your team is using AI but hasn’t revisited your crisis plan, now’s the time. Stay tuned for practical guidance on creating crisis plans that perform under pressure. #DigitalCrisisStrategy #CrisisCommunication #CrisisResponse #DigitalCrisis #SocialMediaCrisis

I'm tired of hearing PR = traditional media. Most agencies are getting it wrong too. 🙃 It isn’t… The NY Times The WSJ  <Insert any other big-name publication> people get excited about Even if you land in a top-tier publication, chances are people will read about it like you are right now - on their LinkedIn feed - rather than the actual media platform where it was published. These traditional platforms may provide varying degrees of credibility, but they don't provide distribution. Today, EVERYTHING is media. Here’s what that might look like: Targeted Content: - Niche Podcasts: Identify the specific podcast your ideal CIO (Chief Information Officer),  CMO (Chief Marketing Officer), or whoever listens to based on their industry and interests. These podcasts are GOLD for moving prospects from awareness to consideration. - Curated Newsletters: Seek out targeted Substack newsletters relevant to your niche, not just "gems." Think "Bankless" for crypto enthusiasts or "The Information" for tech insiders. - Engaging Collaborations: Partner with influencers who genuinely understand your audience and know how to engage them on platforms like Instagram Live. Look for influencers who spark conversations and promote meaningful interactions. - LinkedIn Fireside Chats: Host live-streamed chats with industry leaders and your CEO, and top clients. This adds credibility and attracts a wider audience. - Leveraging Trends: Create TikTok accounts or tie into those that creatively engage with relevant trends and topics specific to your industry. Interactive & Community-Driven: - Virtual Conferences: Participate in or host virtual conferences that attract your target audience, offering valuable content and networking opportunities. - Twitch Streams: Consider live-streaming on Twitch for real-time interaction, especially if your target market is tech-savvy or in the gaming industry. - Reddit AMAs: Host Reddit AMAs (Ask Me Anything) on relevant subreddits to directly engage with your audience and answer their questions in an informal setting. - Pinterest Boards: Create curated Pinterest boards around themes your target market actively searches for, showcasing your brand's expertise and visual appeal. Content with Reach & Impact: - YouTube Channels: These channels have content optimized for search, and one interview alone can drive targeted traffic. - Data-Driven Insights: Prioritize creating content backed by data and industry insights that your target market craves, like reports, white papers, or infographics. Remember: If you aren't seeing the results you want with PR, it's almost ALWAYS one of two things. Either your definition of media is too narrow (and hence, strategies are outdated and underperforming), and/or you don't have a distribution plan to go with it. #pr #publicrelations #strategiccommunications #marketing #tech #b2b

The UK tech sector employs over 1.8M people, contributing billions to the economy and driving innovation. Yet, beneath the surface, we're facing a diversity crisis. Women currently make up just 21% of tech teams, with only 5% in leadership positions. Alarmingly, 1/3 of women in tech are considering leaving their roles due to limited career progression and an unsupportive work culture. This attrition isn't due to a lack of talent, but structural barriers and cultural biases that remain deeply embedded. Ethnic minorities face a similarly tough landscape, with representation dropping significantly at senior levels. We have to move beyond viewing diversity as a box-ticking exercise. Genuine inclusion means dismantling biases, embedding transparency, and holding ourselves accountable. For a truly equitable future, we must: • Create inclusive cultures with psychological safety • Ensure flexible work environments • Implement structured career progression and mentoring • Foster authentic role models • Hold leadership accountable with clear ED&I metrics I’ve been running businesses for 25+ years, and this has proved to be an indisputable fact: Diverse teams are more innovative, resilient, and powerful. The future of UK tech relies on making the tech ecosystem more diverse - so let's commit to making it happen. 📷 - quote by Grace Hopper, graphic by Words of Women

In a CULTURE of continuous feedback, people aren’t just "allowed" to give feedback; they’re actively encouraged to. It's where feedback isn’t reserved for formal reviews or the occasional meeting; it’s a natural part of daily work. A true CULTURE of continuous feedback means that: ✳️ People share ideas freely, knowing their thoughts are valued. ✳️ Teams regularly check in to discuss what’s going well and where things might need adjustment. ✳️ Leaders and managers seek feedback as much as they give it, showing that everyone’s input matters. ✳️ Constructive criticism is welcomed, and people see it as an opportunity to make things better, not as a judgment on them. If this all sounds very different to your existing culture- here's a few things you can try: ✔️ Set up Regular Check-Ins (Daily huddles, 1:1 coaching sessions and weekly meetings provide the necessary space for people to share their ideas, address challenges, and offer suggestions for improvement. ✔️ Create Feedback Channels: While direct feedback is a sign of a healthy feedback culture, there will always be people who don't like to speak up about how they feel so give people multiple ways to share feedback e.g. through suggestion boxes (physical or digital) or anonymous surveys. ✔️ Lead by Example: Simple- Ask for feedback on your own performance or decisions. If you struggle with this, you need a coach!! ✔️ Encourage Real-Time Feedback: Encourage people to give feedback in the moment rather than waiting for formal reviews or structured meetings. If someone spots an improvement opportunity during a task, they should feel free to speak up right then. ✔️ Recognize and Act on Feedback: Feedback culture only works if people see that their input leads to real change. Yesterday, we talked about recognizing the real experts—the people who do the work. In a feedback culture, this means actively listening to those insights and implementing changes based on what people who carry out the process are seeing and experiencing. They know better than anyone how things really work and where the bottlenecks lie. 💡 This culture isn't built overnight but it's entirely possible to build over time, once leaders are open to their own development and willing to make changes in their own behaviours first! #feedback #feedbackculture #leadership #continuousimprovement #lean #leanmanagement

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

Getting the right feedback will transform your job as a PM. More scalability, better user engagement, and growth. But most PMs don’t know how to do it right. Here’s the Feedback Engine I’ve used to ship highly engaging products at unicorns & large organizations: — Right feedback can literally transform your product and company. At Apollo, we launched a contact enrichment feature. Feedback showed users loved its accuracy, but... They needed bulk processing. We shipped it and had a 40% increase in user engagement. Here’s how to get it right: — 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝟭: 𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗙𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 Most PMs get this wrong. They collect feedback randomly with no system or strategy. But remember: your output is only as good as your input. And if your input is messy, it will only lead you astray. Here’s how to collect feedback strategically: → Diversify your sources: customer interviews, support tickets, sales calls, social media & community forums, etc. → Be systematic: track feedback across channels consistently. → Close the loop: confirm your understanding with users to avoid misinterpretation. — 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝟮: 𝗔𝗻𝗮𝗹𝘆𝘇𝗲 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 Analyzing feedback is like building the foundation of a skyscraper. If it’s shaky, your decisions will crumble. So don’t rush through it. Dive deep to identify patterns that will guide your actions in the right direction. Here’s how: Aggregate feedback → pull data from all sources into one place. Spot themes → look for recurring pain points, feature requests, or frustrations. Quantify impact → how often does an issue occur? Map risks → classify issues by severity and potential business impact. — 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝟯: 𝗔𝗰𝘁 𝗼𝗻 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝘀 Now comes the exciting part: turning insights into action. Execution here can make or break everything. Do it right, and you’ll ship features users love. Mess it up, and you’ll waste time, effort, and resources. Here’s how to execute effectively: Prioritize ruthlessly → focus on high-impact, low-effort changes first. Assign ownership → make sure every action has a responsible owner. Set validation loops → build mechanisms to test and validate changes. Stay agile → be ready to pivot if feedback reveals new priorities. — 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝟰: 𝗠𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁 What can’t be measured, can’t be improved. If your metrics don’t move, something went wrong. Either the feedback was flawed, or your solution didn’t land. Here’s how to measure: → Set KPIs for success, like user engagement, adoption rates, or risk reduction. → Track metrics post-launch to catch issues early. → Iterate quickly and keep on improving on feedback. — In a nutshell... It creates a cycle that drives growth and reduces risk: → Collect feedback strategically. → Analyze it deeply for actionable insights. → Act on it with precision. → Measure its impact and iterate. — P.S. How do you collect and implement feedback?

If your website isn’t driving engagement, attracting clients, or positioning you as a trusted authority, chances are it’s missing one thing: valuable content. A static website is just an online brochure - it sits there, waiting to be found. But when you add useful, well-researched content, it transforms into a powerful business development tool. Here’s how to do it right: 1. Build a Strategy That Works: Great content doesn’t happen by accident. Your plan should align with your audience’s needs, your expertise, and your resources (time, people, and budget). A content calendar keeps you consistent, so you’re always top of mind. 2. Prioritize Research-Driven Content: Opinion pieces can be interesting, but data-backed insights and original research build credibility. If you want your content to get shared, bookmarked, and cited, focus on providing real value such as new information, deep expertise, and actionable takeaways. 3. Use Multiple Formats to Reach More People: Not everyone consumes content the same way. Some people prefer in-depth articles, while others engage with videos, podcasts, or infographics. Repurpose your best ideas across different formats to maximize reach and impact. 4. Curate, But Add Your Expertise: Sharing industry news, expert interviews, and event takeaways is a smart way to add value—but don’t just repost. Layer in your own insights to make it meaningful for your audience. Thoughtful curation strengthens your brand as a go-to resource. 5. Never Publish Without Editing: Typos and unclear messaging can hurt your credibility. Take the extra step to review your work (or have someone else do it) before publishing. Professionalism matters. 6. Publish With Purpose: A great piece of content means nothing if no one sees it. Optimize your posts with search-friendly URLs, embed videos strategically, and make sure everything is easy to find. Then, share it where your audience is - on LinkedIn, in email newsletters, and beyond. Content builds trust, and trust leads to business. If your website isn’t actively helping you attract opportunities, it’s time to rethink your content approach. Done right, it can position you as the go-to expert in your industry. Let me know what you think of these tips in the comments below! #contentmarketing #personalbranding #legalmarketing #bestadvice