34: Alana Karen | Flood the System to Change It

Women in tech leading with authenticity to contribute to the conscious creation of our community

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“Community is not just that you've brought a bunch of people together, it is about how these people are connecting... and why.” Click To Tweet

Tech get’s a bad wrap. Many complain that tech leaders aren’t invested in the wellbeing of the society they serve, but more so scale and numbers for profit and clout. However, the tech community is more and more standing up to debunk that misunderstanding by demonstrating how they are pivoting technology to be used for good and how individuals are making bigger and bigger waves in philanthropy.

The essence of this episode is to draw back the curtain for a fireside chat about a leader in tech and her approach to Creating Community for Good. In this episode, I bring on Alana Karen, author of The Adventures of Women in Tech — how we got here and why we stay. She is also a 20-year vet in tech and currently serves as the Director of Search Platforms at Google and a Founding Member of Enrich, a private network for business leaders. From Google Search to Ads to Google Search Platforms, Alana is an inspiring tech leader and a recognized speaker, nominated for the Global WomenTech Awards 2020 for WomenTech Speaker of the Year. Her mission is to inspire not only women but members of the entire tech community to advocate for true leadership through authenticity. We talk about leadership tips, how to land authenticity in the workspace, and her philanthropy journey.

What would happen if everyone at work shared their individual situations with their colleagues and supervisors? How would the ecosystem change if leaders celebrated their collaborators’ personal experiences and milestones? How much information is too much information? In today’s conversation, Alana will share her secrets to build strong connections, nurture powerful collaborations, and highlight the value of authenticity inside and outside of the workplace. Being real is so much more than being transparent, it is all about staying true to yourself. This conversation is packed with fantastic insights, so tune in to learn more.

Key Takeaways:

03:00 – What does it mean to be real and a true leader in the tech field as a woman and an active member of the community?

09:49 – Is your home messy? Well, mine too! — On the urgency for the normalization and celebration of people’s authenticity and day-to-day lives.

14:34 – The Adventures of Women in Tech: The creation and materialization of a strong motivation, and how the stories we are told in the past can strongly influence our present.

21:32 – Proving your worth in every single meeting room and living up to your loved ones’ expectations of yourself: Alana’s advice to deal with outsiders’ thoughts.

30:13 – Perspectives on how connection is the key to community. Sharing stories, challenges, real-life issues.

31:37 – Alana’s motivation for philanthropy and board service.

40:07 – Why the youth give Alana hope in regards to how health, education, and medical shortfalls are impacting all of us.