From Coder to Catalyst: Mastering Tech Leadership at Every Level

Wednesday, 9:00 AM EST

Step beyond technical excellence and into transformative leadership. This immersive, no-slides workshop will walk you through the three pivotal shifts in technical leadership—from solving problems, to managing programs, to developing people.

Expect real-world stories, practical models, and powerful group discussions—not theory or fluff. Whether you’re growing into leadership or leading a team of leaders, you’ll leave with clear strategies to expand your impact.

What You'll Explore:

1. How technical mastery can become a leadership liability—and what to do about it
2. The real reason letting go doesn’t work (and what comes next)
3. Why influence beats control (but still requires structure
4. How to foster ownership without losing alignment
5. What to do when “do it right” and “do it fast” are both true

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As leaders rise, the work shifts from problems to product to people. But most technical leaders aren’t prepared for this change—and end up stuck in the weeds or overwhelmed by complexity. This workshop helps you recognize those transition points and navigate them with confidence and clarity.

You’ll also have a chance to step back and reflect on your own leadership journey—what’s working, what’s in the way, and where to go next. It’s not about fixing broken leaders. It’s about unlocking the next version of you.

Stop Chasing Answers: Step Into the Fog

Wednesday, 7:30 PM EST

We’re trained to find answers. But what happens when they elude us?

Pete Behrens invites you to step into the Fog—where uncertainty, complexity, and change collide. Because the Fog doesn’t just hide the path ahead—it reveals the leader within. Not with answers, but with courage. Not with certainty, but with curiosity.

Through stories both humorous and humbling, Pete Behrens takes you on a journey into the Fog—the space where answers fade, tensions rise, and leadership is tested. From mentoring missteps to organizational “arrhythmias,” Pete shares how real growth begins not when we conquer uncertainty, but when we learn to navigate it.

You're guaranteed to walk away with a fresh perspective on leadership—one that sees uncertainty not as something to fix, but as the very place where growth takes shape.

Organizational Tension is not the Problem, it's the Point

Thursday, 9:30 AM EST

Technical leaders are problem-solvers by design. But not everything is a problem that can be solved. Some challenges—like speed vs. quality, alignment vs. autonomy, planning vs. adapting—aren’t meant to be solved. They’re tensions that can only be managed. And treating them like problems only creates new ones.

This session unpacks the most common leadership tensions in tech and how to navigate them with more clarity and less frustration.

You’ll explore:

• The difference between a solvable problem and a persistent tension
• The leadership habits that increase tension (often unintentionally)
• A practical lens to work with tension rather than against it

No perfect answers. Just better choices.

Strategic Leadership: From Decision to Destination

Thursday, 11:00 AM EST

Most leaders aren’t in the room when big strategic decisions are made. But they are the ones expected to make those decisions real. That’s where the real work begins—and where most strategy falters.

This session is designed for leaders who find themselves in the messy middle of change—navigating shifting priorities, guiding uncertain teams, and trying to deliver results in an environment full of ambiguity and resistance. It offers a practical lens for understanding what your people need after change is announced and how to lead them through it with clarity, presence, and resilience.

In this session, you’ll gain:

• A better understanding of why strategic change fails in execution
• Practical tools to lead your team through uncertainty, doubt, and pushback
• Insights into how to rebuild trust, clarity, and focus when the path ahead is unclear
• New ways to show up when your team needs more than just direction—they need leadership

Change is an announcement. Leadership is everything that follows.

AI is a Force Multiplier – What are you multiplying?

Friday, 11:00 AM EST

Everyone’s talking about AI’s potential. Few are asking the harder question: What exactly is it multiplying?

This session explores how Generative AI is accelerating everything—good and bad—and the hidden risks for leaders who aren’t paying attention. Drawing from the AI Leadership Lab and decades of riding tech waves (software, mobile, cloud, agile…), Pete will challenge you to rethink your AI strategy—from productivity to power, design to decision-making.

You’ll walk away with:

• A framework for evaluating what AI is really amplifying in your org
• Insight into the unseen tradeoffs behind AI investments
• How to lead with intention, not just adoption

If AI is fuel, leadership is the steering wheel.

Power & Influence: Leading Beyond Your Title

Friday, 1:30 PM EST

Influence is the currency of leadership—but most leaders only spend what they’ve been given.

This session helps technical leaders break out of default power (positional, cultural, prestige) and tap into personal power—built on presence, clarity, and credibility.

Whether you’re managing up, across, or leading without formal authority, this talk gives you the tools to lead with more impact.

We’ll Explore:

• The 4 sources of leadership power and how to use them
• How to navigate the thin line between influence and manipulation
• The tension between being respected and being in charge

The best leaders don’t use power to control. They use it to connect.