Episodes
Rod Boothby, CEO of ID Partner Systems, discusses AI’s role in advancing secure identity verification. Learn about the current state of technology in the fintech space, and the risks of personal data exposure and the benefits of using trusted institutions for verification. Rod talks about the efficiency of bank-based ID verification and the importance of continuous authentication and tighter security measures against deepfake technology as AI continues to evolve. Sponsored by This Dot Watch...
Published 04/22/24
Shuchi Mittal shares how she transformed a platform engineering team into innovation partners, and how she structured a chargeback system. She shares how to empower internal teams to adapt to a new internal cloud infrastructure by meeting their developer experience needs, and treating them more like clients. Also hear about the chargeback system she implemented so internal teams could have more visibility over their usage, and how she ultimately enabled teams to build more scalable...
Published 04/16/24
Dan DiGangi discusses all things engineering mentorship, and how engineering leaders can take an active role in promoting a culture of learning within their company. Dan emphasizes adapting communication styles for different skill levels and helping senior engineers make a broader impact beyond coding. The conversation highlights the importance of setting long-term visions, executing strategic plans for career progression, and some of the challenges and pitfalls of transitioning from...
Published 04/11/24
Hima Pingili, VP of Data and Software Engineering at CipherHealth, discusses the importance of focusing on the “people pillar” engineering leadership mental model, emphasizing the value of developing team members and providing honest feedback for growth. Hima highlights the significance of investing in people despite it being a non-measurable metric, continuous feedback, and fostering collaboration, as well as the challenges of providing effective feedback. Sponsored by This Dot. Watch this...
Published 04/02/24
Adrianna Bailey, SVP of Engineering and Business CIO at Maersk, emphasizes the importance of expanding your influence beyond one's immediate team, mentorship, and staying current in technology. She shares thoughts on decision-making in leadership roles and the human side of transformation. Sponsored by This Dot Watch this episode on YouTube Read more on our blog
Published 03/26/24
Joseph Bironas, CTO of Stanza Systems, explores how empathy creates a supportive work environment, leading to team growth and productivity. Joseph shares his insights on the challenges of startup leadership and the importance of understanding individual motivations. Along with Tracy Lee, he covers the role empathy serves in engineering, emphasizing the value of recognizing individual strengths for team success. Sponsored by This Dot Labs Watch This Episode on Our YouTube Channel Read more on...
Published 03/19/24
Angela Nelms shares valuable insights on building successful companies, emphasizing the importance of humility, transparency, and continuous learning in leadership. She discusses the criteria for company success, including exceptional customer service, positive work culture, and employee satisfaction. Angela also highlights the significance of building collaborative teams, nurturing a healthy work environment, and addressing toxic cultures early on. Sponsored by This Dot Labs Watch this...
Published 03/13/24
Maggie Pint discusses the growing focus on customer-centric product development and the trend she sees with the shift in product roles and ownership. How does product converge with engineering and what will the future of how the industry is shifting shape the next few years? She also discusses how engineering roles are impacted by new frameworks, tools, and generative AI like chatGPT. Sponsored by This Dot LabsWatch this episode here.Read more on our blog.
Published 03/06/24
Sheldon McGee is the Head of Engineering at Satellite.im. Learn his thoughts on the evolution of engineering management, the balance between process and people in scrum, and practical strategies for optimizing team workflows. Sponsored by This Dot Labs. Watch this episode on our YouTube Channel. Read more on our blog.
Published 03/04/24
Nael Alismail, Head of Engineering at ImagineX, discusses the intricate balance between technology, business outcomes, and software development. This conversation offers practical advice on delivering true business value, the importance of understanding business goals, making strategic technology decisions, and fostering a culture of iterative development.  Sponsored by This Dot Labs Watch this episode on our YouTube Channel! Read more on our blog!
Published 03/01/24
Emma Bostian is an engineering manager at Spotify and shares her journey from engineer to manager. She discusses the challenges she faced in her new role and the importance of collaboration, continuous learning, and understanding individual motivations in a managerial role. She also shares strategies for time management and highlights the importance of matching team members with projects that align with their goals. Sponsored by This Dot Labs. Watch this episode on our YouTube Channel. Read...
Published 02/22/24
Discover the challenges of giving and receiving feedback and the importance of mutual respect with Kelly Vaughn. Explore the cultural aspects of feedback delivery and the value of creating a safe space for failure and critical feedback.   Sponsored by This Dot Labs Watch this episode on our YouTube channel. Read more on our blog.
Published 02/21/24
Dr. Christine Dee, a technologist and research psychologist at IBM shares her perspective on AI ethics and designing responsibly for AI. The episode addresses the challenges leaders face in navigating conversations around trust, ethics, and responsibility. Sponsored by This Dot Labs Watch this episode on our YouTube Channel Read more on our blog
Published 02/15/24
Cory Minton, a Field CTO at Splunk shares his role in the intersection of data analytics and Formula One racing. He shares insights into his leadership philosophy, emphasizing the importance of intentional curiosity, continuous learning, side projects, and balancing high-performance work with periods of lower intensity to prevent burnout. The episode also explores Cory's project involving McLaren, where data and technology are leveraged to gain a competitive edge in both Formula One and...
Published 02/12/24
Jean Roberts, the field CTO of financial markets at DataRobot is a leader in the field of data and AI. Jean shares her journey from investment banking to tech, and shares her insights into companies adopting technology and going through data transformations and the challenges they face. She talks about how data must first be accessible within an organization before it can be fully utilized in the adoption of generative and predictive AI. Jean also shares her perspectives on navigating the...
Published 02/06/24
Tracy and Rob explore the critical aspects of successfully adopting technology in non-tech companies. They stress the importance of integrating technology into the core mission, sharing insights on pitfalls and the transformative nature of tech adoption. The conversation covers promoting technology ownership, hiring aligned technologists, fostering curiosity, staying adaptable, and embracing trial and error. Sponsored by This Dot Labs. Watch this episode on our YouTube channel. Read more on...
Published 02/02/24
Rob Ocel interviews Cassidy Williams, the CTO at Contenda and startup adviser. Cassidy shares her journey to becoming a startup adviser and CTO, and how Contenda pivoted from mailing stickers to creating Brain Story, an AI-powered brainstorming app. Rob and Cassidy discuss the importance of being willing to be wrong and to hear out other perspectives, and the importance of adapting and pivoting in life and in one's career. Sponsored by This Dot LabsWatch this episode on Youtube.Read more on...
Published 01/31/24
Tracy Lee and Rob Ocel discuss the concept of 'owning the middle' in engineering leadership and the importance of leaders having opinions and fighting for them. They talk about making people unhappy in deliberate ways, and leading with intentionality and purpose. They also cover the need for self-awareness and self-introspection in leadership. Sponsored by This Dot Labs Watch this episode on our YouTube Channel! Read more on our blog!
Published 01/29/24
Rob Ocel interviews Dr. Joye Purser, the Global Lead Field CISO at Veritas Technologies. Dr. Purser explains the need for passionate problem solvers in the private sector and outlines the three key elements of security leadership. She discusses the rising threat of cybersecurity attacks in the private sector and what organizations are doing to address them, and what skillsets are needed to hire leadership in this area. Sponsored by This Dot Labs Watch this episode on YouTube Read more on our...
Published 01/16/24
Rob Ocel interviews Dylani Herath about championing change within organizations and how to effectively lead transformation efforts within organization. She shares her career journey and talks about the best practices she implements when working to align the team’s technology capabilities with organizational objectives. Sponsored by This Dot Labs Watch this episode on our YouTube Channel! Read more on our blog!  
Published 01/10/24
Charity Majors, CTO at Honeycomb challenges engineers and engineering managers to ask themselves this question: “Why would anyone want to be an engineering manager?” Charity discusses the importance of engineering management, the rising standards engineering managers are held to, the emotional labor, and how big of a mindset shift successful engineering management is from being a developer. They also discuss the need for strong social support systems for engineering managers and advice for...
Published 01/04/24
On this episode of the Engineering Leadership podcast, Rob Ocel interviews Joe Essey, the Director of Engineering at Popmenu, about how to create a high-performing championship team environment. Joe draws on his experiences in sports, the restaurant industry, and his time at Liberty Mutual Insurance, Salesloft, and Popmenu to discuss the need for a good pipeline, the right people in place, and a focus on team success over individual success. Sponsored by This Dot Labs
Published 12/19/23
On this episode of Engineering Leadership, Rob Ocel interviews Charlie Isaacs, CTO for Customer Connection at Salesforce. Charlie talks about his career journey, his technique of 'spaghetti flinging', digital transformation, and how rapid prototyping helps leaders move from vision to action quickly.
Published 12/12/23
Rob Ocel hosts the Engineering Leadership Series with Kathy Keating, co-founder of CTO Levels. Keating shares her tech journey, leadership insights, and the vital role of swift trust-building. They discuss transitioning to leadership, effective communication, and matching CTO roles to a company's stage.  
Published 12/05/23
On this episode of the Engineering Leadership series, Rob Ocel interviews David Cramer, co-founder and CTO of Sentry. They discuss the importance of making decisions and taking risks, the success of Sentry, and the challenges of developing and defending opinions in the software engineering industry. 
Published 11/28/23