Programming Leadership
49 episodes - English - Latest episode: almost 4 years ago - ★★★★★ - 12 ratingsA podcast to help great coders become skilled leaders, and build happy, high-performing software teams.
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Episodes
Bridging the PM Gap with Rich Mironov
July 09, 2020 07:00 - 48 minutes - 67 MBHave you ever been told to be more “innovative” with your code? In this episode of Programming Leadership, Marcus and his guest, Rich Mironov, discuss the all too common disconnect between developers and those on the marketing side of organizations. According to Rich, this is the result of two very different work cultures existing in the same organization - one that’s collaborative and one that’s highly individualistic. The culture gap can be hard to cross. Thankfully, Rich has spent years c...
How Core Values Influence Diversity and Inclusion with Kim Crayton
June 25, 2020 07:00 - 50 minutes - 116 MBIn this episode of Programming Leadership, Marcus and his guest, Kim Crayton, discuss how organizations are shaped by core values, and why values are integral for establishing true diversity and inclusion. Kim dives into some very uncomfortable truths in this episode, pointing out how most organizations are not actually ready for inclusion and diversity, because they are operating with misaligned values that make it impossible for stakeholders to thrive. Kim also explains how businesses can ...
No Fighting In This (Agile) Dojo with M. David Green
June 11, 2020 07:00 - 47 minutes - 64.8 MBHow can we train teams to consistently produce quality code without negatively impacting productivity? In this episode of Programming Leadership, Marcus and his guest, M. David Green, discuss Agile Dojos and how they can make teams more effective. Dojos provide a six-week training ground where teams focus on recognizing and replicating value by pairing, mobbing, and swarming. Coaches like Green help them to hone their skills and go through rituals more effectively. The results will be more e...
Finding Career Opportunities Through Experimentation with Josh Doody
May 28, 2020 07:00 - 46 minutes - 64.4 MBEngineers love to experiment, but is experimenting with your career a good idea? In this episode of Programming Leadership, Marcus talks with salary negotiation expert Josh Doody about how this counterintuitive decision can benefit you over the long term. According to Doody, the key is to stop thinking in binary terms of “good” and “bad” outcomes and optimize for learning, instead. Doing so gives us a broader spectrum of results that we can use to decide how to proceed. This will allow us to...
How Agile Work Actually Works with Allen Holub
May 14, 2020 07:00 - 49 minutes - 67.4 MBHow do organizations actually work with Agile? In this episode of Programming Leadership, Marcus and his guest, Allen Holub, discuss what organizations get wrong about Agile. Allen has been an Agile transformation consultant for nearly 40 years and has seen the best and worst it has to offer. Luckily, he says the worst can be avoided. The challenge lies in company culture and architecture. The Agile way of working can be a shock to an organization’s system. However, those willing to suffer a...
Engineering Inclusivity with Rich Archbold
April 30, 2020 07:01 - 39 minutes - 54.7 MBHow do we build inclusive organizations that actually value diversity? In this episode of Programming Leadership, Marcus talks with Rich Archbold, vice president of engineering at Intercom.io, about developing an inclusion and diversity plan for his company. According to Archbold, organizations must learn to be inclusive of the people they already have before they can become diverse. He says that this responsibility falls largely on managers, who are the most important factor in an employee'...
Leveraging Remote Work with Laurel Farrer
April 16, 2020 07:01 - 31 minutes - 43.7 MBHow do we leverage remote work in our businesses and on our teams? In this episode of Programming Leadership, Marcus talks with Rachel Farrer, CEO and founder of Distributing Consulting, about the challenges facing remote workers and their managers. Despite being around for decades, there are still many managers pushing back against remote work. According to Farrer, this is due to myths surrounding it as well as managers not utilizing it effectively. She wants people to know that remote work...
Making Software Development Teams Hum with Ron Lichty
April 02, 2020 07:01 - 45 minutes - 62.7 MBIs your team running so smoothly that it hums? In this episode of Programming Leadership, Marcus and his guest, Ron Lichty, discuss what makes high-performance teams versus what makes low-performance teams. Most teams already know which category they fall into, but the solution to a low-performing team isn’t always clear. Drawing on 20 years of Agile experience, Ron narrows down the three root causes of low-performing teams as well as solutions that managers can implement to improve them. ...
Being Your Own Leader in Times of Transition with Han Yuan
March 19, 2020 07:00 - 40 minutes - 55.1 MBEpisode 40 What does it look like to be your own leader in times of professional transition? In this episode of Programming Leadership, Marcus talks with Han Yuan, friend and former Senior Vice President of Engineering at Upwork, about transitioning into entrepreneurship from a traditional job and vice versa. How do you know it’s time to make a transition? Where do you find the support you need? How can you prepare team members for their own transitions? It’s a scary proposition for anyone. ...
Changing How We Change Software with GeePaw Hill
March 05, 2020 07:00 - 47 minutes - 65 MBWhat if we could create a trade culture that allowed for change rather than relying on mechanical thinking? In this episode of Programming Leadership, Marcus and his guest, GeePaw Hill, discuss how the doubling rate in the software industry has resulted in a complete lack of trade discipline. Drawing on his 40 years in the software industry, GeePaw’s solution is to develop a thick culture in which certain standards are established across the industry. They also discuss why the industrial mod...
Improve Your Product Management with Ellen Gottesdiener
February 20, 2020 07:00 - 48 minutes - 67.2 MBHow do we improve in the area of product management? In this episode of Programming Leadership, Marcus and his guest Ellen Gottesdiener, President of EBG Consulting, discuss ways companies can better oversee the development and lifecycle of a product in its entirety. Marcus and Ellen also discuss her Agile Product Planning method, best practices in the area of product management, and effective decision making methods with product management within your organization. Show Notes A working...
Leadership Strategies from Nature with Dr. Kathleen Allen
February 06, 2020 07:00 - 48 minutes - 67.1 MBWhat can nature teach us about how to get the most from our organizations? In this episode, Marcus welcomes Dr. Kathleen Allen to discuss changing our perspectives of assigning roles within teams and organizations to what she calls leading a “living systems”. Dr. Allen is the president of her consulting firm, Allen and Associates, and has written many articles and contributed to a variety of books, including The Transforming Leader: New Approaches to Leadership for the Twenty-first Century a...
The Art of Leadership with Michael Lopp
January 23, 2020 07:00 - 43 minutes - 60.4 MBHow can you build trust as a leader? In this episode of Programming Leadership, Marcus and his guest, Michael Lopp discuss the small practices that make a good leader. Listen to learn about building trust, respect, and relationships in a leadership role. Show Notes Leadership practices are small things done repetitively over time. @2:29 Leadership is a skill. @3:32 Empathy is a powerful skillset. @5:17 The practice of one on ones is important in connecting to a team. @6:44 Aski...
Collaboration and Notqmail with Amitai Schleier
January 09, 2020 16:04 - 30 minutes - 41.4 MBOn this episode of Programming Leadership, Marcus and his guest, Amitai Schleier, discuss a new project Amitai is working on regarding reviving an old, but useful, open-source program called qmail. Strategy and collaboration on this project as well as how to manage a project of this nature are discussed. Show Notes The ‘old’ project is called notqmail. @1:10 Last stable release was in 1998 then it was abandoned. @2:45 Elders decided to make some changes in 2007 and called it notqma...
Becoming a Better Manager Means Starting with Yourself with Johanna Rothman
December 19, 2019 07:00 - 41 minutes - 57.4 MBTo be a modern manager, you must manage yourself first. In this episode of Programming Leadership, Marcus and his guest, Johanna Rothman discuss how you must learn to manage yourself to be effective at managing other people. They will discuss some common mistakes managers make and some important values to instill in yourself that will make you a better manager, such as integrity, vulnerability, and congruence. Show Notes If we don't manage ourselves, we don't have the capability of ma...
Rise of the Resilient Manager with Lara Hogan
December 11, 2019 07:00 - 42 minutes - 59 MBAre you a resilient manager? Do you want to become one? In this episode of Programming Leadership, Marcus and his guest, Lara Hogan discuss what it means to be a resilient manager. She will discuss some effective management skills and thought processes. She will also introduce us to the idea of the manager Voltron. Show Notes New manager care packages @1:00 Becoming a manager is scary for different reasons for everybody. @5:10 Management skills are the same across the board. @9:15...
Compassionate Coding with April Wensel
December 05, 2019 07:00 - 35 minutes - 48.7 MBAre you compassionate? In this episode of Programming Leadership, Marcus and his guest, April Wensel discuss compassion in technology and how it affects people. April shares how to become more compassionate as individuals and how we can bring more compassion into our organizations. Dive in to learn about a more compassionate future. Show Notes Compassion is about reducing suffering. @1:09 Compassion is what's missing in technology. @1:22 Emotional intelligence ties into compassion. ...
Finding Your Balance with Camille Fournier
November 28, 2019 07:00 - 36 minutes - 50.2 MBIn this episode of Programming Leadership, Marcus and his guest, Camille Fournier discuss some points from her book, The Manager's Path. They discuss the importance of time management and how to effectively manage employee turnover in a leadership role. Show Notes A day in the life of a manager varies, but it is a lot of meetings. @3:58 As a manager, you have to be on for all the hours you are in. @5:07 It's important to make time for your "thinking time." @7:14 The big problems a...
My Mission
November 21, 2019 07:00 - 14 minutes - 19.3 MBHave you ever wondered why am I doing this? In this episode of Programming Leadership, Marcus discusses his vision for the future and how we can work together to change it. Are you with me? Show Notes Consider your why and get on board with mine. @4:02 I want to create a future that's more productive and more valuable. @5:09 This future will have lower turnover and higher productivity. @5:58 Small ideas have to start somewhere and they grow. @6:53 Bad management and leadership comes f...
Conflict: Uncomfortable, Yet Necessary with Jennifer Jones-Patulli
November 14, 2019 07:00 - 41 minutes - 56.7 MBEpisode Description Is conflict always a bad thing? In this episode of Programming Leadership, Marcus and his guest, Jennifer Jones-Patulli, discuss how people tend to think about conflict and how they handle it. Jennifer provides insight and tools to use as leaders to help handle conflict situations within an organization and among staff. Conflict may be uncomfortable, but it is not always bad. Show Notes Fight, flight, or freeze reactions Cultures approach conflict differently Confli...
Turnover: “It’s not me, it’s you”
November 07, 2019 07:00 - 27 minutes - 38.3 MBTurnover is a huge problem in our industry. There are many reasons people choose to leave their jobs and in this episode of Programming Leadership, Marcus dissects the top reasons software professional decide to seek other employment and ways to prevent future turnover from occurring. Show Notes Technology and software have the highest turnover rate of all industries Managers can affect turnover Reasons why people leave Lack of opportunity for advancement Unsatisfied with leadershi...
Rules of Change with Esther Derby
October 31, 2019 07:00 - 31 minutes - 72.5 MBIn this episode of Programming Leadership, Marcus and his guest Esther Derby discuss change. They discuss her book, Seven Rules for Positive Productive Change, and how change is viewed and implemented by individuals and organizations. Show Notes Change is a core aspect of leaders' and managers' jobs Change is viewed differently from different people, or different places in an organization How do people and companies "do change"? Codifying when we know the least Forest succession as a...
A New Leadership Model with Jason Wong
October 24, 2019 07:00 - 41 minutes - 57 MBIn this episode of Programming Leadership, Marcus and his guest Jason Wong discuss how one size does not fit all in leadership. They dive into how the traditional leadership model isn't working well and how it could be changed to become more effective. The two also enlighten listeners on a new followership model, and why followership can be just as important as leadership. Show Notes The traditional leadership model isn't working well Great Man Leadership New model should be less confro...
The One Constant with Don Gray
October 17, 2019 07:00 - 44 minutes - 101 MBChange is hard, unpredictable, and downright complex. Getting people or systems to change is not easy and certainly not done in a vacuum. In this episode of Programming Leadership, Marcus and his guest Don Gray enlighten listeners regarding the world of software development, the reasons for implementing software changes and why it's not as easy as people may think. And while doing so, the pair attempt to arm their readers with a variety of change literature that will have them thinking of c...
The Importance of Trust and Communication with Tim Ottinger
October 10, 2019 07:00 - 42 minutes - 97.7 MBOn today's episode of Programming Leadership, we dive into what is needed to establish safety in your own organization. Trust is just one of the key pieces that make up the structure of safety in a work environment, along with actual physical measures, active communication, and regular feedback. The people who make up your organization are an integral part of the safety structure. An exchange of ideas and criticisms between subordinates and superiors should be shared, but boundaries must be ...
Investing in the Long Game with Reuven Lerner
October 03, 2019 07:00 - 38 minutes - 53.1 MBTraining, done properly, is a specialized type of learning that companies can use as an investment in their personnel or as a box that gets ticked off each year as mandatory practice. What are some of the best practices for training? How can employees prepare to learn? Show Notes I think that good training and good learning go hand in hand Nowadays there's a whole host of different options for every technology. I think it's also healthy for an organization to say, "We're investing in you...
A First Team Mindset
September 26, 2019 07:00 - 20 minutes - 28.3 MBWhen you as the manager treat your peers, other managers in the organizations as your first team, it changes your stance. It changes the way you work. It creates intentionally a set of allies you can problem-solve, people problem-solve with, people you can collaborate with. This is a little bit different idea than my first team of the people that work for me. Instead, your first team becomes those other engineering managers, directors, VPs, whatever it is, those peers, those all-important pe...
Learning to Handle Uncertainty
September 19, 2019 07:00 - 20 minutes - 28.2 MBDoes project work feel like a guessing game? What happens when projects go off track, and how can this affect customer relationships? Better yet, how can we navigate uncertainty when we estimate and plan -- but things still go wrong? Standing in uncertainty, learning to handle it, and living in inquiry are topics of discussion in this episode. Show Notes We're going to talk about the idea of being able to hold uncertainty in our mind, start to get comfortable with it, and some mental tool...
Managing to Solve An Elegant Puzzle with Will Larson
September 12, 2019 07:00 - 42 minutes - 57.8 MBAt Stripe, guest Will Larson received his first official management training by an employer. It taught him about different management styles, problem solving, and more. But most employees don’t get management training, which can cause problems down the road. Marcus and Will discuss this, plus what it takes to handle leadership roles. Show Notes Most coders don’t aspire to be managers “there's that idea that really if you think about the consequences and the kind of statefulness of these ...
Monkeys and Rocks with Matt Greenberg
September 05, 2019 07:00 - 48 minutes - 66.9 MBIf a friend asks you to help them move something heavy, like a rock, you probably wouldn’t think twice. But if they asked you to take care of their pet monkey… That’s the beginning of our chat with Matt Greenberg, Vice President of Engineering at Credit Karma, who compares problems of various types and sizes to monkeys and rocks. The goal of effective leaders should be to break down bigger problems into smaller ones, going from monkey-sized problems to smaller, rock-sized ones. Show Notes ...
Dynamic Reteaming with Heidi Helfand
August 29, 2019 07:00 - 48 minutes - 66.3 MBThe only constant is change, and Heidi Helfand knows a thing or two about changes in organizations. From reteamining to reorganizations to just shuffling a member or two, in this episode we’ll learn how to think about these inevitable changes and what to do when they happen. Show Notes What are some of the kinds of change that a team might undergo? Dynamic reteaming comes in these five structural patterns The metaphor of the eco-cycle Different types of mentoring What does it mean to h...
Putting the Emotion Into EQ with Etienne de Bruin
August 22, 2019 07:00 - 37 minutes - 51.4 MBEmotional intelligence is essential to good leadership, but many CTO’s stress the importance of IQ instead. To move from contributor to manager, it’s a good idea to invest the time to explore EQ, as well as personality profiles to better understand how to manage people. Show Notes Managing expectations Emotional Intelligence 2.0 DISC profiles Avoidance and collaboration Dealing with conflict Real leadership It takes practice to change old habits Links: https://7ctos.com HumbleDot
The Importance of Proper Feedback
August 15, 2019 07:00 - 21 minutes - 29.6 MBDo people really crave feedback? That’s the assumption a lot of managers make, so in this episode we’ll talk about what feedback really means and how you can give it in a meaningful, productive manner. Show Notes What is the history of feedback? Your output becomes their input The limits of perception Using attention properly Your people are NOT rose bushes Keeping things positive Links: Sponsor: GitPrime
Lessons Learned on the Path to Managing with Amy Phillips and Aaron Randall
August 08, 2019 07:00 - 40 minutes - 55.7 MBIn this episode, we’re talking to Amy Phillips and Aaron Randall (CTO of Songkick) about the path from programmer to manager. How did they get there, what did they learn, and what can you learn from their experiences? Show Notes What lessons were learned in the early phases of their careers? How do you change when the industry changes? The importance of having difficult conversations You can’t know all the answers Finding balance On peers, managers, and building a support network P...
Authentic Feedback
August 01, 2019 07:00 - 18 minutes - 25.6 MBWe’ve all experienced feedback that was unhelpful - but why was it that way? Supervisors want to motivate us, and bring out our best, but perhaps they don’t always think about the feedback they’re giving. Is it really helpful? Is it addressing the real problem? What’s the context? In this episode, we’ll look at how our perceptions can change how we respond, and why authentic feedback is genuinely helpful. Show Notes Sometimes we ascribe motivations that aren’t there, causing us to provide ...
There’s Always More Information
July 25, 2019 07:00 - 16 minutes - 22.5 MBBreaking a problem down can help you see it more clearly, and attack the issues wrapped up in that problem more effectively. Sometimes we tackle problems that are large or connected to other issues, and it can be helpful to take a step back, consider other perspectives, get more information, and try breaking things down and solving each issue individually. Show Notes There’s always more information. Consider more sources of information. Challenge your assumptions, and try to integrate di...
Motivation is NaN (Not a Number)
July 18, 2019 07:00 - 18 minutes - 25.7 MBWhat motivates your programmers? In this episode, Marcus looks at the various factors that impact motivation, and why one of his engineers just wasn’t grooving on a project. Chances are you’ve got teammates who feel the same way. Guess what? It’s not that they’re lacking in motivation, it’s that they’re no longer motivated by what’s being given to them. Show Notes People ARE motivated, that’s why you hired them. They lose some of that when they aren’t given new challenges. Is it wise to ...
How Buffer.com Develops Engineering Leadership Skills From Day 1 With Katie Womersley
July 11, 2019 07:00 - 40 minutes - 56.3 MBThere is an inherent difference between leaders and managers that is often overlooked. While most think that leaders are “born,” Katie Womersley, VP of Engineering at Buffer, disagrees. Leaders and managers both require skills that can be taught, and developing those employees from within the company can be the most timely and economically efficient way to do so. We also discuss the perception of status, authority, and vulnerability with the workplace. Show Notes What is Buffer? Leaders v...
Imagine the Possibilities: How to Break Ties That Hinder Our Potential
July 04, 2019 07:00 - 33 minutes - 46 MBOften times people find themselves in a place where they feel trapped or stagnant in their lives. It can be trapped in a job or in a relationship and making a change may not always be the easiest thing to do. Because we are human, we find ourselves in situations where it is hard to leave or change because we are connected to people, systems or organizations. In this episode of Programming Leadership, Jessica Kerr joins me to talk about the complex topic of moving out of stagnation and into...
Using Performance Improvement Plans the Right Way
June 27, 2019 07:00 - 30 minutes - 41.5 MBPerformance improvement plans (PIP) are difficult not just for the employee receiving the plan but also for the boss and others in upper management deciding to implement one. It’s easy for the employee to be upset or angry when put on a PIP but if used correctly, they can be a valuable tool for improving performance and building trust. In this episode of Programming Leadership, Marcus talks through a tough human resources topic and provides perspectives from both the employee and management ...
From Engineer to Executive: An Interview with Eric Muntz of MailChimp
June 20, 2019 07:00 - 38 minutes - 53 MBIf you’ve ever wondered about what it could look like to go from being an engineer to the senior executive level of your company, you won’t want to miss this episode. This week on the Programming Leadership podcast, Marcus interviews Eric Muntz, the Senior Vice President of Engineering at MailChimp. They discuss Eric’s career shifts as well as the challenges and lessons he’s learned along the way. Show Notes One of the first lessons Eric learned in management was how to listen well. It’s a...
Getting to Know You - The Key to Successful Leadership
June 13, 2019 07:00 - 24 minutes - 33.2 MBGood leadership looks like a flock of birds. That doesn’t mean everyone on the team has to dress in feathers, rather it means leadership is dynamic, shifting, and also tight-knit. In this episode of Programming Leadership, Marcus talks about what it takes to be a good leader and provides real solutions on how to build trust and gain feedback from your team. Show Notes Being a young leader over a team with more experience requires emotional intelligence and collaboration in order to build...
Communication 101: Be Clear and Direct
June 06, 2019 07:00 - 31 minutes - 43.8 MBEpisode Description Have you ever wondered why people can't just be clear and direct? In this episode of the Programming Leadership podcast, we're going to discuss this problem, identify some possible root causes, and learn how we can be more simple and clear in our communications. Show Notes When you become a manager, you may find yourself using jargon without much forethought. Don't let yourself go there. You're only puffing yourself up and making your communications less clear. In ...
Transitioning to Management with Confidence
May 30, 2019 07:00 - 25 minutes - 35.3 MBThis week, we’re talking about the programmer to manager to leader transition. What makes this transition hard? Is it possible to become a manager if you’re lacking good role models? How do you really become the leader you want to be proud of? Tune in to find answers to these questions and more. Show Notes Why is the programmer to manager to leader transition hard? For starters, you’re no longer “just” coding, so it feels like you’re leaving something you love. It’s also difficult to envis...
A Star is Learned
May 23, 2019 07:00 - 20 minutes - 28.5 MBTiger Woods wasn’t born golfing. He did spend time, lots of time, practicing and he became good at it. People have inherent traits but being good at something takes time, effort, and practice. In this episode of Programming Leadership, Marcus talks about the importance of not solely focusing on things that people are naturally good at. It’s important to branch out of our comfort zones and learn new skills and is it only with practice and learning that we become better at those skills. And t...
Getting Real. Establishing Realistic Expectations for Yourself and Your Team
May 16, 2019 14:00 - 25 minutes - 35.6 MBIt’s a fact of life that people are imperfect, so why do we try as coders to be perfect in our jobs? It’s just not feasible nor rational. This episode of Programming Leadership sheds light on the unrealistic expectations that clients, bosses and ourselves set because we strive to be perfect in an imperfect world. Programmers need to set realistic goals with their bosses, teams and with themselves. It’s only when we get real, do real results happen. Show Notes Leadership is creating an env...
So, What Is Leadership, Really?
May 09, 2019 14:00 - 29 minutes - 40.4 MBThis week on the Programming Leadership podcast, we’re diving into the theories and definitions of what leadership means and looks like (and even what it doesn’t look like)! Even if you wouldn’t call yourself a “natural born” leader, Marcus encourages you to remember that leadership is a process, requires learned skills and everyone has the building blocks to become a great leader. So, what are you waiting for? Tune in to find out how you can start building your leadership skills today. Sh...
Managing vs. Leading: What’s the Difference?
May 02, 2019 13:38 - 17 minutes - 23.7 MBThis week on the Programming Leadership podcast, host Marcus Blankenship shares his core beliefs about what it truly means to be a manager. He discusses the differences between the management and leadership and highlights key aspects of leadership that inspires anyone, regardless of job title or natural born talents, to step up and lead with confidence. Show Notes It’s important to find out what it takes to be a great leader, even if you never get promoted to manager. And that’s exactly w...
Me, a Manager?
April 29, 2019 21:49 - 7 minutes - 10.3 MBWelcome to the Programming Leadership podcast! In this episode, you’ll meet the host, Marcus Blankenship, as he introduces his passion for helping programmers navigate transitions. After all, most engineers don’t plan on becoming managers. So whether you’re a new programmer, you’re on the management track, or if you’ve been a manager for years, be sure to tune in as Marcus will help prepare you to not become just a manager, but how to truly become a great leader. Show Notes For Marcus, his...