"If you can't measure it, you can't improve it." Although it is (relatively) easy to measure objectively quantifiable decision criteria such as profit, how does one measure "soft" attributes, such as psychological safety or team dynamics, to judge an intervention's success?

This talk will present insights into the practical application of leading-edge research into what makes intelligent, high-performing teams and organisations, exploring the science behind the current buzzwords of psychological safety, diversity, and empathy.

Target Audience: Managers, Coaches, ScrumMasters
Prerequisites: None
Level: Advanced

Extended Abstract:
"If you can't measure it, you can't improve it." This quote, attributed to Peter Drucker, emphasises that the ability to measure something is essential for seeing changes in it. Although it is (relatively) easy to measure objectively quantifiable decision criteria such as profit, how does one measure "soft" attributes, such as psychological safety or team dynamics, to judge an intervention's success? The problem with most team/organisational assessments is that they say more about the persons who designed the evaluation (and what they want to sell) than about the persons taking it.

This talk will present insights into the practical application of leading-edge research into what makes intelligent, high-performing teams and organisations, exploring the science behind the current buzzwords of psychological safety, diversity, and empathy.

In recent decades, our scientific and clinical understanding of how our nervous system works has increased tremendously. I’ve recently completed an education for trauma-informed work (NARM informed professional). It has changed many key aspects of how I teach and coach and will continue to have a large impact.

In this session, I’m presenting those key learnings, connecting them to well-known parts of Agile knowledge and inviting into a discussion of what a more trauma-informed approach to leading people in Agile organisations could look like.

Target Audience: All kinds of Leaders, Product Owners, People Managers, Decision Makers, Coaches, Scrum Masters
Prerequisites: No prerequisites
Level: Advanced

Extended Abstract:
In recent decades, our scientific and clinical understanding of how our nervous system develops and works has increased tremendously. Its implications are so profound, they radiate far beyond the field of psychology. Topics such as trauma-informed law, trauma-informed volleyball coaching, legal counseling, education, social activism have arisen. It is time to think about how it affects leadership.

Your speaker Anton, a Scrum trainer and coach, has recently completed a NARM-informed professional education. It has tremendously changed some key aspects of how he leads, teaches and coaches and will surely continue to have a large impact. In this session, he is presenting those key learning, connects them to well-known parts of Agile knowledge and invites into a discussion of what a more trauma-informed approach to leadership could look like.

In this talk you will:
•    experience a more calmer vulnerable space
•    learn what developmental trauma is and how it plays out in the workplace
•    learn about regulation and states of our nervous systems and its connection to creativity and cognitive capacity
•    get a new angle to think and act about topics such as responsibility, clarification of assignments and setting goals, teaching, mentoring and more
•    reflect on how these topics affects your own line of work and exchange on ideas

"We're looking for passionate programmers!" says the job ad. Passion is used to evoke single-mindedness, drive and intensity. There is more than one kind of passion, and when raw passion is tempered with compassion and dispassion, we start to see a more balanced way of development.

Good development draws on both creativity and rationality, on both experience and experimentation, on both focus and connection, on both individual skill and group intelligence. Let's explore the many passions of programming.

Target Audience: Developers, Architects, Managers, Coaches, Leaders
Prerequisites: No specific prerequisites
Level: Advanced

Extended Abstract:
"We're looking for passionate programmers!" says the job ad. For a love-in or a development role? Passion is used to evoke single-mindedness, drive and intensity, but it also has many other meanings, surely not all of which can be intended. Love aside, passion also spills over into irrationality, aggression — e.g., crimes of passion — and unconditional and unquestioning pursuit of ideas. Our acceptance of this word and this quality should be partial and conditional. But there is more than one kind of passion, and when raw passion is tempered with compassion and dispassion, we start to see a more balanced way of development.

Good development draws on both creativity and rationality, on both experience and experimentation, on both focus and connection, on both individual skill and group intelligence. The dry language of productivity needs to admit the possibility of enjoyment; the culture of burn-out needs to give way to humanity and empathy. Let's explore the many passions of programming.