Communicating Effectively in a Data-Driven Workplace

Communicating Effectively
in a Data-Driven Workplace
Lisa Depew, Intel Corporation
Nov. 8, 2012
Society of Women Engineers (SWE) National Conference 2012

• Introduction
• Build Your Tool Kit – The 3 C’s
• Confidence
• Content
• Call to Action
• Summary & Call to Action
Agenda
Putting you on the path to success

• BS in Electrical Engineering,
University of Dayton
• 15 Year Intel Employee
• Speaker, Work/Life Advocate,
Working Mother
• Former VERY quiet introvert
Introduction
“Be the change you want to see in the world.”
- Mahatma Gandhi

Confidence
Common
Fear
This sounds like… Things to remember…
Lack of
Authority
• I’m just a new hire. I don’t know
anything.
• Why would they listen to me?
• They’re WAY more senior than
me. Who am I to teach/
influence/challenge them?
• You passed the interview. They hired you—
you’ve already convinced them!
• They WANT you to do this job. Managers need
team members to execute work, gather data,
raise issues, & propose solutions.
• We all have a role to play, and yours is
important!
Mistakes /
Stupidity
• They’re going to think I’m stupid
• They already know this
• I’m wasting their time
• They do not spend the hours in the details that
you do; you are the expert
• They want your recommendation. (What do you
think?)
• Your data facilitates the broader discussion
Being
Challenged
(i.e. Questions)
• They’re questioning my data
• They think I’m WRONG!!!
• “This is not a tiger” (fight or flight instinct); no
one is attacking you
• Asking questions shows interest, not
disagreement.

“Mommy, I have a penny in my
cast. Can you get it out?”
Confidence
A Case Study
The Mommy Thought Process
M: “What? You have a penny in your cast?”
C: “Yes.”
M: “Why do you have a penny in your cast?”
C: “I dropped it in there.”
M: “Yes, I see, but how did you get it in there?”
C: “I was holding it, looking at it, and it slipped.”
M: “When did this happen?”
C: “Just now.”
M: “Where exactly is it?” [Can we even get to it?]
C: “Right here.” [Okay, near the surface.]
D: [Proposed Solution] “Let’s use tweezers.”
M: [Debate] Will it reach? Could we accidentally
puncture his skin? What if we leave it alone?
M: [Action] Tried the tweezers, unsuccessfully.
Tried second solution—pressed hand to side and
shook the penny out.
Solution: The Penny Came Out!
“I need 1 head or $100k to add
additional call support services.”
The Manager Thought Process
M: “What? You want more head count?”
C: “Yes. Or increased funding, to hire a contractor.”
M: “Why do you need more resources?”
C: “The current resources are fully utilized on other
critical projects.”
M: “Okay, but how did we end up needing more?”
C: “The marketing campaign was so successful,
sales increased 50%, driving more support calls.”
M: “When did this need arise?”
C: “Q3 sales were above target; in Q1’13, the call
volume is projected to outstrip capacity.”
M: “Where exactly is the problem?”
C: “The increase is for the XYZ product line.
Resources are needed in Brazil for the increased
sales volume in South America.”
[Proposal, Debate, Etc.]
Solution: A Resourcing Decision is Made!
Key:
M/C/D – Mommy / Child / Daddy
M/C – Manager / Contributor

• Information – What you’re going to say (and How)
• Audience – Who you’re saying it to
• Purpose – Why you’re making the presentation
Content
Be conscientious in your preparation

Come join us for The Business of Reading, an annual event
where volunteers read for an hour to children at Oakwood
Elementary. This is an amazing program for the children.
Volunteers from around the community come and spend an
hour reading to the students. Volunteers can bring books of
their own, or read books the children choose from the
classroom. Everyone will spend half an hour reading outside,
then enjoy snacks with the children. The event is on
November 15 in the morning. We’ll start at 10 and read, then
have snacks. The school is located at 240 Lakeview Avenue in
Folsom. Event coordinators have arranged for a bus to
transport Intel volunteers. The bus will arrive at 9:15 and be
in front of FM5. The bus will leave at 9:30am to drive to the
school, and the bus will return volunteers back to work after
the event is over.
Content
Information

• Date: Nov. 15
• Time: 10-11am
• Location: 240 Lakeview Ave., Folsom
Upcoming Event
Enjoy an hour of reading w/ Oakwood
Elementary school students.
Bus leaves FM5 at 9:30am to transport
volunteers.
Inspire a love of reading
in the next generation!
The Business of Reading
Be concise and clear with content

• Where are they coming from? (What is their
background?)
• What is their authority to do what you want?
• What is your position of authority with them?
Questions:
• Peer, manager, from other business group?
• Decision maker, influencer, purchaser?
• Know me, familiar with my work & my goals?
Content
Audience
Understand who you’re speaking to

• Why are you here?
• What do you want to happen as a result?
Questions:
• Train, inform, persuade?
• Building consensus, need decision, need resources?
Content
Purpose
Know what you want to happen

• Summarize your main message(s)
• Provide clear, unambiguous direction
Specifically call out:
• What you need
• When it is due
• Who the owner is
Call to Action
End with clear direction

• Train:
 All agents pass proficiency test with 100% score, by EOW
 Technical leads complete [advanced course] with min. 90% test score by EOM
 All agents pilot new procedure starting 12/1/12 OR implement new procedure, in production,
starting 1/1/13
• Inform:
 [You] will post & distribute announcement making content available to all attendees by EOD
 [Team Leads] will waterfall this presentation to their team members by EOW
 [Biz Ops] will schedule a review of new data, the first week of Q1’13
 [You] will roll up & present Q4 indicators the first week of Q1’13
• Persuade:
 [Team] will ratify new features proposed (now? EOW?)
 [Developers] will have initial code in place, for review, by 12/7/12
 [Program Manager] will add code review to 12/12/12 agenda
 [Requestor] will compile feedback & send changes by 12/14/12
Call to Action
Examples

Summary & Call to Action
• Have Confidence in Yourself, Your Knowledge, and Your Data
 Trust that you’re an expert
 Do NOT fear questions
• Prepare the Right Presentation
 Be concise and clear with content
 Understand who you’re talking to
 Know what you want to happen
• End with Clear Direction
Go Out and Wow ‘Em!

Potential Presentation #1 – Train
(Teach team how to use new customer support ticket management software)
Audience: Support Engineers
Background: No experience with the product
Potential Bias: Need to overcome barrier of having to learn something new
Purpose: Teach how to use the tool
Duration: 2 hrs.
Scope: High-level intro to the market, purpose for using the software,
why it’s worth your time to spend the next 1 hr. & 50 mins.
listening to details.
Details, with lots of step-by-step directions & screen captures.
Resources: Extensive slide deck (20+ slides), follow-up training manual,
links, etc.

Potential Presentation #2 – Persuade
(Include your team’s new feature requests)
Audience: Software Developers & Peer Managers
Background: Understand product but not your specific environment
Potential Bias: Approving your feature requests means not getting theirs
Purpose: Convince that resources should be spent on your features
Duration: 20 minutes
Scope: High-level intro to business unit & how team’s function supports company
objectives (i.e. your value).
Proposed solution and high-level implementation strategy (mock-up of
screen changes, output report, etc., to visualize solution).
Value of spending resources on this function.
Resources: Brief slide deck (2-5 slides) showing “cost,” proposed solution, and impact

Potential Presentation #3 – Update
(Quarterly Business Review, to 1st & 2nd Line Management)
Audience: 1st & 2nd Line Management
Background: Familiar w/ business & your department’s goals, but not specific day-to-
day goings on with product
Potential Bias: Short on time; want highlights, lowlights, and list of needs/justification
Purpose: Build confidence; continue to maintain funding
Duration: 30-60 minutes
Scope: State of the Union: Highlights. Lowlights. How resources are being
spent. Opportunities for improvement. Focus area(s) for coming year.
Resources: Brief Slide deck (5-15 slides) with charts & bullets

Potential Presentation #4 – Update
(Quarterly Business Review, to Senior Management)
Audience: Director, GM, VP-level
Background: Familiar w/ division’s goals, but not specific day-to-day goings on with
product
Potential Bias: Very short on time; want highlights, lowlights, and list of
needs/justification, and clear impact to business & budget
Purpose: Build confidence; continue to maintain funding
Duration: 3-10 minutes
Scope: Purpose/Goal, resources spent, results, plan, needs
Resources: 1 slide with charts & bullets

Communicating Effectively in a Data-Driven Workplace

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