Today, we are seeing an increasing number of women heading some of the most important tech companies in the world.

Technology is a constantly evolving field. With social advancements, the tech industry must confront new realities within the current social context. As our society moves closer to gender equality, women are working to build a stronger presence in the traditionally male-dominated tech industry.

Today, we are seeing an increasing number of women heading some of the most important tech companies in the world. Women are leading technological innovation the world over and working tirelessly to encourage more women to pursue a career in tech.

We had the privilege to sit down with Teresa Ramos, Director of the Bachelor’s Degree in Information Systems Management at IEU, to talk about women in the tech industry.

What are some of the biggest challenges that women who want to venture in the world of technology face today?

One of the biggest challenges that women who pursue careers in tech face is that there are few women currently in the field. This reality unfortunately prevents more women from joining. I really think this is a consequence of a closed traditional mindset in which women feel excluded from the industry.

Another important challenge involves the lack of role models. Even though women have made some incredible achievements in tech, they are constantly obscured by men. There are many women who have recently achieved great positions in this industry, including Sheryl Sandberg, COO at Facebook, or Marisa Mayer, CEO at Yahoo. I truly believe that we will see more female tech leaders in the years to come.

Finally, we are still seeing more men studying STEM than women. This topic has been discussed extensively as of late. It’s a common misconception that as women, we don’t have the “tech capacity” that men do. Of course, I find this to be completely absurd. Women have an amazing capacity for abstract thinking, strong communication skills, and the ability to effectively verbalize abstract concepts.

Technology is a male-dominated field. What steps should be taken to attract more women to tech?

I think these efforts have to be from the ground up. We can’t get more women in the tech industry if we don’t have women studying STEM. We can’t get more women in STEM if we’re not working to promote science and technology in the early stages of education. It is a work in progress that needs to start in primary or even pre-school.

As more women join STEM to pursue careers in tech, this field will start to become more attractive to women. Today, there are more women in this field than when I joined it a couple of decades ago, and I think that informatics have had a lot to do with that.

Informatics and new tech are now more accessible than ever. This has helped women get a taste of new areas of knowledge and tech. As women have more interaction with technology they cultivate a stronger interest in the area, become more curious and invested in pursuing the topic academically and professionally.  

It’s also crucial that women help other women pursue technology careers. Role models play a vital part of the journey.

We have already seen women doing great things in tech in recent years, and I am confident that this presence will continue to grow and reach total 50/50 equality in the field in the coming decades.

Who do you think should pursue studies in technology and innovation management?

People who pursue studies and careers in these fields are curious individuals who are great problem-solvers and that constantly seek new ways to bring innovative solutions. They are always curious about what they can do to change the world, and how they can apply technology in new ways to solve either new problems or old problems in different and innovative ways.

How is technology affecting businesses?

Technology is affecting everything, not just business. Today you can find new technologies everywhere, they are all around us. We need innovation processes to bring technology to life and effectively merge it with people’s daily activities and routines.

Technology impacts businesses in diverse ways by improving operations process, enabling data analysis to optimize business functions, increasing data processing capacity to improve strategies, and facilitating communication to aid in internationalization.

With that said, I don’t like to think of technology as a force to improve only businesses. Technology is a force that can make our daily lives better.

Can you describe a technologist?

A technologist is someone who is very curious about learning. The typical technologist has to be a life-long learner. They are people who are prepared and willing to keep reading, learning, and researching how to improve processes throughout their careers.

It definitely has to be someone who likes the idea of a hands-on profession, since technology is about experimenting, building, and creating. In essence, a technologist wants to make their mark on the world.

What would be your message to women trying to get into technology?

Women will play a crucial role in the future of technology. We have considered this in the design and development of our program, and we are precisely trying to create an environment at IE University where women and men can both work together to drive innovation. So don’t think twice about it, join this wonderful field, and play a part in building the digital future!

Feel free to share your thoughts and opinions with us. If you would like to learn more about the Bachelor of Information Systems Management, please don’t hesitate to get in touch at university@ie.edu.

La directora de gestión de sistemas de información del IE repasa su trayectoria desde una perspectiva de género y cree que las nuevas tecnologías son una oportunidad para la igualdad

Hace poco, el club de Big Data del Instituto de Empresa me invitó a participar en una mesa redonda sobre mujeres y tecnología para discutir el papel de las mujeres en este ámbito y ver cómo potenciar su presencia en el mismo. Junto con el resto de las ponentes, mujeres con éxitos sobradamente reconocidos en sus carreras, comenzamos compartiendo nuestras experiencias trabajando en un terreno predominantemente masculino.

Conté algunas de mis experiencias de trabajo en el Reino Unido al terminar mi carrera. A las pocas semanas de llegar a los laboratorios de investigación de una multinacional de referencia en el sector de las telecomunicaciones, recibí una invitación a una fiesta dirigida a «la chica española del edificio». El remitente era otro investigador, hombre para más señas, a quien no conocía. Ante mi perplejidad, mi jefe me explicó que, dado el bajo número de mujeres, esto era la tónica normal y que lo mejor era que me fuese acostumbrando. Esa iba a ser mi realidad laboral: ser la única mujer entre muchísimos hombres.

Un par de años más tarde, todavía en la misma empresa, tenía que cambiar de edificio cada vez que quería ir al baño. Yo era la única mujer del departamento y los baños de señoras se habían reconvertido en cuartos de limpieza.

Años después, trabajando en Alemania, en otra multinacional de referencia en el sector de la alta tecnología, yo era la mujer de puesto más elevado en la parte técnica de la misma. Viví situaciones tales como que me mandaran tomar actas de las reuniones, asumiendo que era la secretaria, o que me explicaran lo que era una «micra» (1x e-6 metros), dando por hecho que no lo sabría.

Tenía que cambiar de edificio cuando quería ir al baño. Era la única mujer y los baños de señoras se habían reconvertido en cuartos de limpieza

También en este tiempo, la filial española de otra gran multinacional me ofreció un trabajo en España. El puesto era dos niveles inferiores al que yo tenía en aquel momento. Su argumento fue que no había mujeres en puestos de mi nivel en la parte técnica de la organización. Rechacé la oferta y esperé quince años antes de volver a España.

Hasta ahí, fue una mesa redonda de lo más normal.

Sin embargo, una de las preguntas finales me hizo reflexionar: «¿Qué te animó a estudiar ciencia y tecnología: que estuviera de moda y con muchas salidas profesionales o que te gustara realmente?»

Mi respuesta fue que, cuando yo empecé a estudiar Ciencias Fisicas, la tecnología todavía no estaba de moda. Ni siquiera lo estaba cuando terminé. Cuando empecé a trabajar, el email sólo se usaba en entornos de investigación. La primera vez que vi un navegador de internet fue en una reunión de trabajo. Meses después, parte de mis objetivos laborales eran «familiarizarme con internet, dedicando unas horas al día a navegar». En un grupo de investigación básica, era necesario estar al día de las últimas tendencias tecnológicas como internet. Mi bonificación dependía de esto.

Estudié ciencia porque tengo la suerte de tener un padre, maestro de escuela en las asignaturas de ciencias y matemáticas, que jugaba conmigo explicándome el número pi con la cuerda de tender, haciendo bloques de plastilina para contar en base dos o tres y usando monedas para entender la cara oculta de la luna. La ciencia para mí era un juego.

Estudié ciencia porque tengo la suerte de tener un padre que jugaba conmigo explicándome el número pi con la cuerda de tender

Todo gracias a tener un maestro excepcional: mi padre. Un hombre apasionado por la ciencia y por su profesión, que compartía su pasión tanto con hombres como con mujeres; sin hacer distinciones de género. La cara de asombro y las exclamaciones de incredulidad de todos los participantes ante mi comentario fueron increíbles.

Me di cuenta de que mi historia ya no es relevante para las nuevas generaciones de mujeres en tecnología. Muchas de nosotras, pioneras, hemos trabajado en esos entornos pero, aunque no haga muchos años de esto —y a mí me sigue pareciendo que fue ayer—, era otro universo completamente distinto. Un universo masculino en el que ¡¡se pagaba por navegar internet en horas de trabajo!!

El mundo de la tecnología se mueve muy rápido. Se abren constantemente nuevos campos que empiezan desde cero. Áreas específicas como big data, internet de las cosas o blockchain no existían hace pocos años. Aquí no hay legados. Mujeres y hombres empiezan desde el mismo punto. Los referentes, masculinos o femeninos, no existen. Los estamos creando a diario. Muchos de ellos son los propios recién llegados (y llegadas) a estas nuevas áreas.

Lo que se ha conseguido en estos últimos años ha sido mucho y, sin embargo, es insignificante comparado con lo que se sigue consiguiendo. Es una progresión aritmética, en la que todos los días tenemos la oportunidad de empezar de nuevo, sin una herencia o unas estructuras arcaicas que lastren a las mujeres. Estoy plenamente convencida de que dentro de muy poco, la proporción de mujeres en tecnología reflejará la de la sociedad. Y esto se debe, fundamentalmente, a la naturaleza tan dinámica y cambiante de entorno, que permite crear nuevas áreas y campos de conocimiento en los que empezar desde cero y con igualdad de oportunidades.

Originally published on EL PAIS: Así es trabajar siendo mujer en un sector masculinizado | Transformación Digital | Tecnología | EL PAÍS (elpais.com)

Versión publicada por Teresa Ramos: www.linkedin.com

Parece que, cuando se trata de progresar en la incorporación de la mujer a ciertos ámbitos laborales y económicos, cualquier iniciativa termina explotándonos entre las manos y dejándonos peor que antes

Aunque los números no me den la razón, siempre he sido optimista en relación al número de mujeres en STEM (acrónimo inglés que aglutina ciencias, tecnología, ingeniería y matemáticas). Las estadísticas indican que este alcanzó un máximo en los 90 (1991, según algunas fuentes) y no ha conseguido remontar desde entonces.

A pesar de las estadísticas, siempre he creído que ese número iba a aumentar rápidamente y que, en un plazo de tiempo corto, las mujeres estaríamos en igualdad con los hombres. Para sustentarlo me basaba en el hecho de que la ciencia y la tecnología están cada vez más presentes en más áreas de nuestras vidas.

Las mujeres estamos expuestas a la ciencia y la tecnología tanto como los hombres y, por tanto, cada vez nos resulta un campo más familiar. Ya no se trata de algo con lo que no tenemos contacto, sino de algo cercano y diario, que nos ayuda y facilita las cosas. No es un mundo ajeno, sino uno en el que estamos inmersas día a día. Ya empieza a haber muchos referentes femeninos en el ámbito de las ciencias.

La pregunta sería graciosa, incluso ridícula, si las consecuencias no fueran tan importantes. ¿Podemos seguir permitiendo el lujo de perder o infrautilizar la mitad del talento disponible (el femenino)?

Marie Curie y Ada Lovelace ya no son las únicas grandes figuras en este campo, y las niñas y jóvenes ya pueden aspirar a seguir los pasos de otras notables y conocidas científicas y tecnólogas. Mi creencia era que, aunque muy despacio, el número de mujeres en ciencia y tecnología estaba aumentando en una progresión lenta pero segura y que hombres y mujeres iban a estar, cada vez más, en igualdad numérica en las aulas, en los laboratorios, en las oficinas, en los congresos.

Las consecuencias del #MeToo

Sin embargo, hace poco empecé a oír que las mujeres en Wall Street ya no eran invitadas a viajes de negocios. No eran convocadas a reuniones. No se requería su presencia en cenas y comidas de trabajo. Era la devastadora consecuencia de #MeToo. La incorporación de la mujer no solo se había parado sino que había retrocedido y lo que, en principio, fue un movimiento que quería ayudarnos y empoderarnos, terminó siendo contraproducente y contribuyendo a que nuestra situación empeorara.

Parece que, cuando se trata de progresar en la incorporación de la mujer a ciertos ámbitos laborales y económicos, cualquier iniciativa termina explotándonos entre las manos y dejándonos peor que antes.

Frente a las inesperadas consecuencias de #MeToo en Wall Street, he empezado a preguntarme cómo este fenómeno pueden extenderse al campo de la ciencia. ¿Van nuestros colegas científicos y tecnólogos también a dejar de viajar, reunirse y trabajar con nosotras?

La pregunta sería graciosa, incluso ridícula, si las consecuencias no fueran tan importantes. ¿Podemos seguir permitiendo el lujo de perder o infrautilizar la mitad del talento disponible (el femenino)?

Dado que las iniciativas empleadas hasta ahora no parecen funcionar (como muestran las estadísticas) y que nuevas iniciativas como #MeToo también resultan fallidas, ¿qué se necesita para, de verdad y de manera sostenible, incrementar el número de mujeres de manera continuada?

Necesitamos empezar una nueva reflexión desde puntos de vista nuevos para poder tomar acciones distintas y tener cuidado con posibles alternativas que, aunque a primera vista resulten muy valientes y atractivas, pueden tener un efecto totalmente contrario al deseado inicialmente. Como sociedad, ¿qué vamos a hacer?

Artículo original publicado en Nueva Tribuna:

¿Igualdad de género en ciencia? Los números no nos dan la razón

Versión publicada por Teresa Ramos: es.linkedin.com

Teresa Ramos participó en la sesión «¿Qué sabemos del internet de las cosas?» de Casa de América en febrero de 2019. Su ponencia, «Internet de las cosas y otros sospechosos habituales», trata sobre las posibilidades de la tecnología conectada y el papel de la ciberseguridad.

Ver la información del evento en Casa de América →

Digital transformation is creating a generational divide among employees: “digital natives” who grew up in a connected world, versus “digital immigrants” who have to adapt to a changing workplace.

Among the “digital immigrants” are many leaders and top managers. HR needs to bridge this digital divide in a way that enables all the people in an organisation to excel and contribute.

In a MERIT masterclass in Amsterdam on 16 October 2019, Teresa Ramos Martín, director of the Technology and Innovation programme at IE University (Spain), revealed how HR can drive transformation without exacerbating thе digital divide. The exclusive C-level event brought together HR and L&D leaders from companies such as HPE and Signify on a beautiful morning in Amsterdam.

“The biggest challenge is with our top people”, Ramos said. She highlighted the ineffective talent management strategies that are currently being used for digital immigrants. The masterclass demonstrated that the problem of digital transformation and top management has a human, rather than a technological solution: HR executives need to take the lead and facilitate some difficult conversations.

How not to drive digital transformation

Ramos shared that she, herself, is a digital immigrant: she remembers experiencing the internet for the first time when working in British Telecom’s research labs. Ramos retired early from her career in telecommunications, as did many of her colleagues, making way for younger talent. This made her aware of a major problem with digital transformation.

“Something that I see happening is companies getting rid of top managers that reach a certain age in favour of younger talent that are digital natives,” Ramos said. This approach is far from optimal, “because there is all this human capital going to waste.”

Further, eliminating top talent who are digital immigrants is detrimental to an organisation’s culture and climate. This approach “results in top management feeling really lost… they are really scared because they see their job is on the line, and their egos are on the line”. As their junior colleagues are leading them on technology, some top managers are asking themselves what their own value is.

Yet, Ramos argued, senior talent’s value is critical to the company. “Leaders have the historical background of the organisations in their heads”: they are a source of identity. Over the years, they have had the chance to learn from mistakes and have developed a more critical mindset. Top managers “know what technology is good for and is not good for.”

Today, major tech companies like Facebook are increasingly criticised for assuming that more technology is always good. Experienced talent are the ones who can provide a strategic vision that goes beyond catching up with the newest trends.

Excluding non-tech-savvy talent is doing a disservice not only to digital immigrants but to digital natives, too. As top management is sent into retirement, “Young talent are being overpromoted to roles that require a lot of responsibility. All of a sudden, they see that they are in jobs that maybe they aren’t so ready to take on. And we expect them, like a kind of Superman, to… come out a fully fledged leader ready to take the organisation forward.” 

As a result, many digital natives are also “feeling lost”. That is because organisations are not leveraging the value of experienced leaders who have non-digital skills such as resilience, dealing with frustration, managing conflict, and taking the longer view.

HR’s role in the face of this digital and generational divide is to create an environment where both sides can contribute.

What is digital transformation, anyway?

As a model for retraining digital immigrants, Ramos gave masterclass participants a crash course on the digital revolution – no small feat in the span of ten minutes. She provided an accessible, jargon-free overview of digital technologies and how they stack together.

The digital revolution has changed the ways we 1) gather data, 2) transport it, 3) store it, 4) secure it, and 5) process it and find meaning in it. Each step of this value chain is disrupted.

• More data is available than ever before, thanks to new technologies including mobile phones, social media, and the internet of things.
• Transporting the data is also much faster thanks to technologies like 4G and 5G, which have low latency. This means that data moves in an orderly way, in chunks that are quickly reassembled.
• All this data is easy to store once it arrives, thanks to cloud computing. As Ramos quipped, “The cloud is nothing else but somebody else’s server.”
• Then comes securing the data. Blockchain, Ramos explained, is a way to store information so that you can track each “block” and therefore trust it.
• Once data is gathered, transported, stored, and secured, it needs to be processed. Here, Ramos argued, not that much has changed. “Big data is what in our days used to be called probability and statistics – this is just a glamorous name for it.”
• After data has been sorted and analysed, AI can find meaning in it, helping us see what part of it matters and why.

Ramos’s recap of the digital revolution, worthy of a viral Twitter thread, demonstrated that digital technology is nothing to be apprehensive about. Everyone can grasp it.

Getting comfortable with agility

But it is not only information gathering, storing, and processing that digital transformation has disrupted. It is also impacting organisational structures, compelling everyone to become more agile.

In a game involving dozens of tennis balls, masterclass participants discovered for themselves how teams and organisations respond in an uncertain, changing environment. Under such conditions, there is no single decision-maker – instead, everybody contributes. Different leaders emerge depending on the situation; everyone is open to ideas about what can be done differently.

Agility is “the new way of working – this is where companies are going,” Ramos said. Masterclass participants agreed that “everyone is doing agile.”

Agility may not come naturally, however, to top management who are used to a more hierarchical structure. “Top talent are used to ‘information is power’, and now everybody has the information,” Ramos said.

Top managers may be feeling insecure about the new flat hierarchy, dynamic processes, and “servant leadership” style in which leaders facilitate debate, rather than devising solutions. Executives who came of age in a different era and climbed a corporate ladder to get to their position may be resistant to transformation, digital as well as personal.

Embracing a personal digital transformation

Digital transformation is putting HR professionals in a delicate position with regard to top management: they have to solve a problem for people who may not be aware or acknowledge that a problem exists.

 “I find that that’s a very difficult topic to approach,” said Ramos. Top-level executives “are not used to showing weaknesses; they are not used to coming to HR and saying, ‘Look, I feel insecure, I feel I have a gap and I need support.’ And it’s also not usually the case that HR approaches them and says, ‘Look, I think you really need to develop these skills.’”

HR can help indirectly by fostering a learning culture and a safe environment where trying new things is encouraged.

But direct intervention is also necessary: HR professionals need to address the “elephant in the room” and speak to top managers about their technological blind spots. Ramos advises that HR approach top managers individually. Solutions should be “made to measure”, developed for and with each person.

HR’s task, Ramos said, is to encourage top managers to begin their own “personal digital transformation”. HR should listen to executives’ preferences and values. Questions to ask include, “What kind of digital leader do you want to become? Is your personal digital transformation going to be about technology, or about leadership style?”

If top managers prefer not to retrain or gain new skills, a consulting role or one coaching junior colleagues may be a solution. Supporting executives in mapping and undertaking their own transition can empower and motivate them.

The solution is to “start asking the uncomfortable questions”. Top managers can be brought into a more agile culture through a personal, sympathetic approach. HR can start closing the digital divide, one conversation at a time.

Don’t miss the upcoming C-level MERIT events – join us to share your perspective and learn from experts and peers. To find out more about our Leadership Community and the next important topics we will tackle, contact us here. 

By Ani Kodjabasheva

En mi trabajo en educación tengo la suerte de estar en contacto con gente de generaciones muy distintas. Desde adolescentes recién llegados a la universidad hasta altos ejecutivos, pasando por líderes a punto de jubilarse que quieren seguir contribuyendo a la sociedad.

El colectivo más fascinante para mí son los alumnos universitarios; particularmente los más jóvenes; nativos digitales, venidos al mundo en plena era de la revolución digital. Hicimos un experimento con ellos y les pedimos que estuvieran 8 horas de vigilia de tecnología digital. La mayoría fueron incapaces de conseguirlo y tuvieron que mirar las pantallas de sus móviles pasadas unas pocas horas.

Sin embargo, en estos momentos, estoy viviendo una situación curiosa. Algunos de mis alumnos de grado están preparando su intercambio con una universidad extranjera. Llevan particularmente interesados en este intercambio desde que empezaron sus estudios hace tres años. Al darles el recibimiento en primer año me preguntaron: “¿cuándo iremos de intercambio a otras universidades extranjeras?”.

En segundo año elaboraron una lista con las mejores universidades tecnológicas y de innovación del mundo. Me la entregaron, pidiéndome que firmara acuerdos con ellas para poder realizar su intercambio allí.

Estudiar un semestre en una universidad extranjera ha sido su gran sueño en estos últimos 3 años.

Curiosamente, cuando hace un par de meses llegó el momento de la verdad, empecé a ver una realidad distinta. Lo único que tenían que hacer estos nativos digitales era subir los programas de estudio que quieren cursar a una plataforma informática; es decir, tenían que guardar un archivo en una página web.

Pensé que sería un proceso fácil dado su interés y su edad. Se los expliqué con unos meses de antelación y no hubo dudas ni preguntas. Sin embargo, unos meses después, solo una alumna había subido los programas. Otros alumnos me los habían mandado por correo electrónico. Les respondí que el proceso oficial exigía subirlos a la página web.

Meses después seguía sin haber programas de estudios en la página. Me empecé a preocupar. ¿Habría algún error informático? ¿Estaría mal el sitio web?

Compartí esta preocupación con algunos colaboradores y empezamos a hacer pruebas. Todo funcionaba a la perfección. Pasaron los meses y seguía sin haber actividad por parte de los alumnos. La página web continuaba vacía. Yo estaba cada vez más preocupada por su inexplicable falta de interés. Si seguían así, no iban a poder irse fuera por no aportar la documentación necesaria en los plazos requeridos.

Preocupada, le pregunté otra vez a la alumna que sí había subido los documentos ¿Qué había pasado? Su respuesta me dejó sin palabras. Seguían teniendo interés. El problema era otro: no sabían cómo usar la página web.

Estos nativos digitales, incapaces de pasar un par de horas sin sus smartphones, entraban en la página y se sentían asustados. Aunque la página es muy intuitiva, ellos se perdían y abandonaban.

Era imposible que la verdadera razón fuera el desconocimiento del funcionamiento de la web. Cuando salí de mi asombro, empecé a preguntarles y llegué a la conclusión de que lo que verdaderamente les asustaba era el proceso burocrático en sí. Les daba miedo el hecho de enfrentarse al “papeleo”; aunque, en este caso, el papeleo fuera digital.

La verdadera razón era, como en todos los temas de transformación digital, el factor humano.

Nosotros, los adultos, inmigrantes digitales que hemos aprendido la tecnología en vez de haber nacido con ella, pensamos que, con sólo digitalizar un proceso, éste va a resultar más fácil de completar y menos intimidante. Tenemos la convicción de que la tecnología va a solucionar todas nuestras dificultades. Sin embargo hay problemas que nos resultan difíciles dada nuestra condición de humanos. Los procedimientos burocráticos son uno de ellos; a nadie le gusta hacerlos, sea con papel y lápiz o con ordenador e internet. Nuestros alumnos se sienten intimidados por la burocracia y la página web del mismo modo que generaciones mayores, a su edad, nos sentíamos intimidados por la burocracia y los formularios certificados con sellos oficiales.

Un error muy común en los procesos de transformación digital es no entender bien la raíz del problema y pensar, erróneamente, que añadir tecnología lo va a resolver

En este caso, creemos que un tedioso proceso administrativo se va a convertir en ameno simplemente al poder hacerlo en una página web. Pero no se trata de tecnología sino de la naturaleza humana. Aunque hemos cambiado la ventanilla por la página web, el reto sigue siendo el mismo: formularios y burocracia.

La burocracia y el papeleo serán siempre tediosos. Sean hechos en papel o en ordenador. El problema no es la manera de realizar el proceso sino el proceso mismo.

No se trata de tecnología sino de seres humanos y de la pereza que nos causan ciertas situaciones. La tecnología no nos va a quitar la pereza. Sólo la va a convertir en pereza tecnológica: Pereza 2.0.

Lo que nos motiva y lo que nos aburre como humanos no va a cambiar porque usemos tecnología digital. La verdadera solución al reto de la transformación digital no es usar herramientas tecnológicas. La verdadera solución pasa por entender en profundidad nuestras necesidades y motivaciones y ver cómo la tecnología puede ayudar a hacer nuestras vidas más fáciles y cómodas.

Nota del editor: Teresa Ramos es experta en Tecnología e innovación. Las opiniones publicadas en esta columna pertenecen exclusivamente al autor.

Publicado originalmente en Pereza 2.0 (expansion.mx)

Versión publicada por Teresa Ramos: es.linkedin.com

How did you begin to volunteer?

I can´t remember as I have volunteered since a very young age. When I was in secondary school, I remember setting up and organizing an initiative to collect toys to then fix, clean and deliver to disadvantaged children. Around tis time, I also volunteered to conduct the small orchestra in my school. I guess these are some of my early experiences volunteering and organizing a group of volunteers. 

Why did you continue volunteering?

It is very rewarding and fun. Groups of volunteers always share this enthusiasm, sense of purpuse and joy (you vonlunteer for fun, not for money!!) Volunteering gives you the chance to spot an opportunity to give back to the community and act on it immediately.  

How has volunteering helped you in your career?

When you volunteer, you can try new skills that are not yet so refined. You would not be able to use them in a paid environment as your employer would likely request that you are an expert. However, if you volunteer, you ca be very open about your limited experience and the fact that you would like to improve your skills. Most often than not, people will be glad to have your contributions and help you develop your expertise.

I developed my project management skills by setting up initiatives like the one mentioned above (providing toys for disadvantaged kids),, setting up and organizing my school orchestra

When I started my coaching career, I used to volunteer for an organization helping unemployed people pivot their careers and find new jobs. I practiced tea and group coaching there and became very comfortable coaching big heterogeneous groups. 

I did voluntary work for the United Nations, which helped me expand my network inside the organization which then led to other work opportunities.

Would you encourage other people to take up volunteering, and if so, why?

Yes, definitely! by all means! either join an organization of your likiing or set up your own initiative with some like minded people. It will help you make new friends and acquaintances, you can try new skills whilst giving back and making an impact in your community. 

How To Coach Agile Leaders: Lessons from 10 Years as Scrum Master

You may have heard of the term «Agile» being used a lot in business lately. It seems like everything, and everybody needs to be “agile.” If you’re not “agile,” you’re nobody!

But what does “agile” mean? What does it mean to be an agile leader? And what do we, as coaches, need to pay attention to when coaching agile leaders?

Agile and agility come from agile methodologies. So, let’s start with a brief history:

Back in 2000, the digital revolution had already created a world of high volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity (VUCA). The pace of change was so fast and unpredictable that traditional ways of working were not effective anymore. In this environment, a group of 17 software developers became frustrated with the traditional approach to work; which was often slow, cumbersome, and inflexible. They gathered to discuss new ways of working to stay ahead in the new digital world. 

As a result, they developed the “agile thinking,” captured in the famous “Agile Manifesto, (Beck et al., 2001) based on principles of adaptability, flexibility, and collaboration. Agile thinking is not only about speed. It is also about simplifying, being flexible, and adapting quickly to change. It materializes in a set of methodologies that emphasize collaboration, communication, flexibility, and continuous improvement. 

The main idea is that software development is an iterative process. Teams use short cycles of development and feedback to quickly identify and address problems. This allows them to quickly adapt to changing customer needs and respond to feedback. Additionally, agile methodologies place an emphasis on collaboration, enabling teams to quickly identify, and address problems before they become too large to handle.

It has several benefits. First, it allows teams to adjust to challenges and changes as they occur and address them at early stages. Second, it increases performance and customer satisfaction. Third, it enables customers to see tangible results frequently.
Agile thinking can be applied to any area of business. As a result, agile methodologies have become increasingly popular with corporations, boards, executives, and leaders in all industries.

Summary:

Agile is a mindset, a way of thinking that originated in the software development world to adapt to the rapidly changing and highly uncertain environment created by the digital revolution. The main ideas at the heart of agile thinking are:

1. Work in short iterations that provide teams the necessary flexibility to quickly react and adapt to change.
2. Emphasis on collaboration and communication to quickly identify and address problems before they become too large to handle.

The Agile Leader

Agile leadership is a style of leadership that emphasizes the ability to rapidly adapt to changes and unexpected challenges. Agile leaders are adaptive, open-minded, and able to work in a team. They are willing to experiment, take risks, and be open to feedback. They can listen well, build trust, and collaborate. Are able to quickly pivot and make decisions in the face of uncertainty. Agile leaders are often described as being «flexible,» «adaptable,» and «responsive.”

Some key characteristics that define an agile leader are:

Flexible Vision: An agile leader has a clear vision for what they want to achieve and can articulate it and inspire others to buy into it. This vision is firm enough to make decisions and maintain focus when things get tough and, at the same time, flexible enough to adapt as circumstances change.

Radical Collaboration: An agile leader knows they cannot have all the information and all the answers. They are strong communicators, build trust, work effectively with others towards common goals, and compromise when necessary, and are open to input and feedback. 

Extreme Agility: In today’s ever-changing world, the most successful leaders are comfortable with change and uncertainty and can adapt and change course when necessary.  They are flexible in their approach, learn from mistakes, and constantly look for feedback and ways to improve.

The Challenges of Agile Leadership

The business world is increasingly embracing agile approaches for the many advantages they offer. However, there are also challenges to agile leadership.

The main challenges are related to identity and value add. 

Identity: More traditional leaders who have invested years and energy refining a leadership style based on authority and rank may experience difficulties exploring an agile leadership style.  Agile leadership is radically different to the more authoritarian styles that have taken them to the top, and letting go of the old paradigms may prove challenging.

Value add: Senior leaders may equate adding value with having all the information, providing all the answers, and making all the decisions. They may experience difficulties when changing to an agile style and becoming facilitators who enable teams to gather information, provide answers, and make decisions. 

The shift from traditional to agile leadership can seem intimidating, but with a better understanding of both paradigms, senior leaders can start making the transition and see the benefits in their teams.

What it means for us, coaches

Some of the areas to consider when coaching an agile leader are:

1. Understand agile mindset: An agile leader needs a different mindset than what is used in more traditional leadership frameworks. Even for non-directive coaches, it helps to understand the agile mindset and philosophy to be able to better support leaders.
2. Create new leadership identity: Agile leadership is radically different from more traditional leadership. Leaders may need additional support in helping them create a new identity and a new understanding of how they can add value.
3. Develop a growth mindset: Agile thinking and leadership focus on feedback, communication, and learning. Shifting from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset is vital to be able to embrace change, be open to feedback, and take it as an opportunity for growth.

Conclusion

Coaching an agile leader is about the leader’s mindset and agility as much as it is about the coach’s.  

To coach agile leaders successfully, coaches can benefit from understanding agile thinking, developing an agile mindset, and being able to embody the principles of agility, flexibility, and adaptability in their own approach.

If you can do that, you will be well on your way to helping leaders transform into agile leaders who can successfully navigate our rapidly changing world.

Citation

Beck, K., Beedle, M., van Bennekum, A., Cockburn, A., Cunningham, W., Fowler, M., Greenning, J., Highsmith, J., Hunt, A., Jeffries, R., Kern, J., Marick, B., Martin, R. C., Mellor, S., Schwaber, K., Sutherland, J., & Thomas, D. (2001, February). Agile Manifesto. Manifesto for Agile Software Development. Retrieved January 29, 2023, from https://agilemanifesto.org/iso/en/manifesto.html

Publicación original: instituteofcoaching.org

 

Unlocking Potential: How Artificial Intelligence Can Help In Executive Coaching

Gone are the days when artificial intelligence (AI) was just a fascination for tech enthusiasts (AI: 15 key moments in the story of artificial intelligence, n.d.). In recent times, we’ve seen AI make a massive impact on the world, revolutionising the way businesses operate. Everyone is eager to see what’s coming next in this dynamic field.

There’s been much debate (and panic) around AI potentially taking over our jobs. As executive coaches, we may wonder if algorithms will attract our clients away from us, thus rendering us jobless. However, what if AI and coaching could work together in perfect harmony? If this were the case, how might we benefit from incorporating this technology? 

Continue reading to discover how the power of AI could help take our coaching practice to the next level of excellence. 

What Is AI and how does it work?

Artificial intelligence (AI) is an exciting field of computer science that emerged in the United States during the 1950s. (Anyoha, 2017; BBC, 2023; Javapoint, n.d.; Roser 2022).

The purpose of AI technology is to create machines that can perform tasks requiring human intelligence like understanding language, recognizing patterns, making decisions, and learning from data sets (Biswal, 2023; Brookings Institution, 2018; Daley 2023; European Parliament, 2023). AI uses algorithms, data, and computer programs to mimic intelligent behaviour and provide solutions to complex problems. These powerful capabilities are utilised in a wide variety of applications such as speech recognition in virtual assistants like Siri, facial recognition on smartphones, medical diagnosis, self-driving cars, and personalised recommendations on platforms like Amazon and Netflix. AI technology is an amazing tool that has revolutionised how we live, work, and play.

How does AI work?

In traditional programming, programmers provide machines with detailed step-by-step instructions that guide them toward a specific action (European Parliament, 2023). The programmer already knows how to solve the problem and provides this knowledge to them in the form of rules and steps, which are called an «algorithm». The machine receives these detailed rules from the programmer and, following them, provides solutions to any problems it is given.

In contrast, in artificial intelligence (AI), the programmer does not give the machine the rules and steps necessary to solve the problem (Gkionaki, 2021). Instead, the algorithms involve giving the machine a goal and some examples to use as a reference. The AI machine then explores various solutions until it discovers the processes and rules to achieve the desired result.

An example of this is image recognition, a task that AI can perform better than a «traditional» program. To achieve this, a programmer can provide AI with a set of example images of what they want, along with a set of images of things they don’t want. Then, the AI can learn to recognize the desired images based on these examples. For instance, imagine we want a program to recognize images of cats. It would be impossible to write all the rules and steps needed for the machine to recognize cats in different positions, colours, breeds, lighting conditions, etc. Instead, we can provide examples of images of cats in different positions, colours, breeds, and, additionally, examples of dogs, horses, and other similar animals. The machine then uses these examples to produce its rules for recognizing cats.

Integrating AI Into Executive Coaching Practices

There are some fields where AI is already providing great benefits, which could be extended to coaching (Anyoha, 2017; Biswal, 2023; European Parliament, 2023):

• Automate Coaching Sessions: From scheduling appointments, transcribing notes from meetings, sharing resources, tracking progress in between sessions, AI can do the work to free up time for coaches to focus on more high-value tasks (Biswal, 2023; European Parliament, 2023).
• Assessments: AI can provide initial assessments of skills and competencies in a fraction of the time. Later in the coaching process, AI can also help identify skill gaps in clients and offer personalised development plans, suggesting upskilling opportunities in areas that may not have been apparent in the initial assessment (Biswal, 2023; European Parliament, 2023).
• Tracking: AI can help coaches measure results to enable successful tracking of progress and outcomes. This is a helpful way to measure the effectiveness of the coaching process (Anyoha, 2017). 
• Facilitate Client Growth: AI has the capability to produce simulations that allow clients to experiment in realistic ways with various solutions without making costly mistakes in real-life situations. Simulated settings provide an opportunity for clients to learn and grow without any risk or detriment, creating a safe and secure environment in which to explore and stimulate thinking (Anyoha, 2017).
• Customization & Personalization: AI helps personalise content for each client based on their individual needs and goals, making recommendations for resources, or connecting them with other experts in their field that could help support their growth (Biswal, 2023).
• Democratising Access to Coaching: AI can make coaching more accessible for all types of leaders. Whilst no artificial intelligence can be a substitute for the human connection and expertise, AI-based platforms can help democratise access to executive coaching and benefit a wider range of individuals (Anyoha, 2017; European Parliament, 2023).

Benefits of AI in Executive Coaching

AI can truly revolutionise executive coaching by empowering coaches to provide their clients with even more outstanding support. Here are four key advantages AI offers when it comes to executive coaching (Anyoha, 2017; Biswal, 2023):

1. It can boost customer experience for both coaches and clients. 
2. It can generate data-driven insights, providing coaches with valuable information to assist their clients and HR departments with a better understanding of the impact of coaching.
3. It can improve workflows by automating administrative tasks, freeing up time for coaches to focus on their clients’ needs and build more engaging relationships.
4. It can enhance productivity by analysing vast amounts of data to identify trends and help coaches develop more effective strategies for their clients.

When used properly, AI is not just a valuable tool but an ally, helping coaches provide better support for our clients.

Consequences of AI in coaching

While the integration of AI into executive coaching brings exciting possibilities, it’s important to consider some unintended consequences that may arise (Anyoha, 2017; Biswal, 2023). 

One potential consequence is the risk of relying too heavily on AI tools and platforms, which could reduce the human connection between coaches and clients. We must remember that coaching is a personal and empathetic practice that thrives on human interaction (Anyoha, 2017). 

Another consequence to be mindful of is the ethical implications surrounding data privacy and security. As AI collects and analyses vast amounts of data, it’s crucial for coaches to prioritise the protection and confidentiality of their clients’ information (Biswal, 2023).

Additionally, there might be concerns about job displacement for coaches as AI automates certain tasks (Anyoha, 2017). However, it’s essential to highlight that AI is meant to enhance coaching, not replace human coaches entirely. 

Striking the right balance between leveraging AI’s capabilities and preserving the unique value of human coaching expertise will be key to successfully navigating these unintended consequences.

Conclusion

AI is an emerging technology that has the potential to revolutionise executive coaching. To fully maximise its benefits, it’s essential to make ourselves familiar with it through the freely available tools and resources (Anyoha, 2017; Biswal, 2023). 

This article has explored how executive coaching can benefit from incorporating the power of artificial intelligence. It’s important to note that while AI can enhance the human touch, it’s not intended to replace it. Rather, by leveraging AI, we can take our coaching practices to new heights of excellence for our clients and ourselves. 

Embracing the potential of AI in coaching opens up new opportunities for growth and success for ourselves and our clients. If you want to take your executive coaching to the next level, leveraging AI’s power can help.

References

AI: 15 key moments in the story of artificial intelligence. (n.d.). BBC. Retrieved June 1, 2023, from https://www.bbc.co.uk/teach/ai-15-key-moments-in-the-story-of-artificial-intelligence/zh77cqt
Anyoha, R. (2017, August 28). The History of Artificial Intelligence. Science in the News. Retrieved June 1, 2023, from https://sitn.hms.harvard.edu/flash/2017/history-artificial-intelligence/
Biswal, A. (2023, April 4). Top 18 Artificial Intelligence (AI) Applications in 2023. Simplilearn. Retrieved June 1, 2023, from https://www.simplilearn.com/tutorials/artificial-intelligence-tutorial/artificial-intelligence-applications
Daley, S. (n.d.). 36 Artificial Intelligence Examples to Know for 2023. Built In. Retrieved June 1, 2023, from https://builtin.com/artificial-intelligence/examples-ai-in-industry
Gkionaki, M. (2021, January 14). How does Artificial Intelligence work? European Investment Bank. Retrieved June 1, 2023, from https://www.eib.org/en/stories/how-does-artificial-intelligence-work
History of Artificial Intelligence. (n.d.). Javatpoint. Retrieved June 1, 2023, from https://www.javatpoint.com/history-of-artificial-intelligence
How artificial intelligence is transforming the world. (2018, April 24). Brookings Institution. Retrieved June 1, 2023, from https://www.brookings.edu/research/how-artificial-intelligence-is-transforming-the-world/
Roser, M. (2022, December 6). The brief history of artificial intelligence: The world has changed fast – what might be next? Our World in Data. Retrieved June 1, 2023, from https://ourworldindata.org/brief-history-of-ai
What is artificial intelligence and how is it used? | News. (2020, September 4). European Parliament. Retrieved June 1, 2023, from https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/headlines/society/20200827STO85804/what-is-artificial-intelligence-and-how-is-it-use

Publicación original: instituteofcoaching.org

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How to optimize an Agile Transformation using the 5 stages of grief 1

By Teresa Ramos and Gunash Kamzaevi

Introduction

This article explores the positive outcomes of a mentorship under the UNDP Women in STEM program. In the first part of the article, Gunash Kamzaevi, a UX researcher in a call center software team at a bank, talks about the difficulties she faces when implemented changes, some of them requested by users. In the second part of the article, mentor Teresa Ramos explains the 5 stages of grief and how a software team that works using agile methods can use them to easy the implementation and uptake of changes by users.

The story shares practical lessons learned in this mentorship process, giving valuable insights for people in the tech and project management world. Summary

Embarking on a UX research journey within a call center software team, the struggle to facilitate user-friendly changes became evident. Users, initially resistant and disheartened by modifications, exhibited an emotional journey akin to the "5 Stages of Grief" model. Introduced by Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, this model encapsulates stages of denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and ultimately, acceptance. Through the lens of these stages, users' reactions were mirrored: resistance, frustration, bargaining for old features, despondency, and eventual acceptance. To navigate this terrain successfully, it's imperative to respect these stages, embrace empathy, communicate transparently, and grant users the time needed to progress through these emotions, ensuring a smoother transition and heightened user satisfaction. Being Agile: From users’ perspective

Gunash: When I began my journey as a UX researcher within a digital software team at a call center, I initially underestimated the gravity of the situation. My task was to delve into the software's usability, a venture that involved visits to call centers for observations and agent interviews. Two skilled UX designers accompanied me during this research endeavor, but the results were far from satisfactory. Right from the outset, we encountered an overwhelming sense of negativity towards the product team. Call center agents were not only frustrated but also disinclined to offer assistance. Comments like, "What's the point? They're not going to do

1 How to cite this article: Ramos, T. and Kamzaevi, G. (2024). How to optimize an Agile Transformation using the 5 stages of grief, PM World Journal, Vol. XIII, Issue I, January.

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anything anyway," and "I reported this bug weeks ago, but it seems no one cares," were frequently heard. The agents were uncooperative and felt unheard.

Moreover, significant communication issues loomed large between the software team and the head of the call center department, the stakeholders. The call center comprised roughly 200 agents, with the most experienced ones working remotely while only interns or freshly recruited agents were in the office. This introduced a research bias since I had to conduct face-to-face interviews at the office, primarily obtaining feedback from interns who didn't have access to all facets of the software. Initially, with the assistance of the two designers, it took us a considerable amount of effort, spanning one or two full days, to persuade agents to participate in interviews. In the end, we collected a mere 20-25 responses, most of which were not particularly helpful.

In response, I decided to forge a robust communication channel that would encourage users to freely share their feedback. This ultimately brought us to a point where I could conduct research online with nearly full attendance from all agents, enabling them to share their insights without constraints.

However, this approach came with its own set of initial challenges. We started making changes to the software and immediately conducting research after each change, allowing users less than a week to experience the modifications. We believed that rapid response to their needs would lead to increased user satisfaction. Much to our astonishment, the feedback we received was overwhelmingly negative, despite our research suggesting that the changes should have resolved the issues the agents were complaining about. It was as if our team had made a catastrophic mistake, squandering time and resources to worsen the product. In theory, the changes were meant to enhance software usability, yet users were incensed. Here's an illustrative example: We introduced a panel on the main page for easy caller identification. Without this panel, agents had to navigate through several different pages to gather caller information, which was a mandatory step for almost every call, except for those seeking general information about bank products or branch operating hours. It's essential to note that the call centre received over 300,000 calls per month, with more than 90% requiring caller identification. Despite the panel being in production, agents weren't utilizing it, and this was precisely the suboptimal situation we aimed to rectify.

Our journey to address this issue began with comprehensive research to pinpoint the problems, followed by dedicated efforts to develop the panel. It was made more user-friendly and strategically positioned. Based on initial feedback from agents, it appeared to be an improvement. However, when we started tracking click rates, the story took an unexpected turn. During the first week, there were minimal clicks from most agents, and then, gradually, they began clicking more. This is when we started receiving a flurry of angry comments. I was present, researching an entirely different aspect of the software, but occasionally, I asked off-the-record

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questions to gauge their sentiments about the panel. To my surprise, they were furious and despised it.

The puzzling question arose: How could this be? What had gone awry? I was left perplexed, searching for answers.

During this time, I was being coached and mentored by Teresa Ramos, as part of a UN initiative aimed at empowering Women in STEM. Teresa possessed a keen insight into our situation and recognized that our research had been prematurely executed. It was then that she introduced me to the concept of “5 Stages of Grief”. What I learnt from her was the need to allow agents time to absorb the change, mourn the loss of familiar features and come to terms with the new ones.

As a UX researcher, my primary duty is to test the usability of designs-mainly digital ones. For the designers, the goal is always the same: to make things better!

In this age of hyper personalization, fueled by big data, we strive to create products that meet individual user needs as closely as possible. We hope that users will develop an emotional connection with our products and eventually become loyal customers. Therefore, it shouldn’t come as a surprise when they react emotionally to product changes, even if those changes are for the better. It is well known to grieve over the failure of something you have created. However, when we focus too much on emotions of the design team, we may inadvertently overlook the feelings of the other party: the Users and that’s exactly what we were doing in the Call center software development team. In my research, I didn’t factor in the agents’ adaptability to change; even to a change that they themselves requested or that improved their work!! What we sometimes fail to see is that, any slight change to a personalized product may not be readily embraced by the end user. The fact that the agents despised the new development to the software explicitly describes how the change wasn’t embraced easily. The success of improving an existing product depends on the adaptability of our users to that specific change or, in other words, on how agile the users are. For instance, every release of a new IPhone model invariably sends shockwaves across the internet. Yet, in due time, these initial reactions fade out, leaving us with a product users can't seem to live without. The situation I faced at the call center software development helped me to realize that when conducting the follow up research, I’ll have to let the users to grieve over the change.

In line with the grief and loss concept, I made a decision to wait at least 2 weeks before collecting feedback, giving agents the time to go through denial and grief. The result was incredible. Not only did negative comments disappear, but agents also began to appreciate the changes.

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I waited some more and, at the end of the month, approximately three weeks after the changes were implemented, I conducted new research focusing on the panel. The outcomes were great. Agents not only embraced it, but they also started reporting bug cases, showing great engagement and satisfaction with the product. Empowering Change: A Journey through User Emotional Transitions in Agile Software Evolution

Teresa: As a coach and mentor for the UN initiative aimed at empowering Women in STEM, I had the privilege of guiding our Gunash through a transformative experience in the world of technology.

The concept of the "5 Stages of Grief" is not exclusive to the tech world and is a universal model that helps understand how humans respond to change, loss, and challenging transitions. Interestingly, this framework was originally formulated by psychiatrist Elisabeth Kübler-Ross in her work on end-of-life care, where she observed and documented the emotional journey of terminally ill patients.

These 5 stages are denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance and capture the array of emotions individuals undergo when confronted with change or loss. They mirror the journey of grief, a process that is deeply personal and distinctive for each individual. According to the model, all these stages are experienced when navigating loss and transitions. They are not linear and can be experienced more than once before the transition is completed.

We tend to think that these stages of grief only apply to big personal losses like bereavement, divorce, job loss, death of a loved one, etc.. However, they provide a useful framework to explain why users can be reluctant to embrace changes, even the ones they, themselves, have requested. After all, losing well known software features and functionality is also a loss and can elicit the same reactions.

The five stages of grief, when applied to the user experience in the call center software development team, provide a fascinating lens through which we can interpret our users' reactions to system modifications.

In the denial stage, users may resist change and cling to the familiarity of the previous system, just as our agents initially did. The anger phase manifests as frustration, with comments like "What's the point?" echoing the emotional turmoil users may experience. The bargaining stage aligns with attempts to negotiate or find workarounds, akin to the reaction we observed when agents sought to circumvent the new panel. Depression is characterized by despondency, which was evident as our users felt alienated by the updates. Finally, the acceptance stage signifies the moment when users fully embrace the changes, as our agents eventually did when they started appreciating the revamped panel.

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The key takeaway is that the 5 Stages of Grief model can serve as a valuable guide for introducing change in tech. To enhance user satisfaction and ease the transition, it is crucial to recognize and respect these stages. Empathy, clear communication, and strategic pacing are essential. Allow users the time they need to navigate these emotional phases, understanding that each stage is a step toward eventual acceptance. In this manner, you can transform resistance into enthusiasm and ensure a more successful and user-centric adaptation to software changes.

About the Authors

Teresa Ramos

Salamanca, Spain

Teresa Ramos is a senior executive with a diverse background bridging technology, business, and academia. Armed with degrees in theoretical physics, music, telecommunications engineering, and an executive MBA, Teresa has over 23 years of executive experience with global tech giants like British Telecom, Vodafone, Telefónica, and Siemens. Her leadership roles were pivotal in driving digital transformations at BT Europe and Infineon, part of Siemens, where she spearheaded innovation initiatives company wide. Trilingual in Spanish, English, and German, Teresa's global outlook is enhanced by her extensive work in various countries and collaboration with prestigious academic and public institutions like Harvard University, where she is a Fellow at the IoC (Institute of Coaching), Stanford University, where she is an Innovation Champion and United Nations where she is a mentor and trainer. She is based in Spain and works globally. Teresa helps leaders navigate the complexities of the digital world, fostering innovation and Agile leadership. She can be contacted at (4) Teresa Ramos Martin | LinkedIn

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Gunash Kamzaevi

Baku, Azerbaijan

Gunash Kamzaevi is a seasoned professional with a robust background in economics and research. Holding a position as a full-time senior User Experience (UX) researcher in one of the largest retail bank in Azerbaijan, Gunash is also a research fellow at the Economic Scientific Research Institute, specializing in digitalization, innovation, and entrepreneurship policy analysis. As a UX researcher, she has cultivated expertise in understanding user behaviors, preferences, and needs to enhance digital products and services. Gunash's expertise extends to collaborating with local and international companies, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and government entities. Born and raised in a small town in Georgia, she has embarked on a professional journey that led to relocation to Baku, Azerbaijan where she now lives and works. She can be contacted via LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gunash-kamzaevi- a9aa19a3?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium =android_app

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