The Engineering Leadership Podcast

• Upskilling: practices to improve hiring, storytelling & structuring personal/leadership problems with engineering principles #208

  ABOUT COLLEEN TARTOWColleen Tartow, Ph.D. is Field CTO and Head of Strategy at VAST Data and has 20+ years of experience in data, analytics, engineering, and consulting. Adept at assisting organizations in deriving value from a data-driven culture, she has successfully led diverse data, engineering, and analytics teams through the development of complex global data management solutions and architecting enterprise data systems. Her demonstrated excellence in data, engineering, analytics, and diversity leadership makes her a trusted senior advisor among executives. An experienced speaker, author, valued mentor and startup advisor, Colleen holds degrees in astrophysics and lives in Massachusetts.ABOUT JIM LIUJim Liu is an accomplished engineering leader with a track record of driving business outcomes at companies like StockX and Nordstrom. He is also an active community builder with Engineering Leader Community and Angel Investor communities. Jim and his family reside in Seattle, WA.ABOUT DIVYA ALAVARTHIDivya Alavarthi is an experienced engineering and business leader with 14+ years of expertise in architecture, engineering, product delivery, pre-sales, professional services, and organizational leadership. She developed Salesforce Platform architecture standards, best practices, and minimal viable architectures. She supported a talent pool of 5000+ architects and developers resulting in improved strategic agility, speed to market, and business value in large-scale multi-cloud implementations.This episode is brought to you by Clipboard HealthClipboard Health is looking for the next generation of exceptional software engineering leaders, not just managers. They’re a profitable unicorn, backed by top-tier investors, and they take the craft of engineering management seriously.Clipboard Health matches highly qualified healthcare workers with nearby facilities to fulfill millions of shifts a year - revolutionizing healthcare staffing with a fast, flexible, and user-friendly platform.Learn more & browse their open roles at clipboardhealth.com/engineeringSHOW NOTES:The importance of leadership in hiring (1:29)The Tartow Method Explained: Key aspects of a successful hiring practice (3:57)How to build out the interview process & ask the right questions (6:14)Behavioral Interviews and good responses: Tips for gaining clarity from interviewees on abstract skills (7:52)Where eng leaders can start building their hiring skill set (9:16)Colleen’s experience co-leading ELC Boston & advice for 1st time event attendees (10:36)Understanding how to model problems as engineering challenges (14:41)How to use an engineering mindset to tackle personal problems (16:35)Jim’s process for deconstructing problems & solving them like an engineer (18:38)Tips for building / applying your skill set around abstracting problems (21:27)Jim’s perspective on getting involved with a local ELC community (24:36)Ways to help make the most out of your first ELC local experience (27:05)Divya shares about the power of storytelling in engineering leadership (30:07)Build the narrative about your product’s business impact (32:24)An example of bringing different demos & storytelling together (34:09)Frameworks for effective storytelling: build a narrative around a product / demo (36:16)How to start improving your storytelling today (37:35)Divya’s favorite moments with the ELC Seattle chapter & how to get involved (39:42)LINKS AND RESOURCESCheck out all of our local chapters & get involved here: elc.community/home/clubsThis episode wouldn’t have been possible without the help of our incredible production team:Patrick Gallagher - Producer & Co-HostJerry Li - Co-HostNoah Olberding - Associate Producer, Audio & Video Editor https://www.linkedin.com/in/noah-olberding/Dan Overheim - Audio Engineer, Dan’s also an avid 3D printer - https://www.bnd3d.com/Ellie Coggins Angus - Copywriter, Check out her other work at https://elliecoggins.com/about/

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• GTM Insights from Top DevTool companies w/ David Mytton #207

  ABOUT DAVID MYTTONA dynamic approach to tech innovation, security, sustainability, and developer empowerment can be seen in everything David Mytton touches. As co-founder of Console and host of the Console DevTools Podcast, he delights in keeping developers ahead of the curve with the tools they need the most. As the founder of Server Density (acquired by StackPath), he created a product that helped organizations manage mission-critical IT environments. As a sustainable computing researcher at Oxford and a global green tech speaker, he’s brought much-needed attention to the impact of cloud emissions and the water and energy consumption of the data centers that fuel our online lives. Now, as founder and CEO of Arcjet, he’s helping developers and businesses protect their apps with just a few lines of code. His professional career is a direct reflection of his relentless pursuit of making tech smarter and greener. How he invests his spare time showcases his unwavering commitment to mentoring developers and building the communities they need to succeed.SHOW NOTES:David’s founder journey, starting with Server Density (3:20)Behind the early decision to start a company & start building a product (4:50)Key lessons from bootstrapping, raising funding, and being acquired (8:30)How those early lessons shaped Arcjet & Console (10:30)Why VC money can make finding experienced engineers easier (13:16)Strategies to help early teams build their first product / prototype (14:56)Considering company outcomes: Should you build a company just to sell it? (16:23)Signals that it’s the right time for a sale / acquisition (18:14)The story behind Arcjet (20:30)“What makes a great DevTool company” & strategic insights that shaped Arcjet (23:37)Key practices that helped shape Arcjet’s GTM plan (25:36)David’s approach to experimentation and discovery (27:36)The impact of documentation on dev tool companies (31:35)How discovery pathways for dev tools impact sales (33:28)Making the decision-making process easier for users & buyers (35:01)Translating dev tool benefits for finance teams vs. developers (39:56)The impact of design on dev tool companies (42:37)Rapid fire questions (46:02)LINKS AND RESOURCESDavid’s reading lista16z BlogThe Hard Thing About Hard Things - Ben Horowitz, a leading venture capitalist, modern management expert, and New York Times bestselling author, combines lessons both from history and from modern organizational practice with practical and often surprising advice to help executives build cultures that can weather both good and bad times.The Ascent of Money: A Financial History of the World - Niall Ferguson follows the money to tell the human story behind the evolution of finance, from its origins in ancient Mesopotamia to the latest upheavals on what he calls Planet Finance.The Lessons of History - In this illuminating and thoughtful book, Will and Ariel Durant have succeeded in distilling for the reader the accumulated store of knowledge and experience from their four decades of work on the ten monumental volumes of "The Story of Civilization." The result is a survey of human history, full of dazzling insights into the nature of human experience, the evolution of civilization, the culture of man.This episode wouldn’t have been possible without the help of our incredible production team:Patrick Gallagher - Producer & Co-HostJerry Li - Co-HostNoah Olberding - Associate Producer, Audio & Video Editor https://www.linkedin.com/in/noah-olberding/Dan Overheim - Audio Engineer, Dan’s also an avid 3D printer - https://www.bnd3d.com/Ellie Coggins Angus - Copywriter, Check out her other work at https://elliecoggins.com/about/

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• Navigating Rapid Change: Skills to Cultivate Resilience, Adaptability & Creativity in Engineering Teams w/ Melody Meckfessel #206

  ABOUT MELODY MECKFESSELMelody Meckfessel is the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) at Jasper.ai, the world’s leading AI marketing platform. In her role, Melody shapes the technical vision of the company, oversees product delivery, and spearheads AI research to develop new capabilities that accelerate business outcomes for enterprise marketers.Before joining Jasper.ai, Melody co-founded and served as CEO of Observable, a data visualization platform that empowers teams to understand their businesses through data. She also spent over a decade at Google as Vice President of Engineering, where she led core infrastructure, Search, and DevOps teams for Google and Google Cloud Platform, impacting millions of users worldwide.Melody is recognized for her hands-on approach to engineering leadership and her expertise in building large-scale distributed systems. Her work is crucial in solving complex problems at scale for enterprise companies. She is passionate about defining the future of work with AI, where humans come first.This episode is brought to you by Clipboard HealthClipboard Health is looking for the next generation of exceptional software engineering leaders, not just managers. They’re a profitable unicorn, backed by top-tier investors, and they take the craft of engineering management seriously.Clipboard Health matches highly qualified healthcare workers with nearby facilities to fulfill millions of shifts a year - revolutionizing healthcare staffing with a fast, flexible, and user-friendly platform.Learn more & browse their open roles at clipboardhealth.com/engineeringSHOW NOTES:Melody’s perspective on the tech industry’s rapid rate of change right now (2:53)Critical questions to guide investment decisions on “what to build & how“ in a rapidly evolving market (5:57)Strategies for navigating rapid change internally within eng teams (10:07)What it means to be an AI-first engineering organization (12:30)Changes in goals, metrics, and processes to shape your org and guide you through rapid change (15:33)Developing agile communication processes (18:39)Navigating ambiguity as a learned skill - practical ways to strengthen your ability to navigate uncertainty (20:09)Implementing a framework of curiosity & openness within eng teams (22:40)Why great things can’t be planned (26:21)Becoming dynamic and resilient - how to thrive amid uncertainty and constant industry shifts (28:57)How to shift from prescriptive to inspirational - using illustrated inspiration to empower teams (32:00)Breaking through self-imposed limitations - understanding where eng leaders may limit themselves (33:48)Melody’s perspective on fostering a culture of creativity within eng teams (35:06)Rapid fire questions (37:13)LINKS AND RESOURCESThe Qualified Sales Leader: Proven Lessons from a Five Time CRO - John McMahon shares valuable lessons for sales leaders and sales reps selling enterprise software solutions. In a conversational and easy to read narrative style, this must-read book provides learnings on how sales leaders can help their reps sell more for higher average deal sizes to executive level buyers.This episode wouldn’t have been possible without the help of our incredible production team:Patrick Gallagher - Producer & Co-HostJerry Li - Co-HostNoah Olberding - Associate Producer, Audio & Video Editor https://www.linkedin.com/in/noah-olberding/Dan Overheim - Audio Engineer, Dan’s also an avid 3D printer - https://www.bnd3d.com/Ellie Coggins Angus - Copywriter, Check out her other work at https://elliecoggins.com/about/

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• Building Trust: Strategic humor, bridging communication gaps & enabling your team to do more #205

  ABOUT ANDY KORTZAndy Kortz is currently the Chief Technology Officer at Integra Testing, where he leads technology transformation and drives operational efficiency in aggressive growth organizations. Andy also is a co-lead for the ELC Local Chapter initiative in Chicago. With over 20 years of experience in enterprise architecture and software development, Andy has consistently delivered innovative solutions while reducing IT expenses and improving application value. Drawing on his expertise in cloud technologies, data solutions, and integrations, Andy focuses on fostering a culture of continuous learning, building and empowering high-performing teams, and delivering customer-centric solutions in fast-paced environments.ABOUT JAMES TYACKJames Tyack leads the Learner Success team at Coursera, creating engaging and personalized learning experiences for millions of learners worldwide. An avid user of Coursera and a lifelong learner himself, James is passionate about leveraging technology, including AI, to transform lives through education. Prior to Coursera, he led integration and growth teams at PagerDuty, driving innovation and adoption of incident response tools and best practices.Beyond his professional work, James is the chapter lead for the South Bay Engineering Leadership Community (ELC) group, fostering collaboration among tech leaders. He is also a proud dad to a one-year-old, balancing his career and personal life with a deep commitment to growth and connection.ABOUT JOHN ROSSJohn Ross is the Director of Infrastructure and Cloud at KUBRA, expertly navigating IT infrastructure and cloud solutions. Based in Toronto, John's career showcases a diverse range of experiences from large corporations to dynamic startups. He has a knack for aligning technology with business objectives, building robust teams, and managing platform migrations to the cloud. With experience in leading industry names like Ingram Micro and Symantec, as well as in the telecommunications sector, John combines strategic insight with a personable approach. His passion for sailing mirrors his love for innovation and precision in professional pursuits.This episode is brought to you by Clipboard HealthClipboard Health is looking for the next generation of exceptional software engineering leaders, not just managers. They’re a profitable unicorn, backed by top-tier investors, and they take the craft of engineering management seriously.Clipboard Health matches highly qualified healthcare workers with nearby facilities to fulfill millions of shifts a year - revolutionizing healthcare staffing with a fast, flexible, and user-friendly platform.Learn more & browse their open roles at clipboardhealth.com/engineeringSHOW NOTES:Scaling communication practices in parallel with scaling your org with Andy Kortz (1:18)Tools for bridging communication gaps between groups & building trust (2:49)Use humor strategically to break tension / build trust (5:16)Andy’s introduction to ELC Chicago & the best parts of that community (8:57)Engineering challenges / conversations from ELC Chicago (10:24)What engineering leaders can learn from the best online courses - making a “Day One” commitment with James Tyack (12:28)Frameworks for putting the “Day One” commitment into practice (14:49)What making a “Day One” commitment looks like @ Coursera (17:59)Why the commitment needs to be made explicit (19:25)Practical exercises to encourage innovation & foster creativity (21:06)Strategies for getting hands-on with your learning (23:10)James’s experience with ELC South Bay & connecting with leaders in a specific space (25:05)How to make the most out of attending your first ELC event (26:27)How to level up your teams through servant leadership with John Ross (27:52)Realizing you’re the bottleneck & tips for stepping back / increasing team trust (30:49)John’s experience with ELC Toronto & what ELC means to him (33:12)LINKS AND RESOURCESCheck out all of our local chapters & get involved here: elc.community/home/clubsThis episode wouldn’t have been possible without the help of our incredible production team:Patrick Gallagher - Producer & Co-HostJerry Li - Co-HostNoah Olberding - Associate Producer, Audio & Video Editor https://www.linkedin.com/in/noah-olberding/Dan Overheim - Audio Engineer, Dan’s also an avid 3D printer - https://www.bnd3d.com/Ellie Coggins Angus - Copywriter, Check out her other work at https://elliecoggins.com/about/

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• Faster iteration & execution: Insights from Google Workspace’s AI product experience journey w/ Anurag Agarwal #204

  ABOUT ANURAG AGARWALAnurag Agarwal leads the Google Workspace engineering organization, overseeing products such as Gmail, Calendar, Chat, Drive, Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Meet that help billions of users and customers across the world to connect, create, and build together.With over 18 years of experience at Google, Anurag’s expertise spans a wide range of consumer and enterprise products and technologies. His career began in the Display Ads team, where he played a pivotal role in developing publisher ad-serving products from the ground up. He then worked on the Search Ads team driving a number of large-scale infrastructure improvements and leading initiatives such as online-to-offline measurement and monetization of surfaces like Maps and Discover. Prior to his role in Workspace, he spearheaded some early-stage incubation projects at Google like Google Health’s CareStudio project aimed to help clinicians get a comprehensive view of patient’s health information.Anurag spent his childhood in Delhi, India and now resides in the Bay Area with his family.SHOW NOTES:A current update on Google Workspace (2:46)Strategies for getting teams to faster iteration & execution (4:41)Prioritizing the right problems & how to set a unified vision to work toward (7:11)Questions to ask to help rationalize during prioritization conversations (10:48)Components of streamlining the decision-making process (13:33)Anurag’s recommendations for facilitating decision-making conversations (15:00)How to encourage your team to ask the right questions & push back (16:55)Frameworks for identifying areas of inefficiency / friction (20:17)Steps for increasing confidence on the front end for an AI product experience (23:38)Filtering insights for faster iteration on AI product concepts (25:59)Measure user impact & make adjustments quickly based on that feedback (27:38)Reducing barriers to feature discovery (29:33)Enabling discovery & engagement of new product experiences (32:05)The role of pilots when testing different product experience changes (35:17)The future product launches Anurag is most excited (39:10)Rapid fire questions (40:36)LINKS AND RESOURCESGoogle AI is now included, with no add-ons required or usage limits, in Workspace Business and Enterprise plans. Find out more: https://goo.gle/3PsIwf1How to Know a Person: The Art of Seeing Others Deeply and Being Deeply Seen - Driven by his trademark sense of curiosity and his determination to grow as a person, David Brooks draws from the fields of psychology and neuroscience and from the worlds of theater, philosophy, history, and education to present a welcoming, hopeful, integrated approach to helping readers become more understanding and considerate toward others, and to find the joy that comes from being seen. Along the way it offers a possible remedy for a society that is riven by fragmentation, hostility, and misperception.This episode wouldn’t have been possible without the help of our incredible production team:Patrick Gallagher - Producer & Co-HostJerry Li - Co-HostNoah Olberding - Associate Producer, Audio & Video Editor https://www.linkedin.com/in/noah-olberding/Dan Overheim - Audio Engineer, Dan’s also an avid 3D printer - https://www.bnd3d.com/Ellie Coggins Angus - Copywriter, Check out her other work at https://elliecoggins.com/about/

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