Skip to content
Artwork for HBR IdeaCast
HBR IdeaCast · May 27, 2025 · 27 min

Does the Tech Industry Need a Reboot?

Although we’ve seen great successes come out of the technology sector in recent decades, many critics — and even some insiders — say it’s due for an overhaul. As a longtime Silicon Valley engineer and executive and cofounder of the Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing conference, Telle Whitney argues that tech culture is still too closed-off and unwelcoming to different points of view, which leads to products and services that aren’t as good as they could be — for consumers and society. She thinks the industry — and corporate tech departments — can stay innovative while also becoming more inclusive and shares her advice for leaders who want to help. Whitney is the author of the new book Rebooting Tech Culture: How to Ignite Innovation and Build Organizations Where Everyone Can Thrive.

0:00-27:53

transcript

No transcript — this publisher did not publish one.

show notes

Although we’ve seen great successes come out of the technology sector in recent decades, many critics — and even some insiders — say it’s due for an overhaul. As a longtime Silicon Valley engineer and executive and cofounder of the Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing conference, Telle Whitney argues that tech culture is still too closed-off and unwelcoming to different points of view, which leads to products and services that aren’t as good as they could be — for consumers and society. She thinks the industry — and corporate tech departments — can stay innovative while also becoming more inclusive and shares her advice for leaders who want to help. Whitney is the author of the new book Rebooting Tech Culture: How to Ignite Innovation and Build Organizations Where Everyone Can Thrive.