DrupalCon Baltimore is right around the corner and the team at Sevaa Group couldn’t be more excited. With so many different session tracks going on at the same time, however, it can be overwhelming trying to decide which sessions to attend. Having attended and sponsored several DrupalCon and DrupalCamp events in the past, we’ve decided to highlight a few sessions that we think are exciting or most beneficial. In this week’s blog post we will be exploring a newly introduced session track on Being Human.
This track brings focus to the human and mental health aspect of the developer community. While having a job in the IT industry can be fun and exciting, there are challenges that come along with it. Many of the sessions offered throughout the week in the track are designed to teach people how to deal with conflict, work together and ask for help, and prevent the feeling of being burned out. While many people may avoid discussing these topics, learning how to deal and cope with the human emotions and stresses of life in the workplace allows us to work better. Given some of the recent controversy and conflict in the Drupal community, a track devoted to the human faces behind the code could not have come at a better time.
Here are some of the sessions we’re looking forward to:
1. Value-Based Team Management
Wed. 4/26 10:45 AM – Community Stage
Team management can be one of the most challenging aspects of any team leader’s duties, especially when it comes to the developer community. Marina Paych will share her story of reinventing herself through different team management experiences. Attendees will learn about Tuckman’s stages of team development, the role of values in the process of managing a team, and insight into why some have achieved an exceptional degree of influence. Learning how to properly manage your team not only ensures you complete the project at hand, but it also helps team members with personal growth and helps prevent dreaded burn-out.
2. Stronger Than Fear: Mental Health in the Developer Community
Wed. 4/26 5:00 PM – Room 307
Mental health disorders are the largest contributor to disease burden in North America and approximately 20% of people working in the tech industry suffer from mental illness. The current culture in the developer community, however, is that it isn’t safe to talk about mental health issues and how we may be affected by them. Ed Finkler will offer attendees five strategies they can implement to make their workplace safer for those dealing with mental health issues.
3. The Art of Thought Control – Finding Balance and Managing Stress
Tue. 4/25 2:45 PM – Community Stage
The job of a developer can be very demanding and stressful at times, especially when it keeps us from family or social obligations. Often times we lose ourselves in the daily grind of work and can be stressed out for weeks at a time. Not only is this not conducive to a productive work life, but it can also lead to an array of health problems. In this session, attendees will learn from Sarah Wall to prioritize tasks by listening to body cues, understand the inner workings of your mind in order to help better manage stressful situations, and relaxation techniques.
Other notable sessions in the Being Human track include: 100 Ways You Can Be An Ally, Crucial Conversations, Personality Gaps in the Workplace, and Be Better at Being Better. Though these sessions do not focus specifically on developer skills, without a cohesive and well-managed team succeeding in the ever growing tech industry is near impossible.
Next week we will be covering five sessions that we are looking forward to the most. We hope to see you at one of the sessions we discuss. Also, don’t forget to stop by the Sevaa booth (#511) where you can meet the team and grab some free gear!
