Session given at http://usg.edu/rock_eagle on October 25, 2012. DESCRIPTION: While a community of Drupal aficionados has existed at Georgia Tech, it had not been active for a while. This session discusses how we encouraged every level of Drupalista in our community to collaborate and share in the coding and configuring tasks that come with using Drupal in such a de-centralized higher ed environment. And, don't worry, we also share our code and configuration documentation as well!

1. Catalyzing Drupal
collaboration & coding
at your institution
@adellefrank #usg12
http://adellef.co/401
Thursday, October 25, 2012 @ 3:15pm
http://www.usg.edu/rock_eagle
USG Annual Computing Conference

2. Who I am & why this matters to me
@adellefrank #usg12
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3. What we will talk about
• Share tools you can use to build relationships &
structures at your school that encourage techies to
collaborate (disclaimer).
• Why this matters to YOU
• 4 communication scripts
• hook_build($community);
• Leverage strengths
• Observe behaviors
• Make it safe to fail
• How to get better?
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4. Script 1: Contrasting to clarify
hook_contrasting() {
$not_bad = ‘I don’t intend disrespect or mean…’;
$is_good = ‘I do respect and intend good…’;
return $clarity = $not_bad + $is_good;
}
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5. Why this matters
• Collaboration: leverage scarce resources
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6. Why this matters
• You get prizes! 
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7. Why this matters
• Collaboration: make work more pleasant &
productive
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8. Who are you & why are you here?
• Who are you?
• Why are you in this session?
– Challenges?
– Desires for this session?
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9. How to build community (a thesis)
If there’s a break in how your functions & variables
communicate, you can get errors or inefficient processing.
hook_build($relationships, $structures) {
$community = $structures + $relationships;
return $community;
}
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10. Structure is a necessary framework
• Consistency
– Places & times to CONNECT.
– Face-to-face: monthly, not weekly
– Virtual places: listserv, wiki, git, right
NOW tools
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11. Structure is organic
• Hierarchical support is key
• But, must be Informal to succeed.
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12. What Structures have you seen?
• What structures and/or tools have worked for you?
• What have not worked?
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13. Recipe for Relationships
• We also need structures and tools that
help us interact and talk with other
people.
– Get to know yourself &
use your strengths
– Get to know others &
make it safe to trust
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14. Script 2: Focusing questions
• Step back from the emotions part of conversation,
to let other part of brain take over.
hook_focusing_questions ($real_wants) {
$myself = $real_wants [0];
$others = $real_wants [1];
$relationship = $real_wants [2];
$myself + $others + $relationship = $intent;
$behavior = $intent;
return $behavior;
}
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15. Know thyself
• Understand how you
interact with the world:
– Myers Briggs
– Enneagram
– Strengthsfinder
– Birkman
• Has anyone used these tools?
• How did they help you?
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16. Leverage your strengths
• Why focus on strengths?
– “people have several times more potential for growth when they
invest energy in developing their strengths instead of correcting their
deficiences”
– (page i, StrengthsFinder 2.0)
• How I used my strengths:
– Introvert
– Input/Activator
– Observer
• What are YOU good at?
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17. Observable behaviors - 1
Data: Words spoken (often express a need).
Tools:
– Be open & curious
– Asking questions to clarify
– Paraphrasing what you think you heard
them saying
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18. Observable behaviors - 2
Data: Body language & facial expression.
Tools:
– Mirroring: mimicking body position/facial
expression
– Paying attention: Eye contact, Lean
forward, Nod, Smile, etc.
– Identify facial expressions, body postures,
gestures (yours & others)
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19. Observable behaviors - 3
• Data: Interaction patterns in different
settings.
Tools:
– Look for Myers-Briggs styles of
communicating: can you adapt your
approach to that style?
– Notice changes in behavior patterns
• Acknowledge observed behavior. “You
seem to be really concerned…”
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20. Leverage your community’s strengths
• Examples at Tech:
– good space for meeting,
– design,
– strategy,
– git server,
– knowledge of community history,
– super coder & sys admin skillsets
• Listening & observing = discover WHO is good at
what in your community & how you can best share.
• What about your community???
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21. Script 3: S.T.A.T.E.
hook_crucial_conversation () {
$S = ‘share your FACTS’;
$T = ‘tell your STORY’;
$A = ‘ask for others’ paths’;
$T = ‘talk tentatively’;
$E = ‘encourage testing’;
return $talk = $S+$T+$A+$T+$E;
}
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22. Creating trust & making it safe
• The Speed of Trust
• Be Intentional
• Be Vulnerable (like dating)
• Fail publicly sometimes & demo incomplete projects
• Ask Qs (if don’t ask, can’t say yes)
• Share answers & offer help
• Be publicly appreciative
• Apologize appropriately
• Be transparent, but honor others’ confidentiality
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23. When communities fail
• No support from hierarchy
• No motivation or interest
• Don’t adapt to change or meet common needs
• Lack of relationships & trust
• Lack of informal, but consistent structures
• What have you seen in failed collaborations &
communities?
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24. Script 4: CRIB for win-wins
• Stay focused on intentions, the WHY, not the how,
so everyone can Win (both + and).
hook_all_win () {
$C = ‘commit to seek mutual purpose’;
$R = ‘recognize purpose & needs behind strategy ’;
$I = ‘invent a mutual purpose’;
$B = ‘brainstorm new strategies’;
return $group_success = $C+$R+$I+$B;
}
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25. Ideas for getting better
• One thing at a time
• One person at a time
• Honor Variety: levels & topics & personalities
– Listservs for lurkers
– How-to clinics for newbies
– Diving deep for developers
– Q&A before/after meetings (or other 1-on-1)
• Involve larger communities (AtlantaPHP)
• Your ideas??
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26. References
• Crucial Conversations (book)
• The Speed of Trust (book)
• StrengthsFinder 2.0 (book)
• http://www.wikihow.com/Read-Body-Language
• http://www.wikihow.com/Communicate-With-Body-
Language
• http://www.positivityblog.com/index.php/2006/10/27/
18-ways-to-improve-your-body-language/
• http://www.selfgrowth.com/articles/kyle.html
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27. Slides & Alpha Code shared here
http://adellef.co/401
@adellefrank #usg12
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