This week, Google[X] VP and former VP of business development at Google Megan Smith was named the White House’s new Chief Technology Officer. But back in 2013, when Megan took to the CreativeLive stage during Secrets from Silicon Valley, she gave examples of how technology and creativity are not only bolstering the economy, but also enabling individuals around the world to have access to crucial information and resources. And they’re doing it through creative collaboration.
“Learning to value each other is a big part of creative collaboration,” Megan explained, who advocates for creative entrepreneurs to work together, rather than going at it alone.
Working together, says Megan, can help creative entrepreneurs — and especially those who are developing key technologies — see behind their unconscious biases, and lead to more inclusive, useful, functional solutions. This is especially true when it comes to the overwhelming lack of diversity among makers and creators.
“I think that underrepresented minorities and women are largely invisible,” she noted, explaining that the invisibility leads to a silent, unconscious bias. “When we don’t know something, we fill in the blanks.” And, in doing so, it’s easy to leave out someone else’s experience, needs, or ideas.
Watch Megan’s whole fascinating talk here:
You can also check out the rest of Secrets of Silicon Valley, which includes talks from Guy Kawasaki and Tim Ferriss.
