This week, co-host Conor Bronsdon sits down with Amanda Sopkin, Engineering Manager at Asana. Amanda shares her journey from software engineer to manager, discussing the pivotal moment she chose to pursue management over an individual contributor path. We cover the indicators of a successful manager, the red flags to watch for, and the importance of mentorship.Amanda emphasizes the value of finding the right fit for team members, tailoring leadership styles, and developing a balanced team. Tune in for insights on managing senior versus junior engineers, promoting team members, and striking a balance between professional growth and personal fulfillment.Episode Highlights:00:49 Amanda’s Path to Engineering Management 04:58 How to tailor your leadership style to your team06:40 Unlocking the potential of your team13:25 Keeping track of your team members individual needs17:43 Management career goals20:31 What Amanda is passionate about within engineeringShow Notes:Amanda Sopkin on LinkedInAmanda Sopkin on Twitter / XAmanda Sopkin’s websiteAmanda Sopkin on GitHubAsana Project Management SoftwareSupport the show: Subscribe to our Substack Leave us a reviewSubscribe on YouTube Follow us on Twitter or LinkedIn Offers: Learn about Continuous Merge with gitStream Get your DORA Metrics free forever

“If you're not careful, cloud computing can lose more money faster than any invention in history” - Mark Robinson, Infrastructure Engineer at PlaidThis week, guest host Ben Lloyd Pearson sits down with Plaid’s Mark Robinson to learn how he helped Plaid save 25% in costs by optimizing existing resources and eliminating waste in cloud computing.Mark explains the importance of understanding your cloud bill, identifying areas of overspend, and implementing changes that lead to significant savings. From the basics of tagging resources to the intricacies of optimizing network and storage costs, Mark offers practical tips that can help you uncover countless optimization opportunities.Tune in to learn about the rewards of improving cloud cost efficiency, the role of organizational buy-in, and the benefits of making cost optimization a company-wide value.Episode Highlights: 00:56 How did cloud computing get so expensive?02:34 Digging into what your costs actually are04:55 How can you account for the various services you use?07:35 Where are organizations going to get the most value out of?12:26 Cloud costs relation to better code quality16:08 Blockers in organizations to cost savings19:32 Getting buy-in from leadership on cutting cloud costsShow Notes:Download your copy of the Essential Guide to Software Engineering Intelligencehttps://www.finops.org/https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-robinson-944084bSupport the show: Subscribe to our Substack Leave us a reviewSubscribe on YouTube Follow us on Twitter or LinkedIn Offers: Learn about Continuous Merge with gitStream Get your DORA Metrics free forever

AI is the biggest hype cycle happening in tech right now, but how do you know what’s actually going to make an impact for your product and team vs. what’s just new and shiny?This week, LinearB COO & Co-founder Dan Lines sits down with Louis Brandy, Member of Technical Staff OpenAI and ex-VP of Engineering at Rockset. Louis shares his unique perspective on the evolution of AI, drawing from his experiences with early days AI work at Meta and now with OpenAI following their acquisition of Rockset. He shares grounded insights into the realities of AI, separating fact from fiction in an industry often clouded by buzzwords and unrealistic expectations.Listeners will learn about the practical applications of AI, the challenges and opportunities it presents, and how to go past the hype to find AI's potential. Whether you're an AI enthusiast, a skeptic, or a professional looking to understand the true impact of AI for engineering teams, this episode offers an insightful look at one of the most talked-about topics in tech today.Episode Highlights: 00:32 Louis Brandy's background with AI at Meta04:31 The current AI hype cycle13:09 How should engineering leaders think about AI and the pressure to use it?17:58 How to know if you’re falling into the hype cycle25:50 AI vs. human code34:42 Real time when it comes to AI38:36 What should an IC do about AI in their career path?Show Notes:OpenAI Acquires RocksetDownload your copy of the Essential Guide to Software Engineering Intelligence PlatformsSupport the show: Subscribe to our Substack Leave us a reviewSubscribe on YouTube Follow us on Twitter or LinkedIn Offers: Learn about Continuous Merge with gitStream Get your DORA Metrics free forever

When we first saw the talk titled “Space Aliens Are Among Us, Your Product Roadmap is Realistic and Other Lies you Believe,” we knew we had to sit down with Best Egg’s Johnny Ray Austin at LeadingEng SF last year.Johnny joined our host Conor Bronsdon to discuss how engineering leaders can navigate unrealistic expectations and pressures, drawing from his experiences and relating product roadmaps to the less-than-tangible UFO disclosure we’ve seen in recent years. The conversation explores the pressures engineering leaders face, how to align product roadmaps realistically, and how to manage ambiguity within teams.By aligning engineering goals with business objectives and building a transparent, high-performing engineering culture, you can give your teams the context they need to drive focus and concentration toward the right outcomes.Episode Highlights: 1:36 Where Johnny came up with the talk title "Space Aliens Are Among Us" 4:15 Advice for engineering leaders struggling with roadmap realism 6:44 Cutting through the noise to find the metrics that matter 11:41 How do teams know if they're moving fast in the right direction? 14:58 How do you handle teams that are getting the wrong input? 20:32 Lies we tell ourselves that we need to get past 28:32 What it’s like to create a new unit inside a company 33:53 Identifying and dealing with ambiguity on your teams 40:45 Johnny’s Thoughts on AIShow NotesDownload your complimentary Gartner® Market Guide: Software Engineering Intelligence (SEI) PlatformsJohnny Ray AustinPersonal Loans | Quick & Easy Application | Best EggSupport the show: Subscribe to our Substack Leave us a reviewSubscribe on YouTube Follow us on Twitter or LinkedIn Offers: Learn about Continuous Merge with gitStream Get your DORA Metrics free forever

Engineering leaders have long used value stream management and CI/CD tools to improve software delivery practices. However, an increasing demand for cost and efficiency is leading to the adoption of new technologies. Enterprises are quickly adopting tools that combine deeper levels of visibility into the SDLC with net-new workflow automations, leading to a better developer experience and increased output. This week's labs episode takes an in-depth look at Software Engineering Intelligence (SEI) Platforms and how engineering teams are using this new technology to gain a competitive advantage. LinearB’s COO and Co-founder Dan Lines along with co-host Conor Bronsdon cover the evolution of SEI, its core capabilities, and how these tools are being used to drive predictability, resource investment strategy and an improved developer experience. Join our journey into the data insights and workflow automations that are driving the next wave of continuous improvement. Gartner estimates that the adoption of SEI platforms will increase to 50% of engineering teams by 2027 – whether you're a VP, manager, or developer, find out why adopting an SEI Platform is crucial to your future success.Episode Highlights:2:39 Digging into the data to find optimizations 4:02 What is Software Engineering Intelligence (SEI)? 9:08 What is profitable engineering and why should it be top of mind? 14:56 How can SEI help a VPE or CTO? 20:43 How does SEI relate to value stream management? 25:05 The role of automation in continuous improvement 29:36 How do SEI platforms help improve GenAI code orchestration? 31:45 What makes a great SEI platform? 34:19 What's next for SEI?Show Notes:Moneyball (2011) directed by Bennett Miller • Reviews, film + cast • LetterboxdDownload your complimentary Gartner® Market Guide: Software Engineering Intelligence (SEI) PlatformsSupport the show: Subscribe to our Substack Leave us a reviewSubscribe on YouTube Follow us on Twitter or LinkedIn Offers: Learn about Continuous Merge with gitStream Get your DORA Metrics free forever

In this episode of Dev Interrupted, Conor Bronsdon is joined by Sanghamitra Goswami, Senior Director of Data Science and Machine Learning at PagerDuty. Sanghamitra shares her expertise in AI and data science, including how engineering teams can effectively leverage both within their organizations. She also explores the history and significance of LLMs, strategies for measuring success and ROI, and the importance of foundational data work. The conversation ends with a discussion about practical applications of AI at PagerDuty, including features designed to reduce noise and improve incident resolution. Episode Highlights:00:56 Why are LLMs important for engineering teams to understand?03:17 How should engineering leaders think about using AI in their products?07:57 What sort of plan should engineering leaders have to get buy in for AI?13:22 Are there ways to show ROI on an investment in AI?15:08 How should we communicate with customers about AI in our products?18:53 How can companies find a good use case for AI in their product?Show Notes:LinkedInPagerDutySoftware Engineering Intelligence: Exposed & In ActionSupport the show: Subscribe to our Substack Leave us a reviewSubscribe on YouTube Follow us on Twitter or LinkedIn Offers: Learn about Continuous Merge with gitStream Get your DORA Metrics free forever

This week, guest host Ben Lloyd Pearson chats with Thayse Onofrio, Software Engineer at Clutch and ex Thoughtworks. Thayse discusses how micro frontends allow individual application components to be operated and deployed independently, helping teams avoid the complexities of a monolithic architecture. They cover the technicalities, challenges, and advantages of implementing micro frontends, including the importance of module federation and proper coordination among developer teams. Learn about the future of frontend development, the cultural impacts, and the best practices from Thayse’s experience. Episode highlights:01:02 What is a micro frontend?04:08 Building from scratch vs. out-of-the-box solutions 10:30 What’s the process for moving to a more micro frontend based approach?15:46 What changes do you need to use a micro frontend framework? 17:28 What does a team using micro frontends benefit from once it's all set up?Show Notes:Thayse Onofrio | TwitterThayse Onofrio | SubstackThayse Onofrio | LinkedInThayse Onofrio | LeadDevSoftware Engineering Intelligence: Exposed & In ActionSupport the show: Subscribe to our Substack Leave us a reviewSubscribe on YouTube Follow us on Twitter or LinkedIn Offers: Learn about Continuous Merge with gitStream Get your DORA Metrics free forever

Dan Lines is joined by Gil Broza, author of 'Deliver Better Results,' to discuss how you and your organization can achieve better results by focusing on processes. Gil shares his 20-year journey in the Agile field, focusing on product development, system thinking, prioritizing people, and mindful mindset adjustments.The conversation covers the book’s target audience, the concept of the value delivery systems, and the roadmap for holistic improvement beyond traditional Agile methodologies. Gil also highlights common pitfalls leaders encounter, such as treating people as resources and the importance of a unified organizational mindset.As a thank you to our listeners, we’re giving away the first chapter of ‘Deliver Better Results’ for free, check it out here.Episode Highlights:00:58 What led Gil to write ‘Deliver Better Results’, and who should be reading it?06:20 Is there a certain size of team that would benefit from this book?12:08 How can leaders identify the current state of their team?17:01 How can engineering and product work better together?20:49 What do leaders get wrong about people?34:14 How can managers avoid finding someone to blame?40:10 How can you avoid falling back to old habits after you make changes?Show Notes:Gil Broza on LinkedInGil Broza (@gilbroza) / XDeliver Better Results: How to Unlock Your Organization’s PotentialDownload the first chapter of ‘Deliver Better Results’ for free hereSupport the show: Subscribe to our Substack Leave us a reviewSubscribe on YouTube Follow us on Twitter or LinkedIn Offers: Learn about Continuous Merge with gitStream Get your DORA Metrics free forever

This week, guest host Ben Lloyd Pearson sits down with Bloomberg’s Engineering Manager Luis Vega. Luis discusses the initial challenges of enhancing developer engagement with internal tooling. He outlines his approach to building internal applications that are as intuitive and engaging as Bloomberg's client-facing solutions, and how applying UX design principles and branding for tools dramatically increased adoption. Vega also reflects on transitioning from a hands-on developer to a managerial role, emphasizing the importance of understanding team dynamics and fostering a culture of support and innovation within Bloomberg.Episode Highlights:01:14 What is Bloomberg?02:52 How do you get developers to embrace internal tooling?06:58 Giving applications mascots12:28 Helping developers be more productive with internal tooling18:31 What was the biggest challenge to tackle when developing internal tooling?25:41 Luis' journey into development32:07 What's next for Bloomberg's internal tools?Show Notes:How to Drive Developer Productivity and Profitability with SEI BloombergLuis Alejandro Vega on LinkedInLuis Alejandro Vega (@luisalejovega) / XAleAlejandro on YouTubeSupport the show: Subscribe to our Substack Leave us a reviewSubscribe on YouTube Follow us on Twitter or LinkedIn Offers: Learn about Continuous Merge with gitStream Get your DORA Metrics free forever

In our first Labs episode of the year, LinearB COO and Co-founder Dan Lines is joined by CTO Yishai Beeri to explore how elite engineering organizations set and report on their engineering goals. Modern engineering leaders face a dual mandate of achieving operational excellence while aligning their work with business priorities. To achieve this, you need to deliver software predictably—projects need to be delivered on time, within scope, and as promised so the rest of the business can drive ROI. Dan and Yishai highlight goal-setting methodologies to achieve predictable delivery and key metrics to focus on, ranging from planning accuracy and capacity accuracy to cycle time.Along with goal setting, we cover how to effectively report on your goals and progress to business stakeholders. Plus, you can download LinearB’s CTO Board Deck Template to leverage in your next board meeting.Episode Highlights:01:24 Key terms to know when setting goals 02:17 Engineering leaders’ dual mandate: operational excellence and business alignment 08:18 How can engineering leaders set goals to achieve both sides of this mandate?11:37 Why engineering organizations need to deliver predictably 19:37 How to set goals around resource allocation 27:30 Reporting on your goals to business stakeholders 32:56 The LinearB CTO Board Deck TemplateShow Notes:Gartner SEI Platform Market GuideCTO Board SlidesEngineering Leader Guide to Goals and ReportingLinkedIn: Yishai BeeriTwitter: Yishai BeeriSupport the show: Subscribe to our Substack Leave us a reviewSubscribe on YouTube Follow us on Twitter or LinkedIn Offers: Learn about Continuous Merge with gitStream Get your DORA Metrics free forever

This week, I sat down with Neha Batra, VP of Engineering for Core Productivity at GitHub. Our conversation is about the value of taking calculated risks in engineering leadership, using a “risk budget," and how you can leverage your social capital to take risks that help your career.Neha also shares her insights on senior engineering leaders' challenges when aligning business needs with talent and product execution. She discusses her framework for strengthening company alignment and engineering efficiency using established communication paths.Episode Highlights:00:26 Frameworks that strengthen company alignment03:11 How should you channel frustration into creation?05:58 Conceptualizing your risk budget 12:53 Strategies for building communication pathways 16:04 Conducting AMA's with your team21:47 How do you get team members to take accountability?25:27 How do you gather signals from your team?29:13 Mistakes leaders make you can learn from 36:32 Building curiosity into mundane experiences like datingShow Notes:Starting Your Engineering Metrics Program nerdneha (Neha Batra) · GitHubNeha BatraNeha (@nerdneha) / XGitHub: Let’s build from here · GitHub Support the show: Subscribe to our Substack Leave us a reviewSubscribe on YouTube Follow us on Twitter or LinkedIn Offers: Learn about Continuous Merge with gitStream Get your DORA Metrics free forever

In the last few years, disengagement at work has become a massive issue. We learned from Dr. Andre Martin’s episode that 53% of managers are burnt out and 1 in 3 employees leave their jobs in the first 90 days.This week, we sat down with Chuck Lafferty, VP of CRM at ADP, to discuss ADP’s approach to employee engagement and innovation. Chuck dives into building trust within teams, innovative techniques like ‘Survey Roulette’ to incorporate user feedback into development, and the critical role of understanding and caring for individuals.When employees feel valued, heard, and engaged in meaningful work, you see improved productivity and increased job satisfaction. The episode concludes with actionable steps to improve employee engagement through personalized interactions and empathetic leadership.Episode Highlights:01:51 How does Chuck define employee engagement?04:06 Can you measure employee engagement?12:05 How can managers engage individual developers?17:16 Survey Roulette and how it helps engage engineering teams.22:31 Winning in the workplace 23:45 The importance of separating the problem from the person25:30 How can you improve employee engagement?Show Notes:Starting Your Engineering Metrics Program Workshop Chuck LaffertyPayroll, HR and Tax Services | ADP Official SiteConfident CoderChuckLafferty (@ChuckLafferty) / XSupport the show: Subscribe to our Substack Leave us a reviewSubscribe on YouTube Follow us on Twitter or LinkedIn Offers: Learn about Continuous Merge with gitStream Get your DORA Metrics free forever

This week, our host Dan Lines sits down with Tara Hernandez, VP of Developer Productivity at MongoDB. Together, they explore the nuances of developer productivity and the impact of AI in engineering environments.Tara emphasizes that achieving developer productivity requires a focus on outcomes, reduced noise for developers, and a healthy balance between technology, processes, and communication. She also touches on the strategic framework of the 'three horizons' for conceptualizing your investment breakdown across different projects and how to maintain focused on meaningful development work.Episode Highlights:01:43 How should you think about developer productivity?09:09 Three pillars to improve developer productivity16:07 Automated does not equal autonomous24:46 Making the golden path the easy path for developers27:51 What’s exciting in developer productivity and AI?29:57 The three horizons38:34 Developer performance vs productivity data40:23 What is the right way to think about goal setting for noise reduction?Show Notes:Starting Your Engineering Metrics Program Workshop Tara HernandezMongoDBGitHubCloudBeesCircleCIAtlassianEvergreen CI in GitHubSupport the show: Subscribe to our Substack Leave us a reviewSubscribe on YouTube Follow us on Twitter or LinkedIn Offers: Learn about Continuous Merge with gitStream Get your DORA Metrics free forever

In the past year, ransomware attacks have been up almost 300%, with over 50% targeting small businesses. To help mitigate this increase, Microsoft is launching their new Security Copilot, and we sat down with their SMB Security Strategy Head, Binil Pillai, to learn more.We dive into the importance of SMBs assessing their security posture, how to leverage AI for efficient threat detection and response, and the role of Microsoft's partner ecosystem in providing comprehensive security solutions. The episode concludes with advice for SMB leaders on starting their security assessments and the benefits of integrating AI into their cybersecurity strategies.Episode Highlights:01:39 Why is SMB security a priority for Microsoft?07:34 Key security challenges for SMBs 09:26 How can SMBs leverage AI within security?16:28 How VPs of Engineering can use new tech to deal with threats20:25 Microsoft Security Copilot 24:30 Where is the best place to learn about Microsoft's security strategy?Show Notes:Microsoft Copilot for Security is generally available on April 1, 2024 | Microsoft Security BlogMicrosoft Copilot for Security: General Availability details - Microsoft Community HubMicrosoft 365 Business Premium | Microsoft 365Microsoft Defender for Business | Microsoft SecurityAutomatic attack disruption in Microsoft 365 Defender | Microsoft LearnMicrosoft Defender for Cloud | Microsoft SecurityWhat is Microsoft Defender for Cloud? - Microsoft Defender for Cloud | Microsoft LearnSolution Assessment Program (microsoft.com)Support the show: Subscribe to our Substack Leave us a reviewSubscribe on YouTube Follow us on Twitter or LinkedIn Offers: Learn about Continuous Merge with gitStream Get your DORA Metrics free forever

In this episode, host Conor Bronsdon talks with Melissa DePuydt, Sr. Director of Engineering at Upstatement. Melissa discusses how her background in journalism has uniquely positioned her to excel in engineering leadership roles. She highlights how thinking like a journalist has enhanced her ability to lead engineering teams effectively, particularly in planning, risk management, and decision-making.The conversation covers the importance of preparing for disruptions, conducting pre-mortems to anticipate challenges, and incorporating broad perspectives for effective problem solving. Melissa also shares insights on continuously learning and adapting by embracing one's unique background and experiences.Episode Highlights:00:20 Why do engineering leaders need to think like journalists?04:46 Preparing for disruptions as an engineering leader08:44 How pre-mortems work in practice: an example from the Atlantic12:47 How to get buy in from other leaders when changing processes 17:59 Eliciting buy-in from team members on pre-mortems22:15 How do we train engineers to think in a team sport mentality?26:51 Why is career switching a superpower?Show Notes:Melissa DePuydtUpstatement | A digital brand and product design studioSupport the show: Subscribe to our Substack Leave us a reviewSubscribe on YouTube Follow us on Twitter or LinkedIn Offers: Learn about Continuous Merge with gitStream Get your DORA Metrics free forever

On this week’s episode, host Conor Bronsdon sits down with Emily Nakashima, VP of Engineering at Honeycomb.io, to discuss how you can prepare to be a VP of Engineering, and how the role differs among companies. Being a VPE varies based on company size, culture, and the existing team's makeup, and Emily provides valuable advice for engineers aspiring to leadership positions.Emily also discusses using personality tests for better team dynamics and the need for regular self-evaluation as an integral part of career advancement. The conversation closes by talking about the impact of AI on the workforce, the importance of aligning engineering and business goals, and the potential of AI to enhance rather than replace human skills.Episode Highlights:01:27 Why does Emily think there isn't a standard VP of Engineering role?06:29 The archetypes of the VPE role10:15 How does the VPE role change as an organization grows?14:46 Preparing to become a VP of Engineering before you get the role20:11 How you can use personality tests in organizational design26:00 How is the VP of Engineering role changing in 2024?30:53 Teams are having to accept realities about production software with regards to AIShow Notes:Modern Practices for Goal Setting in Software Engineering Emily NakashimaEmily Nakashima (@eanakashima.bsky.social) — BlueskyObservability for Distributed Services | HoneycombStrengthsFinder 2.0 | EN - GallSupport the show: Subscribe to our Substack Leave us a reviewSubscribe on YouTube Follow us on Twitter or LinkedIn Offers: Learn about Continuous Merge with gitStream Get your DORA Metrics free forever

This week, host Conor Bronsdon welcomes back Kelly Vaughn, Director of Engineering at Spot AI, to talk about building influence as an engineering leader. Kelly shares insights on the importance of leadership skills for both individual contributor and managerial roles and outlines her three pillars of trust, communication, and empowerment. Conor and Kelly discuss strategies for staying technically fresh despite moving up in management, exploring the balance between staying close to product development and avoiding micromanagement. Lastly, they touch on the potential of AR/VR technology, with a focus on the business implications of Apple's Vision Pro and the future of immersive experiences.Episode Highlights:01:09 How should engineering leaders think about building influence?03:53 The impact of changing roles or companies on your performance 08:07 Why you lose important context when making assumptions09:32 How ICs can help manage their team10:49 Key ways to build influence and trust16:00 How important is trust when giving or recieving feedback?22:27 How do leaders stay close to their product as their org grows?28:58 Our thoughts on Apple Vision Pro and AR VR in generalShow Notes:Kelly VaughnLessons in Engineering Leadership | Kelly Vaughn | SubstackSpot AI: Video Intelligence for Better Decision-MakingRadical Candor | Feedback Training, Coaching & ConsultingSupport the show: Subscribe to our Substack Leave us a reviewSubscribe on YouTube Follow us on Twitter or LinkedIn Offers: Learn about Continuous Merge with gitStream Get your DORA Metrics free forever

On this week’s episode, host Conor Bronsdon is joined by Jason Krohn, Global Head of Delivery at Syngenta. Jason delves into how his teams at Syngenta leverage software engineering intelligence to achieve predictable delivery at scale. Jason also explores how aligning work with employees' passions contributes to success and retention at Syngenta. He discusses the challenges and solutions in implementing efficient DevOps processes and ensuring organizational buy-in for the vision. Additionally, Jason highlights the importance of empowering teams with autonomy and providing the necessary tools for proactive decision-making.Whether you're leading a small team or managing an enterprise, Jason's insights offer valuable lessons on driving efficiency, scaling effectively, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement.Episode Highlights: 1:46 Scaling teams that are empowered and autonomous 4:01: The four pillars for retaining talent in tech teams.12:51 Tackling organizational change 18:41 Using metrics to achieve predictable delivery 21:45 Why your engineering teams' need to care about metrics, not just be compliant 26:20 Addressing production delays and DevOps integration28:55 Leadership's role in communicating the 'why’33:05 The Importance of Coaching When Mentoring Show Notes:SyngentaJason KrohnSupport the show: Subscribe to our Substack Leave us a reviewSubscribe on YouTube Follow us on Twitter or LinkedIn Offers: Learn about Continuous Merge with gitStream Get your DORA Metrics free forever

This week, host Dan Lines welcomes back Zach Goldberg, CTO and author of the book 'The Startup CTO's Handbook: Essential Skills and Best Practices for High Performing Engineering Teams.’ Zach shares insights from his extensive career as a CTO and his journey in writing a book that condenses the wisdom of numerous other influential works into a single, comprehensive guide.We explore the three core sections of his book:Management Fundamentals: Interviewing, Hiring, Performance Management, Budgeting, etc. Technical Leadership Concepts: Developer Experience, Tech Debt, etc. Hard Technology Decisions: Pragmatism, Tech Stack, etc.Zach provides advice for not only CTOs but anyone in a technical leadership position, offering strategies to develop empathy and understanding within technical organizations.Episode Highlights: 1:59 From Startup CTO to Author and Executive Coach3:41 The Origin of Best Practices and Genesis of the Handbook  10:25 Why the Startup CTO’s Handbook isn’t just for CTOs 13:02 Part 1: Management Fundamentals Beyond Coding24:50 Part 2: Technical Leadership Concepts & Developer Experience30:57 Part 3: Technology Decisions from a Pragmatic PerspectiveShow Notes:The Startup CTO's Handbook: Essential skills and best practices for high performing engineering teamsSupport the show: Subscribe to our Substack Leave us a reviewSubscribe on YouTube Follow us on Twitter or LinkedIn Offers: Learn about Continuous Merge with gitStream Get your DORA Metrics free forever

It doesn’t matter if you have an innovative technical strategy if you’re not solving problems the business cares about… This week, host Conor Bronsdon sits down with Rob Zuber, CTO at CircleCI. They delve into the evolving role of engineering leaders, and the importance of building a technical strategy that aligns with overarching business goals.Throughout the conversation, Rob emphasizes the importance of focusing on customer needs, gathering direct feedback and maintaining strategic flexibility. If you’re interested in understanding the balance between technical strategy and business leadership, this episode provides a wealth of knowledge, strategies, and real-world examples.Episode Highlights:01:38 Crafting technical strategy for teams at CircleCI 07:26 How engineering leaders can make the most informed choices about their business17:47 Using postmortems to fuel a growth mindset 22:39 Applying hypotheses to be prepared for worst-case scenarios 27:43 Why CTOs need to focus on solving business problems first, then technical strategy30:30 Why engineering leaders need to form a close relationship with finance33:17 Advice for ICs or Directors on becoming a business leader39:17 Rob's approach to building trust and organizational design 44:36 How can I prepare for being a technical founder?55:12 What is CircleCI doing in ML?Show Notes:Modern Software EngineeringSupport the show: Subscribe to our Substack Leave us a reviewSubscribe on YouTube Follow us on Twitter or LinkedIn Offers: Learn about Continuous Merge with gitStream Get your DORA Metrics free forever