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EAFH55: Nicole Spence-Goon, Finding Reflective Mentorship and Sponsorship
EAFH55: Nicole Spence-Goon, Finding Reflective Mentorship and Sponsorship
Dr. Dave:
Say hello and welcome to the KnolShare with Dr. Dave podcast. This is Dr. Dave Cornelius, your host. We want to talk about the social justice definition and social justice is the view that everyone deserves equal economic, political and social rights and opportunities. We want to think that we're opening doors of access and opportunity to everyone, particularly those in greatest needs. So when we think of some of the formal definition, we're talking what equal rights, equal opportunities and equal treatments. So in short, social justice means equal rights and equitable opportunities for all.
Today, our conversation is with Nicole Spence-Goon. And I hope I didn't screw that up too badly, but did I do say that right?
Nicole:
Perfect. Perfect.
Dr. Dave:
All right. So let's just kick off. We always like to kick off with an elevator pitch about Nicole and your superhero persona.
Nicole:
All right. So about Nicole. I can put it in categories of work, family, play, and work super here and there a little bit. I'm currently an Agile coach at Excella and within Excella, I am part of their IDEA team. That's their version of DI. They just rearrange the letter so we could have IDEA, but same thing. And I've been working in software development for over 20 years in a lot of different roles.
I started as a developer, did the tester role, did BA role. I managed to find my way into the Agile space about 10 years ago. I just gravitated towards it because at the time when I was in my career, I was looking for something more, but I didn't know what more was. The project that I happened to be on at the time started talking about Agile and I'm like, okay. We're going to do this Agile thing. I'm like, okay. I'm game. But I don't know what it is. I found that as we were meddling our way through, there was something really different here that focused on something more than just the work. That's what intrigued me in getting in the Agile space. I've been gung-ho ever since. Always trying to learn more in the Agile space, as well as being active in community.
As for family, I was born in Jamaica and I was raised partly in Canada. So I'm a Jam-Can person. So, I went back and forth a lot, but that doesn't mean I like cold. I did not like winter. I still don't like winter. No. Winter is never going to be for me. But, as far as a superhero persona, I think what I gravitate to is transforming, networking into community building. I never really liked the whole term or activity of networking, but I felt like it was better to start with what we have in common and then build relationships as opposed to like making it transactional. What can you do for me? And I can do for you, but really connecting people.
Dr. Dave:
That's beautiful. So from Jamaica. That means you are a Yardie.
Nicole:
Yes. But I'm from country, since I'm not from Kingston.
Dr. Dave:
Yardie. 20 years ago, I don't know, maybe you started when your, what 15.
Nicole:
Yeah. We'll go with that. Lets go with that number.
Dr. Dave:
Yeah. OK. There you go. So, let's talk about how does social justice, social justice challenges show up for you in your experience as an Agile coach and also as a woman of color?
Nicole:
Yeah. I'm reflecting on my experiences. I feel like I could come from it in terms of, from one aspect of treatment, right. Not equal treatment. This is something from the woman perspective of not being heard. Where I've been in situations, making contributions, and sharing ideas, and then somebody else shares the same idea. I just said that. What is happening here? Do you not see me here?
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By Dr. Dave Cornelius
5
11 ratings
EAFH55: Nicole Spence-Goon, Finding Reflective Mentorship and Sponsorship
Dr. Dave:
Say hello and welcome to the KnolShare with Dr. Dave podcast. This is Dr. Dave Cornelius, your host. We want to talk about the social justice definition and social justice is the view that everyone deserves equal economic, political and social rights and opportunities. We want to think that we're opening doors of access and opportunity to everyone, particularly those in greatest needs. So when we think of some of the formal definition, we're talking what equal rights, equal opportunities and equal treatments. So in short, social justice means equal rights and equitable opportunities for all.
Today, our conversation is with Nicole Spence-Goon. And I hope I didn't screw that up too badly, but did I do say that right?
Nicole:
Perfect. Perfect.
Dr. Dave:
All right. So let's just kick off. We always like to kick off with an elevator pitch about Nicole and your superhero persona.
Nicole:
All right. So about Nicole. I can put it in categories of work, family, play, and work super here and there a little bit. I'm currently an Agile coach at Excella and within Excella, I am part of their IDEA team. That's their version of DI. They just rearrange the letter so we could have IDEA, but same thing. And I've been working in software development for over 20 years in a lot of different roles.
I started as a developer, did the tester role, did BA role. I managed to find my way into the Agile space about 10 years ago. I just gravitated towards it because at the time when I was in my career, I was looking for something more, but I didn't know what more was. The project that I happened to be on at the time started talking about Agile and I'm like, okay. We're going to do this Agile thing. I'm like, okay. I'm game. But I don't know what it is. I found that as we were meddling our way through, there was something really different here that focused on something more than just the work. That's what intrigued me in getting in the Agile space. I've been gung-ho ever since. Always trying to learn more in the Agile space, as well as being active in community.
As for family, I was born in Jamaica and I was raised partly in Canada. So I'm a Jam-Can person. So, I went back and forth a lot, but that doesn't mean I like cold. I did not like winter. I still don't like winter. No. Winter is never going to be for me. But, as far as a superhero persona, I think what I gravitate to is transforming, networking into community building. I never really liked the whole term or activity of networking, but I felt like it was better to start with what we have in common and then build relationships as opposed to like making it transactional. What can you do for me? And I can do for you, but really connecting people.
Dr. Dave:
That's beautiful. So from Jamaica. That means you are a Yardie.
Nicole:
Yes. But I'm from country, since I'm not from Kingston.
Dr. Dave:
Yardie. 20 years ago, I don't know, maybe you started when your, what 15.
Nicole:
Yeah. We'll go with that. Lets go with that number.
Dr. Dave:
Yeah. OK. There you go. So, let's talk about how does social justice, social justice challenges show up for you in your experience as an Agile coach and also as a woman of color?
Nicole:
Yeah. I'm reflecting on my experiences. I feel like I could come from it in terms of, from one aspect of treatment, right. Not equal treatment. This is something from the woman perspective of not being heard. Where I've been in situations, making contributions, and sharing ideas, and then somebody else shares the same idea. I just said that. What is happening here? Do you not see me here?