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Essays on technology leadership, AI adoption, architecture and developer experience, published continuously since 2019.

151 pieces · 2019–2026

This is an image showcasing a collection of self-inking stamps. These stamps typically have a mechanical mechanism that allows them to print the same text or mark repeatedly without the need to be recharged or refilled with ink. The stamps vary in size, shape, and design, indicating they may serve different purposes for stamping documents or packaging items. Some stamps are more prominent than others. 17 Jul 2026 · 9 min “Just Throw AI At It” Is Not a Strategy

An open sourced AI screener scored the same CV anywhere from 66 to 99. Why throwing AI at a problem without thinking it through …

Two women sitting at a desk in an office environment. The woman on the left is smiling and leaning forward slightly, while holding a pen and appears to be writing or about to write something. She is wearing a blue top, has dark hair, and is dressed casually. The woman on the right is attentively listening, wearing glasses, and has her hand resting on the desk. There's an open laptop in front of her, suggesting she may be involved in some work or project discussion. Both women are positioned in front of a brick wall with a mirror reflecting part of the room. The space looks professional yet welcoming, with a cozy ambiance. 10 Jul 2026 · 13 min The Willingness to Have Your Mind Changed: Listening Lessons for Tech Leaders

Oscar Trimboli's How to Listen reframes listening as a deliberate, learnable skill. Ten quotes from the book, and what they mean …

A black and white photograph showcasing an open book with pages facing outward, resting on top of two opened notebooks. Beside them is a mug of coffee, placed next to a red pen and glasses, suggesting someone has recently been reading or studying in this space. The background features a light-colored hardwood floor and a portion of a wooden table, creating an ambiance conducive to focused work or study. 3 Jul 2026 · 7 min From Author to Editor-in-Chief: The Shift That’s Already Here

Aneesh Raman's Three Buckets framework, from Think Fast Talk Smart episode 280, maps almost exactly onto the …

In the image, there are two individuals seated at a table in an office setting. The person on the right is wearing sunglasses and seems to be speaking or gesturing while facing towards the other individual who is turned slightly away, suggesting they might be listening. They are both dressed in casual attire and appear to be engaged in a conversation. In the background, there's a cityscape with high-rise buildings, indicating that the office might have a panoramic view of the urban environment. There is no visible text in the image. The lighting suggests it might be daytime. 26 Jun 2026 · 15 min The Secret Language of Great Leadership: Lessons from "Supercommunicators" for Tech Leaders

Charles Duhigg's Supercommunicators reveals that great communicators are not born that way; they practise a learnable set of …

 The image is a photograph that depicts a group of people gathered together in a circle, seemingly posing for a photo. All individuals are wearing colorful clothing and knitted garments, predominantly in shades of pastel yellow, pink, green, and blue, suggesting a casual, friendly gathering. They appear to be indoors, possibly in a home setting or a social space with a warm atmosphere. The lighting is soft and natural, indicating an informal, possibly candid moment among the group. 19 Jun 2026 · 13 min Building Psychological Safety in Your Development Team: Practical Strategies for Leaders

Practical strategies for building and rebuilding psychological safety in development teams. From blameless culture to structured …

The image shows a book with the title '77 Human Needs.' The book is placed on a surface and appears to have a simple design. On the left side of the book, there's a logo that says 'The Power of Why.' 12 Jun 2026 · 13 min Start With Why: The One Thing AI Can’t Generate

Simon Sinek's Start With Why applied to software engineering and digital leadership. Why purpose matters more than ever when AI …

The image shows a person holding up a large amount of money, which appears to be $20 bills. The individual is partially visible from behind and is wearing nail polish. The currency bills are stacked together in front of their face, creating a sense of abundance or a show of wealth. The background is blurred, drawing focus to the money. 5 Jun 2026 · 7 min When Your AI Chatbot Becomes Someone Else’s Free Compute: The Pepper Lesson

Chipotle's Pepper chatbot was repurposed as a free coding assistant. The patch is in; the pattern is not. A short note on Denial …

This is an image of a logo consisting of a graphic design element, specifically the symbol 'AI' which stands for Artificial Intelligence, and the word 'KAIZEN,' stylized in a cursive font. The overall design is modern and simple, with a purple gradient background and a clean, professional aesthetic. 5 Jun 2026 · 16 min Stop Chasing the AI Moonshot: The Case for Small, Deliberate Wins

Why the biggest gains from AI adoption come from small, deliberate wins rather than big-bang strategy. A fractional CTO's case for …

The image depicts a tranquil coastal scene. In the foreground, there's a large stone labyrinth situated on a cliffside overlooking the ocean. The labyrinth has concentric circular patterns that are intricate and detailed. A person stands at the entrance of the labyrinth, looking out towards the water, giving a sense of scale to the size of the structure. Beyond the labyrinth, the coastline is visible with waves crashing onto the shore, and in the distance, there's a rocky outcropping extending into the ocean. The sky above is overcast, with no visible clouds, suggesting a calm day. There are no visible texts or distinctive brands in the image that would require a detailed description. 29 May 2026 · 12 min Rest: Why Stepping Away From the Screen Is Part of the Work

Alex Soojung-Kim Pang's Rest makes the case, backed by neuroscience and history, that rest is not the opposite of work but its …

In the image, a person is holding up a Rubik's Cube in their hands. The cube has multicolored pieces, with each side featuring different colors. The person appears to be indoors with warm lighting and there are out-of-focus objects in the background that suggest a casual, home environment. 22 May 2026 · 11 min The Skill Nobody Taught You: Emotional Intelligence for Tech Team Leaders

Emotional intelligence is the toolkit that makes psychological safety possible. A practical guide for tech leaders on …

This is an image of a rock stack composed of variously shaped and sized rocks. The rocks are balanced precariously atop one another in what appears to be an outdoor setting, possibly near a natural environment with vegetation and rocks in the background. The central focus of the image is on the stacked rocks themselves, which display a range of colors from earthy browns and yellows to greys and white. The rocks are arranged in an irregular pattern with some stacked vertically and others horizontally, creating an unstable yet harmonious balance. There's no text or other discernable objects within the image that would provide additional context or information. 15 May 2026 · 10 min Thinking in Systems: Why the Job Was Never the Typing

Donella Meadows' systems thinking applied to software engineering. Why understanding systems matters more than writing code, …

This is an image of a neon sign featuring two silhouettes of human heads. The sign has a playful or whimsical style, with one head being larger and positioned above the other, as if it's looking down at it. Each head is outlined in white, making them stand out against the blue background. Surrounding the silhouettes are various shapes and lines that appear to be drawn in neon pink and green colors, adding a touch of vibrancy to the sign. The overall impression is one of a fun, decorative piece that might be used to add character or theme to a bar, restaurant, or other establishment with a casual atmosphere. 8 May 2026 · 11 min Your Team’s Silence Is Telling You Something: Psychological Safety in Development Teams

Warning signs that your development team lacks psychological safety, and why the silence in your standups and retros is costing …

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