How To Be Human in Tech

When I tell people I’m a solutions consultant, I usually get one of two reactions.

A blank stare followed by a polite, “Oh, that’s cool,” or the more curious, “So… what exactly do you do?”

Fair question.

The word “consultant” tends to come with a reputation. Someone who shows up, tells you what to do using corporate lingo, maybe builds a nice deck, and then disappears. I used to think that too.

But the longer I’ve done this work, the more I’ve realized something surprising.

Implementing technology doesn’t start and end with the software. It starts and ends with the people.

And the truth is, people can be messy, uncertain, and complicated. We’ve all shown up to work in the middle of heartbreak, grief, conflict with family, financial stress, joyful celebrations, and everything in between. We contain multitudes that technology can never replace, and isn’t that beautiful?

Rather than pushing that aside, I believe making space for it is what sets a good consultant apart from a great one. So what does “being human” actually look like in a tech-driven world?

Lead with Curiosity and Listening

We all come to the table with preconceived ideas of what the “right” solution should be based on our own experiences. What we forget is that the person sitting across from us has a completely different perspective. Making assumptions about outcomes is one of the fastest ways to create tension and confusion.

At the end of the day, we all want the same thing: to be seen and heard.

You can feel the difference when someone is genuinely listening. They don’t interrupt or rush to solve. They sit with what you say and then show you it mattered. Maybe they reference your insight the next day. Maybe they build on your idea. Even if it’s not implemented, it isn’t dismissed.

Our customers are the experts in what they do. Our job is to trust that and meet them where they are.

This is also how you encourage real participation in the discovery process.

Asking open-ended questions, seeking to understand, and grounding the conversation in their experience is the most effective way to identify the gap between where a process is and where it needs to be.

When you give people space to share, they usually will. And when they share more, they start to engage. They brainstorm. They build on each other’s ideas. Because now it feels like a space where their voice actually holds weight.

Ask people how they are feeling

At the beginning of the year, I went through a breakup. The kind where I had to remind myself to eat regularly. I became a professional public crier. A park bench really hated to see me coming.

And believe it or not, my grief did not magically disappear when I opened my computer in the morning. I even found myself turning my camera off mid-call just to get ahead of a tear or two.

At first, I tried to keep it separate from work. It felt unrelated.

But one day, a coworker asked how I was doing, and before I could filter it, I answered honestly. It was uncomfortable, but it changed something.

Saying it out loud took away some of its weight because I was met with compassion. And I was still able to show up and do my job, feeling a little lighter.

That experience stuck with me.

Because the truth is, people don’t leave their lives at the door when they join a meeting. They bring their own personal HUMAN experience.

They bring stress, uncertainty, excitement, and all the feelings in between.

When we ignore that, it doesn’t disappear.

It shows up as resistance, silence, or disengagement, and it can impact the work we’re trying to do together.

Now, I make it a point to ask my customers how they are feeling.

Not just about the process we’ve built or the design I’ve presented, but about the fact that something is changing for them. I leave space for whatever they’re comfortable sharing.

Because when you name it, even briefly, conversations open up.

Problems surface earlier, and you can address what’s actually getting in the way instead of guessing.

A system is only as successful as its end user, and if someone is feeling fearful about the transition, that becomes a real barrier to success.

And in consulting, removing those barriers early is what contributes to a project’s success.

Accepting and Asking for Help

I am a firm believer that the smartest person in the room is not the one who has all the answers, but the one who knows there is always more to learn.

At the same time, as a consultant, I am often the person people go to for answers. I take pride in solving problems and delivering solutions, so holding both of those truths at once can be challenging. There is an expectation to be the expert, while also being honest about what you may not know. And at times, that tension has made me question my own competency and even slip into imposter syndrome.

No one really tells you how difficult it is to ask for help as an adult. Pride, ego, and fear have a way of creeping in, convincing us we should be able to figure everything out on our own. That needing support somehow means we’re falling short.

But the truth is, admitting that you don’t know, or even that you don’t know what you don’t know, might be one of the most human things we can do. It’s also what makes growth possible.

The thing I love most about my job is that I am constantly learning. Every day, I’m exposed to new ways of working, new solutions, and new ways of thinking. I am growing, stretching, and changing in ways I never expected.

And that only happens because I don’t do it alone, and I’m still learning how to actually ask for help when I need it. 

My strengths are valuable, but they are not complete. The gaps I have are often filled by the strengths of others. And when you allow for that, the work becomes more collaborative and the outcomes become stronger.

Saying “I don’t know, but I will figure it out” is a perfectly good answer. And more often than not, it’s what leads to the best ones.

We spend so much time focusing on the technical side of an implementation. The tools, the workflows, the configuration. And while those things absolutely matter, they are not the whole picture.

You can have the best tool, the most efficient workflow, the most perfectly designed system. But if people feel unheard, disconnected, or unmotivated to use it, it will collect dust.

Because while we build workflows and automation, we are also building connections, relationships, and trust. We are doing the one thing that technology cannot, and that’s being human. 

About DGD

At Do Good Digital, we pride ourselves in our human-centered approach. It is important to us that we lead with empathy, do good, and work with good people ( like Steph!). Check out our About Page on our website to learn more.