Natalie Conklin, the Head of Engineering at Gremlin, discusses her approach to embracing change and improving system reliability in her appearance on the "Break Things on Purpose" podcast. Conklin highlights the importance of taking calculated risks, fostering cultural change in engineering teams, and encouraging effective communication across teams to build more reliable systems. Drawing from her experience, including a transformative stint in India where she guided a team from waterfall to Agile and DevOps practices, she emphasizes the necessity of personalizing change management to address individual concerns and mitigate resistance. Conklin also shares insights on the significance of automation in enhancing speed and confidence within engineering teams, as well as the value of involving junior engineers for fresh perspectives. Her approach involves balancing standardization with flexibility to ensure efficiency without stifling innovation. Conklin’s keynote at DevOpsDays Boise, titled "Embrace Change Fearlessly," reflects her commitment to empowering engineers to navigate change with confidence and adaptability.