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World Congress 2025 • Aug 20, 2025 • Session details

Beyond the Code: Driving Change with Effective Communication

Michelle de Bruijn

Why do your best technical proposals keep getting rejected? Learn how to use the AIM method to turn organizational pushback into collaborative problem-solving.

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#1 about 3 min

Recognizing the trap of speaking before thinking

Driven professionals often damage their chances of making improvements by raising critical opinions too quickly.

#2 about 3 min

Navigating resistance during technical hiring process changes

Pushing back bluntly on redundant corporate assessments often results in defensive responses from stakeholders.

#3 about 4 min

Psychological and financial costs of constant workplace rejection

Repeatedly ignoring enthusiastic ideas leads to withdrawal, brain responses akin to physical pain, and high employee replacement costs.

#4 about 2 min

Shifting strategy to reduce organizational resistance

Focusing on building alignment through continuous questioning makes it easier to share new visions.

#5 about 3 min

Pausing before responding to inefficient process proposals

Taking a moment to process information before objecting to a lengthy interview workflow keeps stakeholders collaborative.

#6 about 4 min

Applying the AIM method to collaborative problem solving

Setting clear goals for achievement, impact, and mood transforms tense wellbeing discussions into supportive teamwork.

#7 about 2 min

Adapting dialogue to three primary communication styles

Recognizing whether colleagues are quick decision-makers, careful considerers, or team players ensures messages are properly received.

#8 about 4 min

Listening to understand instead of listening to respond

Building trust requires asking clarifying questions to genuinely incorporate stakeholder opinions into the final solution.

Matching moments

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Overcoming introversion and conflict avoidance in tech leadership

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Balancing disruptive innovation with professional workplace kindness

Phil Bennett · World Congress 2021

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Navigating challenges in corporate innovation and transformation

Anu Bharadwaj Anu Bharadwaj +3 · World Congress 2025

2:08 min

Navigating and mitigating the impacts of broken engineering cultures

Oskar Kruschitz Oskar Kruschitz · Europe 2026 Virtual

6:03 min

Adapting management styles to resolve employee communication misalignments

Chris Redmond Chris Redmond · World Congress 2026 Europe

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