It's Dangerous to Go Alone: Battling the Invisible Monsters in Tech - Nickel City Ruby 2013

We talk a lot about the things people can do to get the most out of being a software developer. We talk about testing, design patterns, contributing to open source, and many other topics. All of these things are important, but for some of us there's an important piece of the puzzle being overlooked. It can be hard to focus on your love of coding when you are regularly battling invisible issues like insecurity, anxiety, and lack of confidence. These issues create hurdles that get in the way no matter how much you improve as a software engineer.

It is important that we talk about these issues because an unwillingness to admit they're real can make it worse. It makes them feel like the adult version of the monsters under the bed. It's scary and isolating because those around you don't understand or actively deny what you're going through. It's dangerous to go alone! Let's start talking about these issues, so people have the tools and support to fight back.

You may have experienced these issues first-hand and need some help. You may want to learn more, so you can help others. This talk is for all of you. I'll identify invisible issues programmers struggle with, talk about their impact, discuss personal experiences dealing with them, and share some tools I found useful in fighting back.

Transcript

1. It’s Dangerous to Go AloneBATTLING THE INVISIBLE MONSTERS IN TECH NickelCityRuby13 Julie Pagano @juliepagano
2. –CODING–
3. Ways to Improve Testing Design patterns Software craftsmanship Tools more...
4. We’re missing something
5. –CODING–
6. –CODING–
7. –CODING–
8. –CODING–
9. These issues create hurdles to success
10. What we do is communal ] ] ]]
11. We need to talk about this Ignoring it makes it worse
12. adult version of the monsters under the bed
13. –SELECT– 1. ISSUES 2. TOOLS
14. 1. ISSUES 2. TOOLS –SELECT–
15. Impostor Syndrome
16. Impostor Syndrome “A psychological phenomenon in which people are unable to internalize their accomplishments.”
17. coding involves regular failure
18. failure success Average Person
19. Impostor Syndrome success failure
20. Impostor Syndrome success failure
21. Victories diminish in importance. Failures loom large.
22. Impostor Syndrome can impact anyone
23. I was just lucky
24. I’m not that smart
25. I’m not a good programmer
26. I’m a FRAUD
27. INSECURITY CAREER Average Person
28. new job INSECURITY CAREER Average Person
29. INSECURITY CAREER Impostor Syndrome
30. people with impostor syndrome hold themselves back
31. Do not share knowledge
32. Do not collaborate
33. Do not help with OSS
34. Do not apply for jobs
35. You shouldn’t feel like you have to slay a dragon to get a job.
36. Start small. Remain small. End up small.
37. Actual Ability Perceived Ability
38. Actual Ability Perceived Ability Impostor Syndrome
39. Dunning-Kruger Effect
40. Dunning-Kruger Effect “A cognitive bias in which unskilled individuals suffer from illusory superiority, mistakenly rating their ability much higher than average.”
41. Actual Ability Perceived Ability Impostor Syndrome Dunning-Kruger Effect
42. people with impostor syndrome push themselves too hard
44. Burnout
45. Burnout “Long-term exhaustion and diminished interest in work.”
46. –CODING–
47. GAME OVER
48. GAME OVER
49. 1. ISSUES 2. TOOLS –SELECT–
50. IT’S DANGEROUS TO GO ALONE! TAKE THESE. + + +
51. Build a Party
52. Track Measurable Progress
53. Look for Positives + + + +
54. Look for Positives help others find positives + + + +
55. Avoid Negatives -
56. - Avoid Negatives avoid creating negative spaces
58. No feigning surprise
59. No feigning surprise No well-actually’s
60. No feigning surprise No well-actually’s No backseat-driving
61. No feigning surprise No well-actually’s No backseat-driving No subtle sexism (or racism, homophobia, etc.)
62. Help Others
63. Kill Your Heroes
64. Kill Your Heroes not literally
65. Aaron Patterson
66. Aaron Patterson A wild Tenderlove appears!
67. Aaron Patterson A wild Tenderlove appears!
68. Aaron Patterson A wild Tenderlove appears!
69. I get insanely nervous when I give presentations
70. Fake It ‘til You Make It
71. The secret to life is pretending you know what you’re doing.
72. Talk about it
73. Help yourself
74. Help others
75. Enjoy coding
76. Julie Pagano @juliepagano Feedback, please!
77. References • Impostor Syndrome - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Impostor_syndrome • Dunning-Kruger effect - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect • All The Things! - http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/ 2010/06/this-is-why-ill-never-be-adult.html • Hacker School Social Rules - https:// www.hackerschool.com/manual#sub-sec-social-rules • Aaron Patterson at SCRC12 - http://www.confreaks.com/ videos/1137-scrc2012-open-source-how-to-give-back
78. Attribution • Road barrier from the noun project - http://thenounproject.com/noun/road- barrier/#icon-No4357 • Conversation designed by Anna Weiss from The Noun Project - http:// thenounproject.com/noun/conversation/#icon-No1680 • Ghost designed by Emily Haasch from The Noun Project - http:// thenounproject.com/noun/ghost/#icon-No9345 • Bed from noun project - http://thenounproject.com/noun/bed/#icon-No12395 • Group designed by Benny Forsberg from The Noun Project - http:// thenounproject.com/noun/group/#icon-No14947 • Handshake designed by Marc Nadue from The Noun Project - http:// thenounproject.com/noun/handshake/#icon-No10714 • Scale designed by Stephanie Wauters from The Noun Project - http:// thenounproject.com/noun/scale/#icon-No10409
79. Additional Resources • Ruby Rogues #107 Syndrome with Tim Chevalier - http://rubyrogues.com/107-rr-impostor-syndrome- with-tim-chevalier/ • Geek Feminism Wiki - http:// geekfeminism.wikia.com/wiki/Impostor_syndrome • Kicking impostor syndrome in the head: lessons from AdaCamp DC and SF - http://adainitiative.org/ 2013/06/kicking-impostor-syndrome-in-the-head- lessons-from-adacamp-dc-and-sf/ • Overcoming Impostor Syndrome - https:// medium.com/tech-talk/bdae04e46ec5