Bert Fabry
Innovative Leadership & Agile Expertise | International Speaker & Empathy Advocate | Advocating Road Safety
Ekeren, Belgium
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As the Senior Project Manager at One Task, Bert leads the deployment of innovative camera systems designed to combat mobile phone usage while driving, combining his tech expertise with a strong commitment to road safety. He is also the founder of FabCore Consulting, where leadership, communication, and agile training and coaching are provided to organizations and individuals worldwide, fostering environments that emphasize empathy and efficiency.
An international speaker, he regularly shares his insights at conferences, engaging audiences with his deep knowledge in technology, leadership, and agile practices. With a background spanning the arts, technology, and international development, he draws on a diverse array of experiences to champion empathic leadership and continual learning. His journey through personal challenges has fueled his dedication to professional growth and making a meaningful impact.
Outside of work, he indulges in cooking and storytelling, enhancing life's flavor as a culinary enthusiast and a veteran tabletop roleplaying game master.
Area of Expertise
Topics
Human-Centric Testing: Building Empathy into the User Experience
Picture this: you're engrossed in an intricate testing cycle, diligently verifying code. Suddenly, a thought hits you: "Am I considering the end-users' feelings as they interact with this software?" As agile testers, we can sometimes be so caught up in the minutiae that we overlook the humans at the other end.
"Human-Centric Testing: Building Empathy into the User Experience" is more than a lecture—it's an immersive, interactive experience. As soon as you walk into the room, you'll be greeted with real-life user personas that we'll use throughout the talk. Engage in group discussions and collaborate on empathy maps that we'll incorporate live into a testing strategy.
Rather than just being talked at, you'll be guided through live demonstrations of empathy mapping, putting it at the forefront rather than relegating it as a mere "key takeaway." Through hands-on exercises, we'll explore narrative arcs that simulate the end-users' highs and lows, transforming you from a traditional tester into an advocate for user experience.
By the time you leave, you won't just go back to your team with a new set of skills; you'll return as a storyteller, ready to inject a deeply human perspective into your agile testing environment.
Leading with the Heart: The Transformative Power of Empathetic Leadership
You enter a meeting room, greeted by an atmosphere of apprehension. You're here to discuss the future of an initiative with your agile team. At this moment, traditional leadership methods fail. What's needed? Empathy.
"Leading with the Heart: The Transformative Power of Empathetic Leadership" shifts the lens from managing to leading people. This isn't a typical leadership talk—it's a transformative journey. Step into a room filled with energy, role-playing, and dynamic dialogues. Participate in empathy circles where we tackle real-life scenarios that challenge us emotionally and ethically.
Through interactive exercises, you'll experience leadership from both the leader's and the team's perspectives. These experiences will illuminate how an empathetic approach to leadership can dismantle barriers, foster open communication, and create a thriving, psychologically safe work environment.
Leave this session armed with the tangible skills to become not just a manager but an empathetic leader, capable of navigating the complexities of human emotions to elevate your teams to new heights.
Storytelling: The missing link in modern leadership.
In an age of information overload and competing demands, the ancient discipline of storytelling has a renewed importance for today's leaders. This isn't about providing a flash of inspiration but rather a long-term strategic instrument. This session goes beyond the fundamental mechanics of beginning, middle, and end, delving into the biology of how stories resonate with the human brain, establishing emotional connections that drive loyalty, passion, and action. "Storytelling for Impact" seeks to equip you with the abilities to truly engage with your team through riveting case studies in both the corporate and non-profit sectors, as well as proven strategies from the bleeding edge of behavioral science. You may improve your capacity to inspire change, create creativity, and build a cohesive, motivated team by making storytelling a cornerstone of your leadership style. Join us as we investigate the transforming power of narrative in empathetic leadership.
From IQ to EQ to 'We-Q'
Emotional intelligence is no longer limited to individuals. Collective emotional intelligence (or 'We-Q') is becoming increasingly important in our hyper-connected, collaborative work world. But what exactly does 'We-Q' mean, and how can you, as a leader, nurture it in your team? This presentation will take you from the fundamentals of individual emotional intelligence (EQ) to the revolutionary possibilities of group EQ. Using the most recent psychology research, this session will highlight real-world examples of teams who have achieved extraordinary success by prioritizing 'We-Q.' From ensuring psychological safety to encouraging various perspectives, you'll discover how to measure and improve collective emotional intelligence within your team. As we transition from an era of individual accomplishment to one of collective effect, this session will provide you with tangible tactics to not only keep up, but to become a leader in developing high-performing, emotionally aware teams.
The Psychology of Change
In today's rapidly evolving business landscape, change is the only constant. But why do some change initiatives succeed while others falter? The answer may lie in our understanding of human psychology. In this enlightening session, we'll delve deep into the brain's architecture to uncover the subconscious motivators that drive resistance to change. Using relatable anecdotes and real-world scenarios, we'll explore the concept of the 'righting reflex,' an instinctive urge to correct others' behavior, and its counterproductive effects in change management. We'll then introduce the revolutionary approach of Motivational Interviewing (MI), originally a clinical psychology technique, as a powerful tool for leading change initiatives. Participants will learn the practical technique of 'reflective listening,' part of MI, to foster genuine connections and facilitate change. Through a blend of neuroscience, psychology, and firsthand experiences, this session will equip you with the skills to not just manage change but to champion it.
Agile Testing Days 2024
Featured my workshop: Leading with the Heart (120 mins) with co-facilitator Claire van der Meulen
Newcrafts Paris 2024 Sessionize Event
srvision24 Sessionize Event
ScanAgile24 Sessionize Event
Agile Testing Days 2023
Featured my talk: The Psychology of Change as a Conf-in-Conf talk
Agile Prague 2023
Featured my workshop on The Psychology of Change
Agile Consortium Belgium
Featured my talk: The Psychology of Change as a Keynote
Agile Prague 2022
Featured my talk: Psychology of Change
MoveIT 2022
Featured my talk: How to Pilot a Pirate Ship: A tale of Agile Software Development spanning half the globe
MoveIT 2019
Featured my workshop: The Hollow Square
MoveIT 2018
Featured my talk: Agile Adoption: How to avoid failure?
MoveIT 2017
Featured my talk: Design and Build Better, Faster, Together.
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