Hi 👋 I just started working at GitHub on Jan 7, 2025 as a Senior Director, Design Infrastructure reporting into the Design Org. If you are reading this it's most likley my attempt to get to know you better, as well as share some details about me.
- I'm a dog person
- I'm a terrible liar
- I trust people right off the bat
- I love meeting new people
- I work hard (and play hard)
- I'm an introverted extrovert
- I'm first generation Pakistani American
- I love my partner 🌈 and I'm a stepmom to three girls
- Bad design
- Everything on pleasehatethesethings
- People who don't do what they say (I'm a big believer of "If you build it, they will come" or if you follow through, good things will happen ... or worse case scenario you learn for next time, which is actually pretty awesome)
- Too much complaining for complaining sakes
- Humans not cleaning up after their animals
- I may come off too serious. Yes, I have a good poker face, but I'm not so serious all the time
- That I might know everything about Design Systems
- I won't get mad if you pronounce my name wrong, but I will correct you
- While place is extremely important to me, where I currently live does not define me
- Coming prepared
- Drivers of their own career
- Folks that keep videos on even if they never speak to show that you are paying attention (unless it's a company wide meeting)
- Being honest, even if it's hard
- Voicing what you want to change
- Voicing what is working
- Giving people praise and positive feedback at the right times
- Folks that raise the bar and others around them
- Recognizing the work of others - teamwork makes the dreamwork ✨
- Slacking me about nothinginess
- If I ask a question and it doesn't get answered
- Not following up on my ask
- Slack, however I don't like long winded conversational messages on Slack. That's what Zoom is for
- Zoom
- Start by asking...
- Tell a compelling story
- Prototype it - show me how it works and what it does
- Tell me about the value and impact it will have on and who
- Show me data
- Buy me 🍕 (jk)
- For people (usually my directs or my team), I like to share feedback immediately when it just happened, usually directly in a slack message based on how a meeting, presentation, workshop, design review, etc. went and follow-up on our next 1:1
- I'll try to combine the positive as well as the opportunites so it's not just one or the other
- During Design Reviews I like to give feedback in an open forum, and also like being able to take the time to gather my thoughts to write them down to put directly in Figma
- I like to give feedback early and often so there's continuous improvment and learning
- If you want specific feedback from me, just ask!
- Getting Feedback during 1:1s are really helpful
- Hearing feedback directly over a video chat
- I'm also okay with getting a document or a slack message of specific detailed feedback where I can absorb and follow-up on
- I like getting both constructive and positive feedback
- Constructive: Be clear and articulate of what didn't work and what I could have been done better
- Positive: "Thank you"'s and similar niceities go a long way
- I typically will ask for feedback about how I am doing to most people I work directly with
- I would also welcome feedback about my team as well, if you work directly with them
- If you are reading this, you are welcome to give me feedback on my HUG