Many of us complain about how "pointy hair bosses", ridiculous IT policies, and a culture of complacency make it difficult if not impossible to function successfully as a developer. But how can the person on the low end of the organizational hierarchy make a difference for the better ( without being fired ) ?

In this talk, I'll give you some ideas of what I've done in the past to help be a positive agent of change in organizations I've been a part of, and what lessons I've learned from it. We'll look at implementing development tools incognito, engaging with higher-ups, and dealing with the failures that go along the way.