The Discomfort Dividend
Track: Non-technical
Agencies run on relationships. Delivery leads are conditioned to smooth things over at all costs - they're expected to say yes to the client, avoid hard conversations and keep the team happy. It feels like the safe choice, but it isn't.
Being liked and being trusted are different currencies and the leads who build the most durable trust are the ones willing to spend short-term likability to get it. So how can you tell the difference between conflict worth having and conflict to avoid? This talk breaks down what separates productive friction from just being difficult, and how you go about building credibility to make an unpopular call and have it land.
Being liked and being trusted are different currencies and the leads who build the most durable trust are the ones willing to spend short-term likability to get it. So how can you tell the difference between conflict worth having and conflict to avoid? This talk breaks down what separates productive friction from just being difficult, and how you go about building credibility to make an unpopular call and have it land.
Speakers
Fonda Duffy
Fonda is Head of Operations at PreviousNext (previously Head of Agile Delivery). She is passionate about empowering teams and cultivating the right culture to set them up for success. She is particularly energised by people management, not as a soft skill on the side, but as one of the sharpest levers a leader has, because how well a team is managed shapes whether delivery actually works .