The number of women in the technology market has grown due to new policies and individual efforts. This change reflects positive points for the companies…
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The number of women in the technology market has grown due to new policies and individual efforts. This change reflects positive points for the companies themselves, which have a lot to grow with the expansion of their staff and female leaders. An excellent example of this is the work carried out by our Tech Lead Viviane Maranhão, a mother of two and an exceptional leader.
In this post, we will learn a little about its history and understand how it became a pivotal point to adjust our engineering teams better when we needed a new form of integrated work and how the experience of motherhood has to do with it!
The technology market has experienced high growth in the past ten years, including within Brazil. The pandemic context does not prevent this flow of innovations, positively affecting the quality of products, services, and strategies. The use of technology proved to be even more necessary.
In this scenario, we are at a stage in which labor dynamics and activity fields are constantly being transformed to support this updated world continuously. In the same way, more and more people are interested in the technical and undergraduate courses in the area, composing a more diversified and comprehensive workforce. Stereotypes start to fall apart, and the figure of a solely male, narrow-minded leadership that lives for the sake of work is left behind.
One of the main movements of this change has been carried out by women increasingly interested in this market, even though they are often not yet properly encouraged and driven. A presence that has brought many new dialogues to the tech ecosystem and the creation of new communities that debate important issues seek to share experiences and the mutual strengthening of individual skills.
As a reality for some women, maternity also comes under discussion in projects that seek to offer more opportunities for mothers and encourage female leadership, such as Mother Coders and The Mom Project.
This new reality has fostered more inclusive cultures and affirmative policies on companies and available incentives. And it is a two-way street, where experience has shown how the insertion of women and mothers on the front line brings several valuable contributions to the entrepreneurial environment, as these leaders bring new perspectives, experiences and professional skills, and personal.
Here, at Alana, we are happy to have a solid example of this, which is why we will share a bit of the trajectory of our Tech Lead – which also brought some tips. Follow us!
When we look at some testimonials, it is common to come across phrases similar to this: “being a leader of companies or teams is something very provocative, but being a mother for the first time is an even greater challenge.”
So it is! The experience of motherhood is not simple and much less easy, which is precisely why a leader can add valuable skills and a look at new strategies. After all, a person who is an integral part of the life of his son or daughter meets his needs and still guarantees an appropriate environment for him to grow, certainly brings excellent coordination skills, innovation, use of time, and ability to perform different functions.
For Viviane, our Tech Lead, both in leadership and maternity, we are looking to help people develop attitudes that always require an empathic posture and sometimes a firmer pulse. In both cases, the strategy of reinforcing positive behaviors and making solid and constructive criticisms is the key, even in the face of difficult decisions or during a chaotic moment.
“It’s about focusing on construction instead of focusing on empty criticism.” (Viviane Maranhão)
She even said that she has a unique contribution: to develop the superpower of each person so that each employee presents their best work. It is possible when each person is carefully observed and believed for their potential to impact the final product.
Still talking about balance skills, Viviane needs to coordinate different engineering teams not directly related to Artificial Intelligence as a professional. It is necessary, then, to have a comprehensive thought and to know how to harmonize different priorities, since the set of these teams encompasses several functionalities, such as the use of auxiliary technologies, quality control of codes, development of platforms, correspondence between the platform and artificial intelligence, etc. And at first, each one brings its objective. Almost like in a family!
The challenge, for her, is to cadence these teams and find out about their work, making everyone move in the same direction and guaranteeing the delivery of results within adequate deadlines.
Reading recommendation: What did motherhood teach me about leadership?
Finally, it is essential to know that everyone can contribute to this more diverse and inclusive reality, but it is necessary to know-how.
Starting with companies, which should pay attention to expanding their position of women and mothers in strategic and leadership roles, it is necessary to develop policies and spread this culture to align with the same mindset. And also with transformed individual attitudes, seeking to recognize and open up to new learnings so that diversity happens.
Especially within the technology area, discussing disruption, breaking paradigms, and valuing women and mothers is undoubtedly part of the construction of an increasingly innovative culture. It provides the space for high-performance leaders to form and be fueled by the energy of fulfilling dreams and personal projects.
As already said in our blog: from the choice of the location of its headquarters, decoration elements, visual identity, and even the words used in daily life are essential and make up the culture of a company. And in ours, mothers are very welcome!
Reading recommendation: How can technology companies be better for mothers?
