"Many leaders assume that adding more people to a team will simply increase output, yet in practice the dynamics are rarely that straightforward. This session explores why teams behave as complex systems, where interactions, habits and hidden constraints shape outcomes far more than headcount or planning. I will introduce simple concepts from complexity thinking, including a light touch overview of the Cynefin framework, to help attendees understand what is really happening in their environment without needing deep theory. We will look at how enabling constraints and small experiments can be used to influence behaviour and improve the conditions in which teams operate. I will share insights drawn from working with multiple teams at scale, showing how this perspective can shift conversations and uncover meaningful opportunities for change. Participants will leave with a clearer understanding of their teams as systems and practical ideas on where to start with team improvement."

What does it really feel like to deliver change inside global banks compared to fast moving SMEs? This session shares a personal journey from leading large scale, regulated transformation at Lloyds and HSBC to now helping growing businesses streamline operations and adopt modern technology. It explores what breaks when enterprise delivery methods are applied in smaller organisations, and what actually works instead. Drawing on real delivery experience, we will look at the shift from ceremony driven agile to outcome focused transformation, and how to create genuine operational visibility without adding bureaucracy. Attendees will leave with a grounded view of how enterprise delivery thinking can be adapted in a lightweight, commercially focused way to help SMEs scale and make better decisions.