The Accidental ZooKeeper

You were great at your job — and suddenly you're leading a team.
No manual. Expectations from above, sensitivities below, and colleagues who just want to be themselves.

This talk is a reality check for anyone who’s just started leading. No management theory — just razor-sharp insights from the jungle of the workplace.
How do you stay on course between personalities, opinions, emotions, and targets? How do you hold your ground when you don’t want to play the boss — but do carry the responsibility?

For whom?

For anyone who’s recently taken on a leadership or team lead role (0–5 years of experience).
For creative leads, project managers, team coordinators and professionals who need to influence others without relying on formal authority — in creative, dynamic, or complex environments filled with strong personalities.

Why this matters now

The workplace has changed. Hierarchy doesn’t work anymore. But someone still has to lead.
Many new leaders are balancing autonomy and accountability — with zero clear playbook.
Meanwhile, they’re navigating conversations that feel more like therapy, with team members who have more opinions than they have experience.

This talk reveals what’s really going on under the surface — and why it feels so damn hard.
Not to give you more control, but more grip.
These insights help you become a leader on your terms.

What you’ll gain

• Recognition: “Ah, so it’s notjust me”

• Clear insight into what leadership really requires today

• A grounded view of group behavior, expectations, and self-doubt

• New ways of understanding behavior, communication, and conflict

• A push toward confidence and clarity

The Content — The Big Five of Early Leadership

• The Lion – Lead without roaring
  Provide clarity without the drama. Why authority isn’t about acting like the boss — but about having the courage to set clear boundaries.

• The Elephant – Say what others avoid
  Everyone feels it, no one says it. How to name tension, resistance, and ambiguity — before it turns into something bigger.

• The Leopard – Switch gears without losing yourself
  From feedback talk to vision meeting to sudden crisis. How to stay grounded while everything speeds up.

• The Buffalo – Stay firm, not rigid
  Criticism, vague feedback, top-down pressure. How mental flexibility helps you hold direction — without hardening.

• The Rhino – Deal with the stubborn types (yourself included)
  Not every team member goes with the flow. How to read, understand, and move through resistance — and what to do when you are the one blocking progress.