Whether you’re discussing tradeoffs with a designer, rallying support for a new tool, or reviewing someone’s code, emotional intelligence is essential for effective software engineering. This talk provides a framework for understanding your own behavior and cultivating empathy for others. You’ll leave inspired to apply these skills to unlock your full potential as a developer and a human being! Software may be built on machines, but it’s built by and for human beings. To be a highly effective software engineer, you must be able to navigate human interactions successfully. Emotional intelligence is the set of competencies that will allow you to do just that! Presented at PyTennessee February 11, 2018

1. EMOTIONAL
INTELLIGENCE
FOR ENGINEERS
@APRILWENSEL
@COMPASSIONCODE
COMPASSIONATE
C O D I N G

2. @COMPASSIONCODE

3. @COMPASSIONCODE

4. 2834 Azalea Pl, Nashville,TN 37204
@COMPASSIONCODE

5. 1. WHAT IS EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE?
2. WHY SHOULD YOU CARE?
3. HOW DO YOU DEVELOP IT?
@COMPASSIONCODE
PLAN

6. @COMPASSIONCODE

7. I USED TO BE
A JERK
@COMPASSIONCODE

8. https://medium.com/compassionate-coding/
confessions-of-a-recovering-jerk-programmer-
b9d531a05ea9
“CONFESSIONS OF A RECOVERING JERK PROGRAMMER”
@COMPASSIONCODE

9. TO THE NEGATIVE
NANCIES AND
NEDDIES…
@COMPASSIONCODE

10. “GUYS” ?
Photo: http://www.wocintechchat.com/

11. @COMPASSIONCODE
“GUYS” ?
https://medium.com/@jackdanger/the-end-of-guys-e42ef2d60b7a

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“LADIES” ?
https://medium.com/@jackdanger/the-end-of-guys-e42ef2d60b7a

13. @COMPASSIONCODE
FOLKS
EVERYBODY
EVERYONE
PEOPLE
ALL
Y’ALL
FRIENDS
TEAM
https://medium.com/@jackdanger/the-end-of-guys-e42ef2d60b7a

14. EMOTIONAL
INTELLIGENCE?
@COMPASSIONCODE

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20. THE ABILITY TO
UNDERSTAND AND
MANAGE EMOTIONS
@COMPASSIONCODE

21. SELF-AWARENESS
CONFIDENCE
EMPATHY
ACHIEVEMENT
COLLABORATION
MOTIVATION
RESILIENCE
CONFLICT MANAGEMENT
…
@COMPASSIONCODE

22. @COMPASSIONCODE

23. @COMPASSIONCODEhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jkfCLAbapI

24. http://image.advance.net/home/advance-media/width600/img/nj-lvl_eagles_syndication/photo/
2017/12/23/as3q5618jpg-c5133449ec14529e.jpg

25. STOP CALLING
THEM
“SOFT SKILLS”
@COMPASSIONCODE

26. @COMPASSIONCODE

27. CATALYTIC
SKILLS
@COMPASSIONCODEhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-hoo_dIOP8k
Daniel Goleman

28. WHY
SHOULD
YOU CARE?
@COMPASSIONCODE

29. @COMPASSIONCODE
48%
40%
23%
17%
Changing or
poorly
documented
requirements
Poor team or
organizational
management
Developer
churn and loss
of key talent
Immature dev
tools and
application
platforms
Why Software Projects Fail
Application Developers Alliance. Developer Insights Report. 2015.n = 850
@COMPASSIONCODE
n=850
WHY SOFTWARE PROJECTS FAIL

30. 1. TEAM ORIENTED
2. SEEKS HELP
3. HELPS OTHERS
http://www.cs.colostate.edu/~bieman/Pubs/turleyBiemanCSC94.pdf
ESSENTIAL COMPETENCIES OF SOFTWARE ENGINEERS
@COMPASSIONCODE
“Identifying Essential Competencies of
Software Engineers,” Turley & Bieman, 1994

31. @COMPASSIONCODE
https://medium.com/compassionate-coding/only-
you-can-prevent-tech-burnout-be3f0504c627

32. @COMPASSIONCODE

33. YOU ARE
NOT A
ROBOT
@COMPASSIONCODE

34. "I'M NOT WORRIED ABOUT ARTIFICIAL
INTELLIGENCE GIVING COMPUTERS THE
ABILITY TO THINK LIKE HUMANS…I'M
MORE CONCERNED ABOUT PEOPLE
THINKING LIKE COMPUTERS.”
Tim Cook
@COMPASSIONCODE http://www.cnbc.com/2017/06/09/watch-apple-ceo-tim-cook-
speaks-at-mit-commencement.html

35. 1. GIVE EFFECTIVE FEEDBACK IN
CODE REVIEWS
2. NAME VARIABLES
3. DESIGN APIS
4. NEGOTIATE WITH DESIGNERS
5. RALLY SUPPORT FOR A NEW TOOL
6. MOTIVATE YOURSELF
7. INTERVIEW CANDIDATES
8. MENTOR NEW HIRES
@COMPASSIONCODE

36. https://compassionatecoding.com/emotional-manifesto
AGILE MANIFESTO
@COMPASSIONCODE
Welcome changing requirements, even late in
development. Agile processes harness change
for the customer's competitive advantage.
EMPATHY
SERVICE ORIENTATION
ADAPTABILITY
OPTIMISM
INITIATIVE

37. “IT IS POSSIBLE TO BE TOO SMART FOR
PROGRAMMING—IF THE PERSON IS NOT
SMART ENOUGH TO USE HIS INTELLIGENCE TO
MODIFY HIS SOCIAL BEHAVIOR AND METHODS
OF CONVERSATION.”
Jerry Weinberg
The Psychology of Computer Programming
@COMPASSIONCODE

38. 1. REDUCED STRESS
2. IMPROVED PRODUCTIVITY
3. BETTER RELATIONSHIPS
4. HAPPINESS!
@COMPASSIONCODE
PERSONAL BENEFITS
greatergood.berkeley.edu

39. HOW DO YOU
DEVELOP IT?
@COMPASSIONCODE

40. https://www.flickr.com/photos/hades2k/7186127084 @COMPASSIONCODE

41. DISTRESSING
EMOTIONS ARE
LIKE ALERTS
@COMPASSIONCODE

42. @COMPASSIONCODE

43. “[O]UT-OF-CONTROL
EMOTIONS CAN MAKE SMART
PEOPLE STUPID.”
Daniel Goleman
Working With Emotional Intelligence
@COMPASSIONCODE

44. EMOTIONAL
INCIDENT
RUNBOOK
@COMPASSIONCODE

45. 1. SLOW DOWN
2. TEND TO YOUR NEEDS
3. OFFER EMPATHY
4. PROCEED CALMLY
@COMPASSIONCODE

46. 1. SLOW DOWN
2. TEND TO YOUR NEEDS
3. OFFER EMPATHY
4. PROCEED CALMLY
@COMPASSIONCODE

47. https://frogenvironmental.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Water-Lynx-sediment-control.jpg

48. SHELTER, REST, FOOD, SAFETY
AUTONOMY, CREATIVITY, MEANING
LOVE, RESPECT, TRUST, CLOSENESS, COMMUNITY
FUN, LAUGHTER
BEAUTY, ORDER, PEACE
NEEDS
@COMPASSIONCODENonviolent Communication by Marshall Rosenberg

49. WHAT MIGHT THE
OTHER PERSON BE
FEELING, VALUING,
AND NEEDING?
@COMPASSIONCODE

50. MORGAN: Alex, I saw that you set the points on a story by yourself
again. We’re supposed to vote as a team.
ALEX: I never agreed to that. The story was just a quick task. What
does it matter?
MORGAN: We have a process in place, and we’re supposed to stick to
it.
ALEX: You ALWAYS do that—bring up process. We waste SO much
time talking about process. I just want to get things done!
MORGAN: And you’re always being reckless and breaking things! We
have processes in place for a reason. If you can’t stick to them,
maybe you shouldn’t be on this team!
ALEX: Yeah, maybe I shouldn’t!
@COMPASSIONCODE

51. MORGAN: Alex, when I saw that you set the points on a story without
consulting anyone, I felt concerned because I need to trust that we
share responsibility as a team. Can you explain what happened?
ALEX: The story was just a quick, one-point task. What does it matter?
MORGAN: It seems like you value moving quickly and feel that process
sometimes gets in the way. Is that right?
ALEX: Well, yeah. I don’t want to talk about process. I just want to get
things done!
MORGAN: I also want to get things done. It’s also important to me that I
feel a sense of order. Would you be willing to send a quick note to the
team when you point a story on your own so that we at least know?
ALEX: Yeah, I guess I can do that.
@COMPASSIONCODE

52. WASTE OF
TIME?
@COMPASSIONCODE

53. EMOTIONAL
INCIDENT
RUNBOOK
@COMPASSIONCODE

54. TAKES PRACTICE
@COMPASSIONCODE

55. RECALL AN
INCIDENT…
@COMPASSIONCODE

56. @COMPASSIONCODE

57. 1. SLOW DOWN
2. TEND TO YOUR NEEDS
3. OFFER EMPATHY
4. PROCEED CALMLY
@COMPASSIONCODE

58. MORE EFFECTIVE
INDIVIDUALS
MORE EFFECTIVE
TEAMS
@COMPASSIONCODE

59. THE PROBLEMS WE’RE
FACING IN TECH ALL
RELATE TO THIS LACK OF
CONCERN FOR HUMAN
BEINGS
@COMPASSIONCODE

60. “IF IT IS NOT TEMPERED BY
COMPASSION AND EMPATHY,
REASON CAN LEAD MEN AND
WOMEN INTO A MORAL VOID.”
Karen Armstrong
Twelve Steps to a Compassionate Life
@COMPASSIONCODE

61. @COMPASSIONCODE
http://www.encinitastemple.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/meditation-gardens-ocean-view.jpg

62. http://www.encinitastemple.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/meditation-gardens-ocean-view.jpg
“WHEN PEOPLE SPEAK OF ‘POLITICAL,’
‘SOCIAL,’ OR ‘INTERNATIONAL’ PROBLEMS,
THEY OFTEN DO NOT REALIZE THAT THESE
CONDITIONS ARE NOTHING MORE THAN THE
ACCUMULATED THOUGHTS AND ACTIONS OF
MILLIONS OF INDIVIDUALS. AND THE ONLY WAY
TO CHANGE WORLD CONDITIONS IS TO CHANGE
OURSELVES.”
—MEDITATION GARDENS BOOKLET
@COMPASSIONCODE

63. NEWSLETTER!
COMPASSIONATECODING.COM
THANK YOU!