Perhaps I should be ashamed of admitting this: in all my 12 years of WordPress development, I had never been to a WordCamp before. Yes, I had made connections with people in the space. Yes, I had seen the speeches online. But I never truly felt the desire to attend one in person. Being an introvert who typically finds large gatherings daunting doesn’t help – I don’t often feel the need for in person connections like extroverts do.
Well, color me shocked.
I was genuinely surprised by how much I enjoyed the face-to-face interactions. The atmosphere was warm and welcoming, with every conversation proving to be both friendly and insightful.
The absolute highlight of the trip, however, was the chance to bond with my team. When I embarked on the journey of developing Automatic.css with Kevin Geary, it began with just the two of us—Kevin focusing on the CSS framework and me handling the plugin code. Over time, our small team grew, with each developer taking on specific responsibilities. It was like tending individual gardens that shared a border but didn’t overlap. We’d regularly sync up to make sure everything aligned properly, but for the most part, everyone worked in isolation.
WordCamp was a game-changer for us. It provided a rare opportunity to connect on a deeper level, beyond just professional interactions. Meeting in person allowed us to forge stronger relationships, understand each other’s perspectives, and collaborate more effectively. We learned to listen actively, build on each other’s ideas, and appreciate our diverse viewpoints. We went to WordCamp as individuals but returned as a more cohesive, supportive unit, ready to face new challenges together.
For someone transitioning from a software engineer to a CTO role for the first time, who’s never even seen an empowered team from the inside — let alone led one — witnessing this transformation is incredibly encouraging.