By Allison, Scrum Master
I often find myself asking my team, “Are you happy? What could I do to make you happier?” I’m Allison, a scrum master on the Workplace Investing team at Fidelity, and these seemingly simple questions hold significant weight in our workplace. I believe in encouraging my team members to find their voices and feel empowered to make their own decisions, a philosophy that has earned me recognition as an empathetic leader in technology. In creating a space where my teammates feel happy, confident, and valued, I know from firsthand experience that these qualities, in turn, make the work more efficient and encourage talented technologists to want to stay and grow here at Fidelity.
From a young age, my fascination with psychology, which helped me understand minds, processes, and behaviors, guided my career aspirations. However, the prospect of a lifetime of schooling led me to my next passion: technology! Both fields, despite their differences, reminded me of solving a puzzle, ultimately leading me to pursue a degree in business computer information systems at the University of North Texas and then an MBA from Texas A&M Texarkana. This unique blend of interests laid the foundation for my fulfilling journey.
Fidelity’s strong presence on my college campus, coupled with alumni’s sharing of their experiences with the company at recruiting events, made it the clear choice for me.
After graduation, I was accepted into the LEAP program as a Systems Analyst and have been here ever since, a little over 8 years!
Over the years, my role has evolved from that of a systems analyst to one that encompassed both systems analysis and the job responsibilities of a scrum master. In my current position, I exclusively serve as a product scrum master for client reporting and analytics within Workplace Investing. My team creates application programming interfaces (APIs), works with cloud data migration, and supports reporting within Fidelity’s Plan Sponsor Webstation® to modernize, simplify, and enhance user experience.
As a scrum master, my role goes beyond technicalities; it’s a psychological dance within the realm of technology. I focus not only on the technical aspects of the job but also on the people implementing the technology. I like to ensure my team comprehends the significance of their work, and so I create an environment where every team member feels confident in their contribution. I still use my technical skills when it comes to the planning, process, and execution behind the work, but now I get to focus on the “people process” as well, which I find extremely fulfilling. Looks like I ended up right where I wanted to be!
My approach to managing the “people process” is to ask a lot of questions
I am often asking my teams, “How do you feel about this?” or “How do you think we should proceed?” I champion my team members’ voices and believe in creating a space where everyone feels empowered to contribute. Imagine a team where everyone felt confident in owning a piece of the work and making decisions without oversight or micromanagement. Trust me, when you are creating these spaces of support and safety for associates to grow in, you are changing lives. This is how I’ve been led to where I am today and how I’m choosing to lead.
Below are some tangible tips and tricks we can all do to feel empowered to make decisions at work:
- Familiarize yourself with the decision-making space. Sometimes you feel less confident because you are unfamiliar with a space. The more information and knowledge you have about that space, the better you will feel about your decision.
- Overcome your fear of failure. We are all going to make mistakes, say the wrong thing, or ask a question when everyone else knows the answer. It is hard to experience this, but it can also be necessary if you want to grow. You simply learn by doing. Make the decision, despite the fear. Confidence will come in time.
- Build a support system. Present the options and your reason for the choice you are leaning toward and be open to peer feedback.
- Develop your critical thinking skills. Be able to consider things from more than one point of view so that you can feel more confident about your final decision.
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