Presented at: All Things Open 2019 Presented by: Josepha Haden Chomphosy, WordPress

1. FOSTERINGCOLLABORATION
ACROSSCULTURES
Josepha Haden Chomphosy, WordPress
@josephahaden #sassypickle
For anyone who participates in open source, the idea of collaborating across cultures is a familiar one. Some differences are easy to spot (Spanish vs Mandarin, PHP
vs JS) and others less so (in-office workers vs remote workers).
Yet as the world becomes more connected — meaning our interactions more immediate, our locations less important — we communicate with people unlike us every
day without even realizing it.
But setting aside the question of whether or not we can tell if people are different, we know that teams that bring together multiple cultures — diverse teams — are the
ones that succeed the most.
As a leader, there’s nothing more exhilarating than supporting diverse teams, but also… there’s nothing more precious than the responsibility to foster a workplace
where collaboration across cultures is the rule rather than the exception.

2. ThisvsThat
So, let’s start with the brain.
Our brains are prediction machines. Constantly looking for sensible patterns and how we fit. We use those patterns to make fast decisions (especially when there is too
much information or potential unknowns).
On top of scanning for patterns, our brains also tend to seek out groups similar to us — for safety, for company, to be understood, and for confirmation that we’re in the
right place at the right time.
And if we’re not careful, we end up uncomfortably at #

3. UsvsThem
Illustration: I’m going to ask for some audience participation here, I’m going to ask you to shout out a few descriptive words about two different groups: video
games vs table top gamers.
**audience participation**
What I find fascinating about this example is that games have shared foundations. Yet the descriptions you’ve shared are starkly different.
And from experience we know that each have their own language or jargon that sets them apart. The etiquette of how to interact with their work is different. AND
ALSO based on experience, we decide which group we would be most welcome in.

4. Whyisthissohard?
Alright, so you get it. It’s complicated.
People are different and groups make individual people feel safer… and groups are built around things that make it clear who belongs and who doesn’t.
But why should it matter for the way we live? The way we work? The way we behave as digital citizens?
It matters because these things act as communication barriers (regardless of whether you’re speaking the same language or not) and can hinder a process called the
Negotiation of Meaning.

5. NegotiationofMeaning
Negotiation of Meaning refers to a natural part of communication where people make sure they understand each other. In the workplace, we see that during project
kick-off. In open source we see it during contributor onboarding.
When jargon (or cultural norms, or inside humor) is overused during this process, it highlights the differences between the groups. Motivations for this range from
“identify the outsiders” to “draw us all closer”! Sometimes the motivation is that there is no other way to explain a concept.
Regardless of why it happens, the risks are the same. Even if everyone is speaking the same language (from our example earlier “games”), the differences in the cross-
cultural patterns can serve as a communication barrier.

6. Illustration: So Much Jargon!
“I’ve taken Heinrich’s Toccata in g minor from its original German notation and transposed it into modern sonorities. You’ll see that I’ve reduced the hemi demi semi
quaver to more readable sixty-fourth notes and tied across the hemiolas where it was structurally necessary. It is in common time.”
**audience reaction**
See, I feel like that was fairly well explained! But it would have been better if I’d told you that this piece of music had been reworked a little so the documentation
was more modern.

7. When it comes to negotiating meaning, there is a fine line between too much information and too little.
You have to respectfully explain the basics concepts in a way that invites newcomers to join you on the journey. Once you’re all walking side-by-side to the same
place, there’s plenty of time for everyone to showcase their expertise!

8. *This slide intentionally left blank
I mentioned in passing that all of this poses a risk to effective collaboration. I won’t dwell much on it since… you’re all here because you understand there is a risk. But in
case you need some bullet points to convince someone else later:
- Ineffective cross-team communication
- Signals the existence of a divide
- And sets up a collective pattern of mistrust and intimidation.
- Long term effects include erosion of respect and clarity
- which can put groups into defensive patterns
- Eventually leading to miscommunication about basic goals/information.

9. Whatcanwedo?
You might be asking yourself what can be done to make this process better; how to be the change you want to see in the world. Fortunately, I have tips and tricks that
you can take with you today (and always!)

10. Don’tPanic
But before we go through those lists, I’m first going to share this:
Changing the way people work is a hard process, but changing the way people think is twice as hard. You’ll get stuff wrong along the way and that’s good! It’s a sign of
growth.
Alright. Let’s do this. Team Leads

11. • Expect Tension
Whatcanleadersdo?
MY ONE SUBVERSIVE THING
There should be some tension. Same thing I say about women in tech; we’re not all the same. If we were, then we wouldn’t need to collaborate ever, ever, ever.

12. Diversitydoesn’tcomewithouttension.The
keyistoknowhowtomakeitintojazzand
notdiscordantnoise.
Josepha Haden Chomphosy, WordPress
Diversity doesn’t come without tension. The key is to know how to make it into jazz and not discordant noise.

13. • Expect Tension
• Respect and Accountability
Whatcanleadersdo?
Everyone has their own expertise and there is inherent value in those perspectives. You set the pattern for how everyone is treated; approach discussions respectfully
and hold yourself accountable when you make a mistake.

14. • Expect Tension
• Respect and Accountability
• Set a North Star
Whatcanleadersdo?
Make sure everyone knows what the final goal is, so everyone can row in the same direction. Adhere to “not about us without us” as much as possible, and make sure
both sides are talking to each other.

15. • Expect Tension
• Respect and Accountability
• Set a North Star
• Jargon Free’s the Way to Be
Whatcanleadersdo?
Only use jargon when absolutely necessary. When you have to use it, define it.

16. • Expect Tension
• Respect and Accountability
• Set a North Star
• Jargon Free’s the Way to Be
• Help Humanize
Whatcanleadersdo?
All of this takes practice. If you have team members not getting along, assign them to a single project so they can practice.

17. Don’tGiveUp
And now team members.
When you aren’t a “manager” it’s hard to see how small steps can add up to a big change… but I feel strongly that people can be leader-ly no matter where they are in
a team.

18. • Be Clear and Kind
Whatcanteamsdo?
Working with people who aren’t like you can be a lot of things - intimidating, off-putting, exhausting.
Encouraging that fear/anxiety only makes it worse. Be kind and practice active listening.

19. • Be Clear and Kind
• Be Constructive
Whatcanteamsdo?
Negative feedback is hard to hear, so sharing with data or specific information is best. “Your timeline is terrible” isn’t as easy to hear as “It takes 30 days to build one of
these. There’s 1 of me, so I can’t build 20 in 60 days.”

20. • Be Clear and Kind
• Be Constructive
• Trust the Expertise of Others
Whatcanteamsdo?
This is self-explanatory especially when we work across any number of different cultures (work skills, religions, sexual preferences, location, ability).
But there’s a little nuance I want to underline. It requires you to move past an empathetic decision-making process and into an altruistic one.

21. • Be Clear and Kind
• Be Constructive
• Trust the Expertise of Others
• Monitor and Adjust
Whatcanteamsdo?
When people tell you something is wrong, it’s a signal of their trust in you. Even if you don’t agree immediately, do your best to find the truth in that.
Do what you can to make equitable adjustments.

22. • Be Clear and Kind
• Be Constructive
• Trust the Expertise of Others
• Monitor and Adjust
• Be Flexible, Fair, and Forgiving
Whatcanteamsdo?
This is for everyone, really. As we learn more about the people we are collaborating with, we’ll find that we crossed boundaries, we hurt feelings, and we were
misinformed.
Until there is a shared consciousness, we all have the luxury of the full knowledge of what informed our choices AND ZERO KNOWLEDGE ABOUT ANYONE ELSE’S.

23. ThankYou!
Tweet me! @josephahaden

24. FOSTERINGCOLLABORATION
ACROSSCULTURES
Josepha Haden Chomphosy, WordPress
@josephahaden #sassypickle
** Self-advocacy is hard, y’all. And if you’re part of a marginalized group that fought for their place at the table, I understand that the last thing you want to do is
- prove your existence, your value, your