Bridging the Gap: Creating Trust Between Non-Technical Stakeholders and Engineering Teams

Kevin Gorham

Kevin Gorham

Bridging the Gap: Creating Trust Between Non-Technical Stakeholders and Engineering Teams

by Kevin Gorham

In the talk "Bridging the Gap: Creating Trust Between Non-Technical Stakeholders and Engineering Teams," Kevin Gorham discusses the importance of building trust within the workplace, particularly between non-technical stakeholders and engineering teams. He begins by establishing what trust is and its profound effects on workplace dynamics. The key concepts presented in the talk include:

Importance of Trust: Building trust leads to better communication, reduced stress, and increased productivity. In contrast, a low-trust environment fosters anxiety and lowers overall morale.
The Speed of Trust: Gorham introduces the idea that high trust levels correlate with higher speeds of operation and lower costs of communication and oversight, while low trust results in the opposite.
Components of Trust: Trust is built on two primary aspects: competency (skills, results) and character (integrity, intent). Both aspects are vital in earning and maintaining trust.
Actions to Build Trust: Gorham outlines specific behaviors that foster trust, such as:
- Speaking truthfully and directly.
- Demonstrating respect towards colleagues.
- Creating transparency around expectations and processes.
- Acknowledging mistakes and showing loyalty.
- Maintaining accountability by clarifying expectations and delivering on commitments.
Practical Tools and Examples: Gorham shares his experience with using the Pivotal Tracker API and Google Apps Scripts to derive meaningful metrics and communicate them effectively to stakeholders. He highlights the significance of tailoring data to address stakeholders' needs, demonstrating expert use of tools to elevate communication and transparency.
Communication Strategies: Regularly scheduled meetings (like stand-ups and retrospectives) serve as opportunities to foster relationships and build trust through transparency, accountability, and open dialogue. Gorham emphasizes sending consistent follow-up emails with metrics can strengthen trust over time.

Gorham concludes by reiterating that trust is not only essential for project success but also enhances individual well-being in the workplace. Trust, when fostered effectively, leads to better collaboration and more favorable outcomes for all involved parties. Overall, the talk emphasizes the need for a conscious, methodical approach to building trust in a team development environment.

00:00:22.260 My name is Kevin Gorham, and my talk is called "Bridging the Gap: Creating Trust Between Non-Technical Stakeholders and Engineering Teams."

00:00:27.480 I wanted my talk to be a mouthful. No, really, what I'm here to discuss today is trust.

00:00:35.760 I'm going to talk about it conceptually and provide some practical examples.

00:00:41.160 However, the practical examples will be oriented around the relationship mentioned in the title.

00:00:46.320 I believe these ideas transcend that single relationship, and hopefully, you can find value in them interpersonally on your teams and with colleagues beyond this relationship.

00:00:52.920 Before we dive in, let me introduce myself a little more. My name is Kevin Gorham, and I'm a full stack web developer at a company called Fine Tune, based in Chicago.

00:01:05.460 I'm kind of a team lead and do a lot of our Agile Scrum processes. I've only been a developer for about three years, having spent a year in QA prior to that. I attended a boot camp and have also worked as a tutor and teaching assistant.

00:01:24.000 Before my tech career, I worked at a nonprofit aquaponic farm for about seven or eight years, where we helped homeless families get back into the workforce.

00:01:34.439 We raised tilapia and plants, and as a young man in my 20s, I learned a lot about building trust, especially while trying to get much older people with scary-looking face tattoos to clean nets full of fish waste.

00:01:40.439 So I feel that I can speak to trust-building from my experiences.

00:01:48.119 This talk encapsulates my journey with trust-building. I don't claim to be a trust expert, so if anybody has ideas or things they feel are important that I've missed, please share them.

00:01:59.880 On a personal note, I enjoy golfing—even though I'm very bad at it—and playing poker, where I'm better than average but keep that to myself before a game.

00:02:10.560 But you may wonder—why trust me? In the words of the Dude, "This is just like my opinion, man."

00:02:21.440 I've gathered this information from reading books, learning from personal mentors, and through my experiences at work, and I've organized it to present to you.

00:02:31.860 I hope everyone can find something of value here. Now, let’s move on to the goals for the talk.

00:02:39.599 I want you to understand why trust is important and how being deliberate about building it can be beneficial to you, both individually and within your teams.

00:02:51.420 I’m going to discuss a concept called 'the Speed of Trust' and provide practical examples of how we can build trust.

00:02:56.760 We will start with the conceptual side and talk about what trust is—beyond a simple dictionary definition.

00:03:09.300 We all have a feeling of trust; we know whom we trust and whom we don’t. But why is trust important in the workplace?

00:03:15.959 It's clearer if we look at the negative side: consider a low-trust work environment. Has anyone here ever had a boss that didn’t trust them? I have.

00:03:27.720 I had a boss who made me send her a detailed email at the end of every day, listing what I did every minute from 8 AM to 8:15 AM. That was miserable and indicative of a low-trust environment.

00:03:41.819 Living in such an environment caused significant anxiety—I constantly worried about whether I was doing things right.

00:03:48.620 This worry can follow you home, impacting your finances and any responsibilities to care for family.

00:03:53.879 Therefore, it’s important to be intentional about building trust at work. You’ll find that when trust is high, you're happier, you receive better raises, and you are more successful.

00:04:06.659 Research shows that measurable elements improve as trust increases. The first concept I want to introduce is this idea of the 'Speed of Trust.' It states: when trust is high, speed is high and cost is low.

00:04:30.000 Conversely, when trust is low, speed decreases and costs increase. Here's a relevant example: prior to September 11th, you could arrive at the airport just 30 minutes before your flight and easily get through security.

00:04:40.380 That was possible because we trusted the safety of air travel.

00:04:47.160 After 9/11, however, we lost that trust and, as a result, air travel became rife with security regulations. Now, we must arrive hours early to accommodate new security measures, which has led to increased time and costs.

00:05:05.759 Trust decreased and, consequently, speed slowed, while costs escalated.

00:05:11.639 By contrast, imagine if I asked you to invest in a new cryptocurrency called 'Trust Coin.' Most would likely refuse because they don't trust me.

00:05:18.300 However, if Warren Buffett endorsed it, many would invest simply because they trust him. So, when trust is high, deals get done quickly and cheaply.

00:05:35.100 Returning to my previous boss, my daily email about my activities was problematic. It caused me to stop working early, take notes throughout the day, and her need to spend time reading my email created friction.

00:05:59.880 Low trust acts as a tax that affects everything you do. I encourage you to evaluate your internal relationships and projects at work and assess levels of trust.

00:06:11.120 Next, let's explore why we trust others.

00:06:15.750 We generally trust people based on two criteria: competency and character. Many studies categorize trust in these two ways: competency refers to our capability and results.

00:06:29.400 Competency includes our talents, attitudes, skills, and the ability to get things done. On the other hand, character is about integrity and intent. Integrity includes being honest and acting congruently with your beliefs.

00:06:47.699 Consider those you trust: family members, mentors—it's likely because they possess both high competency and high character.

00:07:06.500 I would caution against hiring high competency but low character individuals. While employees with low character and low competency are generally fired, those with high competency can be retained.

00:07:20.340 They can be dangerous, as they may deliver results but can also undermine team trust. So, I encourage those involved in hiring to prioritize character.

00:07:32.539 While competency is essential, don't overlook character, as individuals with high competency but low character can damage teamwork, ultimately raising costs and lowering speed.

00:07:50.400 Now, we recognize what competency and character are conceptually, but let's look at specific behaviors that demonstrate trustworthiness.

00:08:00.840 Character behaviors reveal our motives, like talking straight, which is pretty self-explanatory. It's also important to demonstrate respect; if you don't know how to show respect, we don't have time to teach you today.

00:08:14.160 Creating transparency in communication aligns with talking straight, particularly for engineers, who should ensure expectations around tasks are clear.

00:08:25.620 Admitting mistakes and demonstrating loyalty are also essential. I don't mean blind loyalty; if a company is disloyal to you, you shouldn't be loyal to them. You should give credit to others.

00:08:39.660 If you overhear someone speaking poorly about a colleague, what do you think they'll say about you when you're not around? Showing loyalty toward your colleagues builds trust.

00:08:48.840 We naturally build trust through interactions over time; character is revealed gradually. I wanted to point out that there are specific, intentional actions to enhance trust.

00:09:06.660 Now, let's explore competency behaviors. Delivering results is critical: as Yoda says, "Do or do not. There is no try." You must contribute to the team or project.

00:09:22.800 Part of demonstrating competency is confronting rather than ignoring or being in denial about challenges. Clarifying expectations is also vital. As developers, we often have opportunities to clarify project goals.

00:09:40.680 Practicing accountability ties directly to managing expectations. You can't hold individuals accountable without clear expectations from stakeholders.

00:09:55.620 Listening first is a valuable trait: my brain often races ahead, and I begin formulating responses before the other person has finished speaking.

00:10:07.560 Keeping commitments is perhaps the most critical behavior to build trust. Trust takes time to cultivate.

00:10:21.240 We extend trust to one another, and in this setting, you extended me a degree of trust. My background can either enhance or detract from that trust.

00:10:35.760 When you keep your commitments, you'll build trust, but you can ruin trust in a moment.

00:10:48.240 Even if you maintained the same workload, the manner in which you set expectations is crucial. You must strive to extend trust.

00:11:04.560 Every audience member likely has a different non-technical stakeholder, possibly a CFO, CEO, product owner, or project manager.

00:11:22.080 It can be easy to view that individual as an enemy or someone who asks for numbers and metrics without trusting your abilities.

00:11:35.880 Instead, consider them a potential ally. Your CEO wants your project to succeed, and so does your CFO.

00:11:49.560 It’s essential to extend trust to them through transparency, clarifying expectations, and holding them accountable. This will foster a strong relationship.

00:12:03.300 The next conceptual idea involves this process: connect, trust, act. The order matters.

00:12:11.460 If a new technical lead enters and implements drastic changes without building trust or connections with the team, they will encounter resistance.

00:12:26.820 Whenever possible, follow this order and prioritize connecting with your colleagues. I'm all for boundaries, of course.

00:12:41.520 Nonetheless, making a genuine effort to connect with your coworkers enhances trust, paving the way for your actions to be more successful.

00:12:55.920 When I joined my current company, the hiring process involved multiple interviews where I showcased my work. I was slightly behind another candidate in raw metrics.

00:13:09.480 However, during my final interview, I connected with my potential boss through shared interests, which led to him feeling more secure in hiring me.

00:13:26.580 However, if another candidate lacked that connection, my ability to bond gave me an edge.

00:13:42.720 Warren Buffett doesn't need to build connections to earn trust in every situation, but when feasible, aiming for connection will yield better outcomes.

00:13:54.840 So, how do we build trust? We've touched on these behaviors, and now let’s discuss specific actions relevant to our industry.

00:14:07.200 Many of us experience ineffective meetings, yet recognize the importance of productive ones.

00:14:19.400 Use your stand-ups to talk transparently, create accountability, and express respect.

00:14:34.580 In retrospective meetings, acknowledge coworkers for their contributions to foster a positive environment.

00:14:49.500 Implement clarity during iteration planning meetings to establish clear expectations, which in turn builds trust.

00:15:04.920 Accountability thrives alongside clear expectations. Hold each other accountable within those parameters.

00:15:19.520 I encourage you to demonstrate upholding commitments. Try to have consistent one-on-ones.

00:15:30.960 If you have direct reports, avoid canceling one-on-ones. Keeping those appointments builds trust.

00:15:44.760 Personally, I meet with my boss every Thursday. If I have points I'd like to discuss during the week, I jot them down.

00:16:03.600 On Thursdays, we have a slack channel where we exchange notes before our meetings. We trust the process, allowing us to keep focus without interruption.

00:16:21.840 During your one-on-ones, make an effort to connect. Spend the first few minutes chatting to expose your character.

00:16:37.680 Stakeholder meetings present great opportunities to apply the connect-trust-act framework, further solidifying relationships.

00:16:53.640 Provide presentations on agile processes. Be transparent about timeframes and complexities.

00:17:03.840 Never hesitate to be informative, even if the answers are unclear. Transparency can transform expectations.

00:17:19.160 Communicate early and often, inviting stakeholders to your meetings to increase their awareness of the challenges you face.

00:17:30.720 Identify the metrics that are crucial to them. For instance, a CFO typically prioritizes different metrics than a CEO.

00:17:45.640 When presenting, tailor your updates to highlight relevant KPIs, which in turn fosters greater trust.

00:17:58.860 Leverage available data to demonstrate your effectiveness. Tools like Pivotal Tracker offer built-in metrics to help inform stakeholders.

00:18:12.840 Explore the metrics provided by your project's tracking tools. If it only retains three months of data, use export or API solutions for more comprehensive analysis.

00:18:29.980 For instance, I employed Google Apps Scripts with Pivotal Tracker to create a customized analytics sheet tailored to my boss's needs.

00:18:45.360 Google Apps Script allows seamless G Suite integrations, enabling dynamic interactions with data through JavaScript.

00:19:04.500 In my project, I included buttons on the spreadsheet for Sprint planning, which effectively streamlines our agile process.

00:19:16.380 This allows our team to effectively generate necessary sprint data and summarizes input during retrospective meetings.

00:19:30.120 Utilizing these metrics supports efficient project tracking while keeping the entire team aligned.

00:19:44.200 I analyze our sprints to determine resource allocation vital to managing both uniform and waste lines of business.

00:20:03.720 Data trends show how well we manage costs and highlight areas needing attention, enabling my bosses to make informed decisions.

00:20:21.800 It's essential to present these insights consistently to foster trust: regularly sharing data enhances understanding and trust.

00:20:36.100 Deliver an email summarizing key metrics after each Sprint. Don’t expect immediate responses—consistent communication creates reliability.

00:20:55.900 If months pass without responses, reach out to confirm if the information meets stakeholder expectations.

00:21:09.360 Each stakeholder prioritizes different metrics, so customize your communication to highlight the data that matters most to them.

00:21:21.820 Add context to your data instead of providing dry statistics; explanation can shape perceptions and understanding.

00:21:31.480 For example, a sudden drop in productivity may not indicate an issue—provide insight into recent staffing changes or other challenges.

00:21:48.090 Establish a consistent cadence for communication to reinforce trust and reliability between teams and stakeholders.

00:22:04.840 Here’s an example of how I structure my email summaries to my boss and stakeholders.

00:22:17.260 I call out the number of releases and visually present the metrics in a graph to show trends.

00:22:25.960 Presenting this information visually fosters comprehension over simple text.

00:22:35.300 It’s helpful to offer additional context to enhance the understanding of the data presented.

00:22:43.540 I emphasize trends over single-report data. Analyzing trends offers more significant insights into performance.

00:22:51.900 Once you’ve generated and analyzed metrics, consistently share this data for a closer evaluation of organizational progress.

00:23:05.580 While organizing this information took time upfront, it serves as a foundation for transparent, trustworthy communication.

00:23:19.720 The data alone doesn't tell a complete story. Context is an essential component that highlights angles that pure numbers can miss.

00:23:30.780 A recent departure within our engineering team necessitated someone stepping up—a circumstance that won’t always reflect positively in metrics.

00:23:45.560 Adding such context can clarify potential misunderstandings, allowing for a more comprehensive assessment of performance.

00:24:02.420 Finally, maintain consistency in your reports to increase the probability of building lasting trust.

00:24:15.710 This presentation will be available on my LinkedIn, alongside resources and links to code.

00:24:27.480 Stephen Covey's "Speed of Trust" is a book worth exploring if you’re interested in diving deeper into trust concepts.

00:24:43.200 Ultimately, this talk is a compilation of knowledge shared by mentors who have profoundly influenced me.

00:25:00.300 What I want you to take away is the value and impact of trust. The effects of trust can be quantified, positively influencing your relationships.

00:25:19.140 Finally, if you don’t yet believe me, you’ll just have to trust me.

00:25:30.690 Thank you very much.

00:25:39.840 We have finished a few minutes early, so if anyone has questions, please feel free to ask.

00:25:46.920 Hi! If anyone couldn't hear, someone asked about the connection. It indeed takes two to connect.

00:25:55.680 Salespeople excel at this. There are techniques like mirroring body language... which I personally find manipulative.

00:26:02.460 But my approach is simple: be honest and authentic. I strive to be myself and talk straight, which gradually fosters trust.

00:26:20.100 Building trust with a reserved person won’t be easy, especially if they're in a position of authority; it's a slow process.

00:26:34.620 But with time, once their walls lower, they may begin to trust you.

00:26:43.560 Regarding the categories I mentioned, we separate our work exponentially by projects such as uniforms and waste.

00:26:55.560 Also, we measure the number of bugs we release and total chores. We categorize our work to see how it supports our clientele.

00:27:06.860 Each organization may measure such categories differently; that's determined by your operations.

00:27:20.620 In our case, we use the Fibonacci sequence for points in Pivotal Tracker, and it helps categorize tasks efficiently.