The Power of Squads for Black Software Engineers
/dev/color is a non-profit that strives to advance the careers of Black software engineers. We wanted a way where we could share our skills, connections and insights with one another.
Our first take was 1:1 mentoring, but that only allowed sharing with one person at a time and wasn’t an efficient use of time. Instead, we started meeting regularly in small peer coaching circles called Squads. Everyone is able to take away useful lessons when a group of peers comes together to share experiences that they’ve been through.
I asked members about their squads and they discussed how squads have expanded their impact.
Encouragement to Get Better
Squad members encourage each other to keep getting better.
I met with Kaanon MacFarlane, a Software Engineer at Pinterest and member. He discussed the benefit of participating in squads.
“Squads provide me with a reminder to stay committed to getting better. I see a lot of squad members hustling to improve themselves. It is really encouraging for me and inspires me to do the same,” he said.
Squads provide members with a sense of accountability for acting on their goals. Members are more likely to create and achieve ambitious career goals with a group of like-minded, supportive people around them.
Realistic and Achievable Goals
Members say that squads help them set realistic and achievable goals. Jessica Mong, Software Engineer at SurveyMonkey and member, shared how she has grown since joining the organization.
“I have someone to explain things to and get advice on. Its opened my eyes to making realistic goals. I’ve been able to figure out why I should set goals and see where they will take me,” she said.
Members share the ambitious career goals they create for themselves. By sharing those goals, they inspire one another to reach new levels.
The members I talked shared many success stories and attributed their development to their squads.
Relationships with Knowledgeable People
Squads provide members with access to ambitious black software engineers. Mike Lee, Engineering Manager at Khan Academy and member, benefits from his relationships with squad members.
“Squad meetings give me something to look forward to. These are all individual people who have led different lives but we all have been working for a similar amount of time,” he said.
Squads are made of of engineers and leaders who have unique experiences in industry. Members tell me how they learn and grow exponentially fast in an environment that the organization creates.
“I like that each week we can draw on each others experiences and trust on each others’ advice,” he said.
I have met many /dev/color members and they each have unique experiences and perspectives. Black software engineers now have a place outside of their offices to jumpstart their career development.
The bonds fostered by squads are proving to be transformational and long lasting.
/dev/color is a non-profit organization that maximizes the impact of Black software engineers. We create environments where Black software engineers can learn from one another and hold one another accountable for reaching ambitious career goals. To learn more, check out our website and follow our blog & twitter account.
