Self-defense for change agents
summary
Argues that change in long-lived enterprises requires tactics not pep talks: uses Aikido and nonviolent communication to deflect hostile energy, systems thinking to dance with systems, and deliberate-calm practices to manage stress. Recommends concrete moves: plant seeds and nourish them (repeat ideas, write the doc that becomes the rule), manage up and give your manager aces so leadership can act, plus explicit boundaries and escalation when tolerance becomes harm. Examples and analogies show what worked and what failed.
AI-written summary · about
chapters (13)
- 0:00Introduction
- 1:09Visible nail challenge
- 2:34Nonviolent conflict tool
- 4:20Lack of control in systems
- 6:48Fear in organizational change
- 9:16Planting seeds for culture
- 10:42Accepting reality
- 13:09Managing up strategically
- 15:40Active listening superpower
- 16:41Writing the rules through documentation
- 17:22Vulnerability and safety dark side
- 19:29Setting boundaries
- 21:18Stop beating yourself up after mistakes
related talks
46mLeading for Self-organisation Dos and Dont's of Agile Management
36mBecoming antifragile is more important than ever in disruptive times
37mFixing the mistakes we -all- make as developers, leaders and teams
01h 00mBuilding a Culture of Healthy Conflict in Tech Teams
22mWhat's my job again? Developing self-management
46mLeading Through Chaos
43mFrom Fragile to Agile Leadership
34mYou're a problem solver