Who is Bevan Williams?

What is something people usually don’t know about you but has influenced you in who you are?

Two things usually surprise people. First, I’m an introvert. I can be loud and charismatic in bursts, but get exceptionally drained afterwards and much prefer being by myself. Second, I’m coloured. It’s not immediately obvious looking at me, so most people don’t know. This has drastically shaped my outlook and experience on race in South Africa. It’s given me a unique perspective on seeing how certain events are perceived by white, and non-white folk alike and has allowed me the opportunity to practice greater empathy.

What would have become of you, if you were not doing the job you do today?

Wow! I can’t imagine not doing what I do right now. My path here had so many potential forks along the way. The most critical one I can recall probably would have had me in a technical lead role.

What is your biggest challenge and why is it a good thing for you?

Getting over feeling like an imposter. It’s great as I’m always motivated to do my best and strive towards greater levels of competency. It keeps me curious and hungry for knowledge and new experiences.

What do you currently do and how did you end up in your current role?

I’m currently an Agile Coach & Trainer by title. I ended up here with a mix of design, luck, and nudges by some role models. I started off as a software engineer working at a small company doing iterative development. I eventually was exposed to Scrum and hated it. My curiosity took over and as I learned more about it, I was determined for our team to realise the benefits. I became Scrum Master, and then the head of an offshore App development team where I went about splitting out my functions in a more Scrum-like way. I realised I liked coaching and mentoring people more than telling them what to do, so made the formal role change to Agile coach.

What do you think is the one thing we can do to improve diversity in the Agile community?

I think we could do more to understand the problem space a bit more. I’d like more space for empathy to exist, where stories and experiences can be shared and truly listened to. We can acknowledge and validate the experiences of others even if we have never experienced something similar to make all feel included and welcome. We should elevate the voices and immense experience of underrepresented groups.

Who do you think we should feature next (in South Africa)?

Ayanda Tshabalala

Johannesburg, September 2020

How to connect with Bevan

Twitter: @bevanwilliams Linked In: za.linkedin.com/in/bevanwilliams