Hiring is never an easy process. On today’s show, guest Brian Hogan and host Laura Santamaria explore the intricacies of hiring top performers in the tech industry. Brian talks about how to set up a fair and structured interview process, including the use of rubrics to evaluate candidates consistently. He discusses the challenges of assessing... Read more »

Everyone has their own hot take or bit of wisdom to share regarding technical leadership.  Today, host Laura Santamaria weaves these insights on communication, collaboration, decision making and more from her guests on the first six episodes of Technically Leadership. Listen, reflect and then apply to your own leadership role. Episode Links: Laura Santamaria Packet... Read more »

Leadership has a huge impact on an organization’s culture, including tech teams. On the positive side, leaders can foster healthy, productive environments. On the negative side, they can build hostile, blame-centric viper pits. Today’s episode of Technically Leadership examines how to strive for the positive by shielding teams from internal politics, developing empathetic leadership, distinguishing... Read more »

Layoffs are a sensitive topic in the tech industry. Host Laura Santamaria discusses the emotional and practical impacts on employees and leaders. She also covers the signs of potential layoffs, and strategies for job searching post-layoff while maintaining perspective. She concludes with a tips for leaders to more effectively lead their teams through a layoff.... Read more »

The concept of psychological safety originated from research on surgical teams. Psychological safety is essential as it allows team members to voice concerns without fear of retaliation. As a leadership tool, it can help people perform at their highest levels. In this episode of Technically Leadership, guest Wesley Faulkner talks with host Laura Santamaria about... Read more »

IT work requires ongoing training and skills development. Laura Santamaria and guest Scott Robohn discuss strategies for leveling up your team to ensure they have the skills they need. Laura and Scott talk about the need for continuous learning and explore options for encouraging skill development, even in budget-constrained environments. Good leaders should guide by... Read more »

On this episode of Technically Leadership, we talk about the philosophical underpinnings of leadership. We discuss what it means to hold and drive a vision for a technical organization, how to build a strong team culture, handling layoffs and letting people go, and exploring what philosophy can teach us about leadership. Guest Matt Butcher, CEO... Read more »

This first episode of Technically Leadership explores distinctions and commonalities between the management track and the staff engineer track with guests Nick Silkey and Martin Smith. Our guests share their stories from both perspectives and offer advice for those considering similar paths in technical leadership. Episode Guests: Nick Silkey and Martin Smith Nick Silkey, Senior... Read more »

Technically Leadership is a brand new podcast on the Packet Pushers network. Host Laura Santamaria explores leadership in the tech industry, with conversations and insights to help you development your management skills. Whether you’re considering your first management role or you’re an experienced manager working your way to the C-suite, this podcast is for you.... Read more »