"Zero Trust" is for Networks, Not Your Teams

GOTO Chicago 2023

The whole idea of DevOps was about how we could work together better. But we broke down silos, and instead built new walls. The concept of zero trust has been widely applied to network security, however, it’s not a great way to think about our teams. This talk will explore how to foster a culture of trust in organizations, with a focus on outcomes. Leaders and individuals alike play a critical role in establishing and maintaining trust, which is crucial for the success of any team.

One key aspect of building a culture of trust is facilitating and growing psychological safety within the team. This means creating an environment where individuals feel comfortable expressing their opinions, ideas, and concerns without fear of negative consequences. Moreover, trust is necessary for proper practices of Site Reliability Engineering (SRE) and DevOps, but often organizations lack the right setup to allow for it.

This talk will feature practices inspired from the field of Resilience Engineering as well as proven DevOps approaches, with a focus on how leaders and individuals can create an environment where trust is valued, encouraged, and fostered. Attendees will take away insights and actionable tips to bring back to their teams to create a more resilient and effective organization.