HER Story: Alannah Head
HER Story: Difference as a Superpower: Alannah Head’s Inspiring Journey
"I was never actually planning to enter the tech industry; my background is in art," says Alannah Head, Adobe Vendor Sales Specialist at Softchoice. So how did a young woman with a degree in Fashion Design find herself thriving in the tech world?
Alannah sums it up in one word: Empathy. "Each of my career achievements stems from people's empathy and their willingness to share insights, she said. I'm proud of these achievements because they often began with me daring to ask a question. The key is simple: don't hesitate to ask."
It was on this premise that Alannah was rising as an unlikely leader at EB Games (now GameStop), when her mother brought her an interesting lead. She had come across Softchoice through her job in software procurement for a well-known bank, explained Alannah. She thought the atmosphere would be a good fit and encouraged me to check it out.
With the help of her mother’s contacts in the company, Alannah was referred for an interview. She landed a job as Operations Management Associate and thus began in a role she would hold for three years before accepting a promotion to Adobe Vendor Sales Specialist.
On the surface, Alannah’s career journey is an inspiring account of creative self-advocacy, embracing the power of neurodivergence, and proactive empathy for others and herself.
Honing the invisible strengths of self-advocacy and problem-solving
A timely connection to Softchoice wasn’t the only thing Alannah’s mother had provided for her. As a woman in tech herself, she had fought her way up the ladder in a male dominated industry and taught Alannah how to navigate negativity with grace.
She always told me that the worst answer you can get is ‘no’ – which simply means you need to approach the situation in a new way. This perspective – that the worst outcome simply redirects your course – helped shape the way Alannah perceived and responded to challenges in her own life.
From a young age, Alannah demonstrated an innate ability to find creative solutions to life's challenges. Growing up between two households and with no extended family nearby, she quickly learned the importance of self-advocacy. Whether it was figuring out how to get from one place to another or adapting to an educational system that didn't cater to her
unique learning style—later identified as ADHD—Alannah realized two key things: "I'm my own greatest advocate," and "People are more willing to help when you're proactive about solutions."
Acquiring the language of her superpowers
While she learned to navigate through challenges during her school years and entered the workforce, Alannah had long suspected an attention disorder but had been discouraged from testing due to societal stigma. A turning point came when a supervisor at Softchoice noticed her struggle to focus and, when she disclosed her suspicion, encouraged her to seek a diagnosis.
Consulting a psychologist specializing in women with neurodivergence, Alannah gained not only a diagnosis but also a transformative understanding of herself. "It was like someone finally understood the language I'd been trying to speak my whole life," she said.
This newfound clarity shed light on the constant stress she had been under, navigating a world designed for the neurotypical. Despite these challenges, Alannah doesn’t see her neurodivergence as a limitation but a unique way of thinking. "It’s not a disability. It’s a superpower and an opportunity to take things in a different direction," she advises.
Championing unique contributions of self and others
This superpower requires patience and education. Lack of understanding around what it means to be neurodivergent can often cause others to be ambivalent. This is what Alannah encountered when she shared her diagnosis during her interview for her current role as Adobe Vendor Sales Specialist.
The hiring manager shared later that when I told him that I had recently been diagnosed with ADHD, his immediate thought was, ‘Oh no, where is she going with this?’ Alannah recalled with a chuckle. This is because most people who bring up ADHD in a conversation usually do so to list excuses for potential shortcomings and to pre-emptively absolve themselves of future responsibilities.
Not so in this case. To his surprise, Alannah was preparing to explain how her unique way of thinking would bring great value to his team.
I explained how this divergence allows me to think differently from the rest of the team, she pointed out, explaining how through her past experiences she’d become well-organized, adaptable, and proficient at learning and note-taking. Often, the responsibility falls on me to teach new processes, and I'm not afraid to ask questions to ensure I understand them clearly.
Alannah also excels at problem-solving. Once I understand a process, I can identify its weak points and help devise solutions that work for everyone.
One captivating example of this lies in her innovative approach to team dynamics. Rather than viewing tasks as rigidly tied to specific roles, she sees the division of labor as a fluid landscape, adaptable to the unique strengths and challenges of each team member. This perspective not only allows her to excel in tasks that align with her own capabilities but also fosters a keen awareness of her colleagues' needs and skills. By tuning into both her own strengths and those of her team, Alannah creates a collaborative environment where everyone can do their best and most life-giving work.
A creative approach to bridging gaps and shortcomings
Advancing in a male-dominated industry as a neurodivergent woman has its unique challenges – and we are often our own worst enemy. For example, women rarely apply to a job where they don’t meet 100 percent of the qualification criteria. In contrast, the majority of men will toss their hat into the ring once they meet half.
When Alannah interviewed for the Adobe Vendor Sales Specialist role, it was two levels above her current position and her experience in operations was not in obvious alignment with the skills needed for her current role. Bolstered by the encouragement of colleagues, she chose to resist self-doubt and instead take a novel approach to addressing the perceived gaps in her experience: the Clifton StrengthsFinder assessment.
The assessment results helped her identify areas where she could offer unique value to her teammates, while also pinpointing areas of expertise where she would need their coaching. Leveraging these insights, Alannah presented a 30-60-90 plan which detailed how she would provide her teammates with greater support in the ways she could while gathering the knowledge and skills she would need to become a fully integrated and meaningful contributor to the team," as Alannah described it. Seemingly won over by her thoughtfulness and proactivity, Alannah was offered the job.
These traits are hallmarks of her leadership style. While perhaps not appearing as a leader in the classical sense, Alannah’s relational and emotional expertise position her as a leader in effective problem-solving and teamwork.
Making self-care a priority
Nonetheless, these remarkable strengths exist alongside certain obstacles. Constantly adapting information and processes created for the neurotypical requires significant energy. Today, Alannah makes a point to be up-front with her managers and colleagues when she is experiencing mental exhaustion and needs to take measures to care for herself. These look very similar to self-care measures recommended for neurotypical workers, like taking more frequent breaks, accepting a slower pace, or shifting working hours to when she is more cognitively alert.
Self-care enables Alannah to continue to give from abundance. Recognizing all the people who have extended empathy and investment to her over the years, Alannah makes a habit of paying it forward, regularly volunteering for projects that require problem-solving. She is generous with her efforts to understand the problems others are trying to solve and offers what relevant insights she can, free of censure.
If my own insights are limited, I will direct them to someone else who could assist them further, she says. After all, the worst thing they can say is no.
Alannah Head's unlikely path into tech is a compelling testament to the power of empathy and self-advocacy. Her story reminds us that unique challenges can forge invaluable skills and that asking the right questions can open doors we never knew existed. As Alannah continues to approach her work with an eye on relationships, she not only elevates her own career but also enriches the lives of those around her. In a world often focused on conventional success, Alannah's journey serves as a refreshing reminder that sometimes the most unconventional paths yield the most rewarding experiences.
Upcoming Webinar: Show Us Your Superpowers
In January 2024, you will have the opportunity to hear from Alannah directly when she will be a panelist for the We’ve Got WIT Webinar, Show Us Your Superpowers: Understanding Neurodiversity in the Workplace. During this exclusive discussion, Alannah will discuss her experience as a neurodivergent woman in the workplace and work to break down the negative connotations around ADHD while showcasing the strengths.
HERstory is The WIT Network’s series where we share interesting and inspiring career journeys of women in our community. We welcome the opportunity to tell your story or someone you would like to nominate. Reach out to women@thewitnetwork.com if you have a great HERstory we should consider.