Hettie McConnell

[HettieM]

Your-Name-Here (your-pronouns-here)
Hettie McConnell (She/Her)

How I get my best work done:

I enjoy working with other people, but sometimes find it hard to concentrate if there is a lot of noise. I like breaking down larger problems into smaller ones and having a clear direction/ goal in mind and a logical reasoning as to why I am doing something. I sometimes get stressed when I feel like things are taking too long, because of this I like to plan out things that will take a long time to complete and try to set myself deadlines. If something is taking longer than I anticipated I would appreciate being able to take 5 minutes with the team to re-prioritise our targets!

The role I usually take in a team:

As long as the team is comfortable with disagreements and commitment to finding the best way to do something, I don't really mind what role I take - I just want the steps to be logical and reasoned.

My communication style:

When I feel like we are near to a point/ conclusion I can sometimes get excited and start talking quickly or skipping explanations so just let me know if I need to slow things down (and sorry if I immediately speed up again 5 seconds later!)

What I value:

Direct communication where people will let me know if there is an issue, not through a back-channel. Confidence when asking for help if people need it and willing to give help in return.

What people misunderstand about me:

I have been told I can be quite "spiky" when people first meet me - it's a surprise to people once they get to know me but I am actually quite shy as an individual and as a result can often be a bit sarcastic and/or quiet at the beginning and don't often start conversations myself. It doesn't mean I'm not interested, I just don't know what to say! But it doesn't take me too long to warm up!
Also, if I am over-excited in a conversation and can see where someone is going, agree with them and have something related to say I will occasionally interrupt with "yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah" and then follow up with something. I'm not trying to be rude and interrupt, I have a big family and friend group and we all talk over each other ALL the time. It's a bad habit and I'm trying to get out of it so pls just tell me to shutup.

How I like to get my feedback:

Well explained.

Technical strengths & weaknesses:

Interests (programming or otherwise!):

Baking. Travelling. Animals. Sustainability.

[jackherizsmith]

@HettieM was really fun to work with and really quick to learn sometimes complex code - and as soon as she understands something she is brilliant at implementing it. She was patient with me when I didn't understand something, and she had a contagious enthusiasm throughout both projects.

[Roger-Heathcote]

Hettie is very bright. She picks up new stuff quickly and has amassed an impressive body of knowledge in a very short time. She is a joy to pair with, whoever is in the driving seat. In a team she likes to get stuff done and has little patience for discussions that drag on, or other forms of navel gazing, which is great for keeping things moving.

[hannahgooding]

Hettie has strong leadership skills and takes a very thorough approach to coding. She's a fast learner which makes her great to pair with when you're lost in the sauce, and she's particularly badass at databases. During one of our project weeks we had to start again after a few hours of work, which was a tough decision to make and was a bit stressful 🤯. But it worked out due to Hettie's quick problem-solving and positivity in helping our team recover from this set back, which I'm really grateful for 🥰. She's always around for a fun chat, or a more serious discussion about feminism or the environment 💖🌎.