Building Software Organisations Where People Can Thrive

Creating software organisations where people can truly thrive requires more than technical expertise—it demands intentional leadership that prioritises psychological safety, continuous learning, and inclusive cultures. Matthew Card's presentation at QCon London 2026 offers a comprehensive framework for building resilient teams that drive both individual growth and organisational success.

The Foundation: Psychological Safety and Trust

At the heart of thriving organisations lies psychological safety—the next level up from a trusting environment. Without these foundations, Card argues, people hold back. They're less likely to share ideas, admit mistakes, or challenge the status quo. This creates a cascade effect where teams cannot grow, innovate, or build strong relationships.

Trust builds over time through small interactions. When people know what to expect and how to interact with each other in tough moments, trust forms. Once embedded, teams are more likely to take risks by putting themselves out there to be wrong and fail fast—and that is where the magic happens.

Continuous Learning as a Growth Engine

Encouraging continuous learning stands as a key pillar for thriving teams. Card emphasises that people thrive when they're growing, not just in technical areas but also in soft skills like resilience and adaptability. In 1:1s and reviews, he supports team members by helping them set personal development goals that strengthen these capabilities.

In fast-moving industries, fostering flexibility and adaptability becomes vital. Thriving doesn't always mean thriving under pressure—it means creating space for people to adapt, experiment, and recover. This approach recognises that sustainable performance requires balance between challenge and recovery.

Building Support Networks

Creating support networks and staff communities proves crucial for organisational health. These networks give people outlets to connect, reflect, and recharge, helping reinforce a culture of care and collaboration. Card has helped create and support employee communities that offer peer connection, safe outlets, and shared learning.

These spaces play a critical role in reinforcing resilience across the organisation by ensuring people feel supported and seen. They create informal channels where employees can discuss challenges, share experiences, and build relationships that extend beyond formal work structures.

Addressing Toxic Behaviour Head-On

Card stresses that toxic behaviour must be addressed immediately when it happens. Ignoring it sends the wrong signal. Dealing with it effectively becomes much easier when you've already established a clear standard of behaviour and your team knows you are fair, consistent, and values-driven.

There's no one-size-fits-all approach for dealing with toxic behaviour—it depends on the severity. For less severe cases, Card sees it as a chance for growth. You can treat it as a learning opportunity and guide people through course corrections. Taking the time to work through these situations thoughtfully may take longer in the short term, but the long-term impact on team culture and trust is well worth it.

The CAPS Framework for Resilience

Card promotes resilience through teaching, modelling, and living it. In group settings, he tries to model resilience through his actions—whether it's how he makes decisions or how he handles challenging situations. Leading by example sends a strong, consistent message.

He's delivered talks and facilitated workshops that promote self-reflection and break down the core components of resilience. If you remember C.A.P.S., you'll never forget them:

• Confidence: Belief in one's abilities and capacity to handle challenges
• Adaptability: Flexibility in responding to change and uncertainty
• Purposefulness: Clear sense of direction and meaning in work
• Social Support: Strong connections and support networks

These sessions create space for people to explore what resilience means in their context, making it a tangible capability rather than an abstract concept.

Addressing Bias and Microaggressions

Card emphasises the need to actively address bias and microaggressions. If left unchallenged, they quietly erode trust and belonging. Being proactive, fair, and consistent in addressing these behaviours signals your values clearly to the wider organisation.

This proactive approach requires leaders to develop awareness of subtle behaviours that can undermine inclusion, and to create clear processes for addressing concerns when they arise. It's about creating an environment where everyone feels they belong and can contribute fully.

People-First Leadership as Performance Leadership

At the heart of Card's philosophy is the belief that people-first leadership is performance leadership. When we take the time to build inclusive, resilient cultures, success follows—not just for the business, but for everyone within it.

This approach recognises that treating people well isn't just ethical; it's strategically sound. Organisations that prioritise psychological safety, continuous learning, and inclusive cultures consistently outperform those that don't. The investment in people pays dividends in innovation, retention, and overall performance.

Practical Implementation Strategies

For leaders looking to implement these principles, Card offers several concrete approaches:

In 1:1s and Performance Reviews: Encourage direct reports to set personal development objectives focused on soft skills, including resilience. This normalises resilience as a core leadership capability and provides structured opportunities for growth.

In Group Settings: Model resilience through your actions. How you make decisions and handle challenging situations sends powerful signals about what's valued in your organisation.

Through Training and Development: Deliver talks and facilitate workshops that promote self-reflection and break down resilience components. Create space for people to explore what resilience means in their specific context.

Through Community Building: Help create and support employee communities and networks that offer peer connection, safe outlets, and shared learning. These spaces reinforce resilience across the organisation.

The Business Case for Inclusive Leadership

The evidence supporting people-first approaches continues to grow. Organisations with high psychological safety see increased innovation, better problem-solving, and improved employee retention. They're also better positioned to attract top talent in competitive markets.

Card's framework provides a roadmap for leaders who want to create environments where people don't just survive but truly thrive. By focusing on psychological safety, continuous learning, support networks, and inclusive practices, organisations can build the resilient cultures needed for long-term success in an increasingly complex and fast-moving world.

The message is clear: building organisations where people can thrive isn't just the right thing to do—it's the smart thing to do. When people feel safe, supported, and valued, they bring their best selves to work, driving innovation and performance that benefits everyone involved.