Episodes
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How do engineering leaders stay relevant in the age of Generative AI?With the rise of GenAI, engineering teams are rethinking productivity, prototyping, and scalability. But AI is only as powerful as the engineering practices behind it.
In this episode of the groCTO by Typo Podcast, host Kovid Batra speaks with Suresh Bysani, Director of Engineering at Eightfold, about the real-world impact of AI on engineering leadership. From writing boilerplate code to scaling enterprise platforms, Suresh shares practical insights and hard-earned lessons from the frontlines of tech.
💡 Highlights
🧠 GenAI in Engineering: Boosting productivity without compromising quality.
🛠️ Tech Depth Still Matters: Strong fundamentals are key—even with AI.
⚙️ AI for Legacy Systems: Practical ways to integrate GenAI with existing code.
🚫 Avoiding Pitfalls: Common mistakes in AI adoption and how to dodge them.
📏 Evaluating AI: Frameworks for measuring real impact in engineering teams.
🎧 Full Episode
Listen on YouTube, Spotify, iTunes/Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music & more.
Read the Episode Transcript.
Thanks for listening to the podcast. That’s it for today 👋
1) Subscribe to groCTO by typo — If you aren’t already, consider becoming a groCTO subscriber.
2) Share amongst fellow Engineering Leaders and CTOs! Your referral empowers & helps build groCTO.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit grocto.substack.com -
How do you build a culture of engineering metrics that drives real impact? Engineering teams often struggle with inefficiencies—high work-in-progress, unpredictable cycle times, and slow shipping. But what if the right metrics could change that?
In this episode of the groCTO by Typo Podcast, host Kovid Batra speaks with Mario Viktorov Mechoulam, Senior Engineering Manager at Contentsquare, about how to establish a data-driven engineering culture using effective metrics. From overcoming cultural resistance to getting executive buy-in, Mario shares his insights on making metrics work for your team.
💡 Highlights
🔥 Why Metrics Matter: Fixing inefficiencies & improving predictability.
🏗️ Building a Metrics-First Culture: Key steps to drive adoption.
📊 Observability & Accountability: The foundation of effective metrics.
🎯 Overcoming Resistance: Tackling biases & cultural pushback.
🚀 Getting Leadership Buy-In: Aligning executives on engineering success.
🎧 Full Episode
Listen on YouTube, Spotify, iTunes/Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music & more.
Read the Episode Transcript.
Thanks for listening to the podcast. That’s it for today 👋
1) Subscribe to groCTO by typo — If you aren’t already, consider becoming a groCTO subscriber.
2) Share amongst fellow Engineering Leaders and CTOs! Your referral empowers & helps build groCTO.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit grocto.substack.com -
Missing episodes?
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In this episode of the groCTO Podcast, host Kovid Batra speaks with C S Sriram, VP of Engineering at Betterworks, about his journey from an Engineering Manager to a VP of Engineering, navigating leadership challenges, and scaling engineering teams effectively.
Sriram shares insights into the critical mindset shifts required to transition from managing execution to driving strategy at an executive level. He highlights the importance of mentorship, coaching, and building a high-performing engineering culture, while balancing business objectives with technical excellence.
The conversation also covers the challenges of leadership at scale, including how to set the right expectations, enforce quality standards, and use dashboards & skip-level 1:1s for effective communication. The episode concludes with an inspiring poem from Sriram on vision, resilience, and leadership.
💡 Highlights
🚀 From IC to VP: Navigating early management struggles and leadership growth.
🏗️ Culture & Quality: Building a productive engineering team while maintaining technical excellence.
📊 Scaling Leadership: Dashboards, policies, and structured communication for effective management.
🎯 Coaching & Mentorship: Developing future leaders within the organization.
✨ The Leadership Mindset: Sriram’s reflections on resilience, shared through an inspiring poem.
🎧 Full Episode
Listen on YouTube, Spotify, iTunes/Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music & more.
Read the Episode Transcript.
Thanks for listening to the podcast. That’s it for today 👋
1) Subscribe to groCTO by typo — If you aren’t already, consider becoming a groCTO subscriber.
2) Share amongst fellow Engineering Leaders and CTOs! Your referral empowers & helps build groCTO.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit grocto.substack.com -
In this episode of the groCTO Podcast, host Kovid Batra speaks with Sheeya Gem, Director of Engineering and Product Strategy at Progress ShareFile, about her experiences leading dev teams through mergers and acquisitions.
Sheeya discusses the importance of building collaborative relationships with stakeholders, maintaining effective communication, and fostering a shared purpose among teams. She emphasizes the significance of continuous learning, adaptability, and leveraging tools and processes to keep projects on track. The conversation also touches on managing cultural transitions, supporting teams through change, and ensuring successful integration post-acquisition. Finally, Sheeya shares valuable parting advice for engineering leaders, promoting trust, shared purpose & continuous learning.
💡 Highlights
🔄 Leading Through Change: Steering dev teams in mergers & acquisitions.
🌍 One Goal, One Team: Stakeholder alignment through a shared purpose.
🤝 Show, Tell, Align: Sheeya’s key framework for engineering management.
🎯 Trust & Verify: How tech leaders can balance trust & metrics.
🎧 Full Episode
Listen on YouTube, Spotify, iTunes/Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music & more.
Read the Episode Transcript.
Thanks for listening to the podcast. That’s it for today 👋
1) Subscribe to groCTO by typo — If you aren’t already, consider becoming a groCTO subscriber.
2) Share amongst fellow Engineering Leaders and CTOs! Your referral empowers & helps build groCTO.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit grocto.substack.com -
In this episode of the groCTO Podcast, host Kovid Batra interviews Anton Zaides, the Director of Engineering at Taranis and author of the Leading Developers newsletter. The focus of their discussion is on the challenges and strategies involved in leading development teams versus platform teams.
Anton explores the distinctions between overseeing development teams and platform teams, emphasizing the necessity for product engineers to grasp platform operations. He shares his experience in fostering collaboration and understanding by role-swapping between product and platform engineers for short periods, which has proven to be enlightening and beneficial for both sides. He also touches on the need for better communication and alignment between platform teams' efforts and business outcomes, emphasizing the importance of recognizing and appreciating the unsung heroes of platform engineering. The conversation wraps up with practical advice for product engineering managers to strengthen empathy and improve collaboration, ultimately leading to more cohesive and effective tech teams.
💡 Highlights
🔄 Switching Sides: How engineers learn to think like each other.
📊 Tech Meets Business: Platform teams’ role in achieving company goals.
🏆 The Unsung Champions: Spotlight on the impact of platform engineers.
🌍 Bridging the Gap: The crucial role of PMs in aligning product & platform visions.
🛠️ Leading with Empathy: Transform your team with these leadership hacks.
🎧 Full Episode
Listen on YouTube, Spotify, iTunes/Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music & more.
Read the Episode Transcript.
Thanks for listening to the podcast. That’s it for today 👋
1) Subscribe to groCTO by typo — If you aren’t already, consider becoming a groCTO subscriber.
2) Share amongst fellow Engineering Leaders and CTOs! Your referral empowers & helps build groCTO.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit grocto.substack.com -
In this episode of the groCTO Podcast, host Kovid Batra welcomes Maher Hanafi, VP of Engineering at Betterworks, to discuss engineering productivity hacks. Maher shares insights from his 16+ years of engineering and leadership experience, emphasizing the importance of passion and individualized growth paths for team members.
He recounts how his early interest in gaming and experiences as a guild master in World of Warcraft shaped his leadership style, teaching him valuable lessons in social intelligence and teamwork. Maher outlines his proprietary framework for peak performance focusing on shared understanding, trust, and competence, and highlights the significant benefits of leveraging generative AI tools like GitHub Copilot for improving productivity. The episode also delves into the complexities of implementing new technologies and managing distributed teams, underscoring Maher's strategies for overcoming these challenges through continuous learning and fostering a collaborative culture.
💡 Highlights
💬 A framework built on trust, competence & shared understanding
🎮 How gaming shaped Maher's leadership style
🤖 The role of GenAI tools like GitHub Copilot in boosting productivity
🌍 Tackling the challenges of distributed teams and new tech adoption
🎧 Full Episode
Listen on YouTube, Spotify, iTunes/Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music & more.
Read the Episode Transcript.
Thanks for listening to the podcast. That’s it for today 👋
1) Subscribe to groCTO by typo — If you aren’t already, consider becoming a groCTO subscriber.
2) Share amongst fellow Engineering Leaders and CTOs! Your referral empowers & helps build groCTO.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit grocto.substack.com -
In this episode of the groCTO Podcast, host Kovid Batra interviews David Archer, the Director of Software Engineering at Imagine Learning, with over 12 years of experience in engineering and leadership, including a tenure at Amazon.
The discussion centers on successfully integrating acquired teams, a critical issue following company mergers and acquisitions. David shares his approach to onboarding new team members, implementing a buddy system, and fostering a growth mindset and no-blame culture to mitigate high attrition rates. He further discusses the importance of having clear documentation, pairing sessions, and promoting collaboration across international teams. Additionally, David touches on his personal interests, emphasizing the impact of his time in Japan and his love for Formula 1 and rugby. The episode provides insights into the challenges and strategies for creating stable and cohesive engineering teams in a dynamic corporate landscape.
💡 Highlights
a) Getting Candid
🚀 Journey from Amazon to Software Director at Imagine Learning
🎮 Gamer, F1 enthusiast, and rugby fan
🤝 Builder of trust and culture-first teams
b) Key Takeaways
📌 The secret to preventing knowledge loss in acquired teams
🛡️ How a no-blame culture transforms team dynamics
📚 The unexpected power of buddy systems in tech integration
🔧 Why aligning cultures is the key to seamless transitions
💬 Leadership hacks for retaining top talent after acquisitions
🎧 Full Episode
This episode is also available on YouTube, Spotify, iTunes/Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music & more.
Thanks for listening to the podcast. That’s it for today 👋
1) Subscribe to groCTO — If you aren’t already, consider becoming a groCTO subscriber.
2) Share amongst fellow Engineering Leaders and CTOs! Your referral empowers & builds our groCTO community.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit grocto.substack.com -
In this episode of the groCTO Podcast, host Kovid Batra is joined by Ben Matthews, Senior Director of Engineering at Stack Overflow, with over 20 years of experience in engineering and leadership.
Ben shares his career journey from QA to engineering leadership, shedding light on the importance of creating organizations that function collaboratively rather than just executing tasks independently. He underscores the need for cross-functional teamwork and reducing friction points to build cohesive and successful teams. Ben also addresses the challenges and opportunities presented by the AI revolution, emphasizing Stack Overflow’s strategy to embrace and leverage AI innovations. Additionally, he offers valuable advice for onboarding junior developers, such as involving them in code reviews and emphasizing documentation.
Throughout the discussion, Ben highlights essential leadership principles like advocating for oneself and one’s team, managing team dynamics, and setting clear expectations. He provides practical tips for engineering managers on creating value, addressing organizational weaknesses, and fostering a supportive environment for continuous growth and learning. The episode wraps up with Ben sharing his thoughts on maintaining a vision and connecting it with new technological developments.
💡 Highlights
a) Getting Candid
📈 Journey from QA to Senior Director at Stack Overflow
🎿 Snowboarding enthusiast, calzone lover, and movie buff
🤝 Advocates for collaboration, emphasizing that tech is a “team sport”
b) Key Takeaways
💡 Crafting cohesive teams by reducing friction
🤖 Staying ahead by embracing AI at Stack Overflow
📘 Effective onboarding & mentoring of junior developers
🔑 Ben’s top 3 leadership principles for success
📊 Unmissable advice for Engineering Managers
🎧 Full Episode
This episode is also available on YouTube, Spotify, iTunes/Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music & more.
Thanks for listening to the podcast. That’s it for today 👋
1) Subscribe to groCTO — If you aren’t already, consider becoming a groCTO subscriber.
2) Share amongst fellow Engineering Leaders and CTOs! Your referral empowers & builds our groCTO community.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit grocto.substack.com -
In this episode of the groCTO Originals podcast, host Kovid Batra engages in a comprehensive discussion with Geoffrey Teale, the Principal Product Engineer at Upvest, who brings over 25 years of engineering and leadership experience.
The episode begins with Geoffrey's role at Upvest, where he has transitioned from Head of DevEx to Principal Product Engineer, emphasizing a holistic approach to improving both developer experience and engineering standards across the organization. The discussion further delves into the significance of product thinking for internal teams, highlighting the challenges and strategies of building platforms that resonate with developers' needs while competing with external solutions.
Furthermore, Geoffrey offers valuable insights into the decision-making processes, the importance of simplicity in early-phase startups, and the crucial role of documentation in fostering team cohesion and efficient communication.
💡 Highlights
a) Getting Candid
📈 Journey from Head of DevEx to Principal Engineer
🏦 Inside Upvest’s API-powered financial infrastructure model
🎶 Geoffrey’s passions: music, open-source, and eco-friendly tech
b) Key Takeaways
💡 Crafting internal platforms that developers love
🔒 Balancing security, speed, and strict regulations
✍️ Importance of simplicity and clear documentation
🧩 Adapting product thinking to complex engineering challenges
🌍 Weighing platform options: Internal vs External
🛠 Frameworks for better decision-making in engineering
🎧 Full Episode
This episode is also available on YouTube, Spotify, iTunes/Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music & more.
Thanks for listening to the podcast. That’s it for today 👋
1) Subscribe to groCTO — If you aren’t already, consider becoming a groCTO subscriber.
2) Share amongst fellow Engineering Leaders and CTOs! Your referral empowers & builds our groCTO community.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit grocto.substack.com -
In this episode of the groCTO Originals podcast, host Kovid Batra engages in an insightful conversation with Christopher Zotter, the Head of Digital Engineering at Sky, Germany. Christopher brings a wealth of experience, including a decade of leading engineering teams and founding a software development agency.
Known for his unique leadership philosophy, Christopher believes in the power of building trust, embracing failures, and fostering a transparent culture. He shares his journey from an apprentice in Germany to a leadership role, emphasizing the importance of hands-on experience and continuous learning. The discussion delves into the challenges and strategies of managing culturally diverse remote teams, effective communication, and transitioning from legacy systems to cutting-edge technologies. Christopher also highlights the significance of being a role model and integrating community involvement into one's career. This episode offers a deep dive into the principles and practices that can guide leaders in nurturing successful global development teams.
💡 Highlights
a) Getting Candid
📈 Christopher’s journey from apprentice to a global leader
💼 Balancing leadership with running a side business
b) Key Takeaways
🔑 How to build trust and foster a transparent team culture?
📣 Embracing failure as a tool for growth and encouraging open dialogue
🌐 Navigating the complexities of remote leadership to drive effective team collaboration
👥 Integrating community involvement as a leader to stay connected and grounded
Looking for top tech mentors like Christopher who can help you take up your new tech leadership role with confidence or guide you with your next career move?
Sign up with groCTO Connect for 1:1 mentorship from top CTOs & tech leaders.
Accelerate your journey towards success🚀
🎧 Full Episode
This episode is also available on YouTube, Spotify, iTunes/Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music & more.
Thanks for listening to the podcast. That’s it for today 👋
1) Subscribe to groCTO — If you aren’t already, consider becoming a groCTO subscriber.
2) Share amongst fellow Engineering Leaders and CTOs! Your referral empowers & builds our groCTO community.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit grocto.substack.com -
In this episode of the groCTO Originals podcast, host Kovid Batra engages with Vilas, an accomplished engineering leader with significant experience at companies like Walmart, Netflix, and Bill.com.
They discuss the concept of Developer Experience (DevEx) and how it extends beyond simply providing tools. Vilas highlights the importance of enabling developers with frictionless processes and addresses the multidimensional challenges involved. The conversation delves into Vilas’s journey in DevEx, insights from designing platforms and enabling developer productivity, and the necessity of engaging with key opinion leaders for successful adoption. Vilas shares personal anecdotes and learning experiences, stressing the significance of treating developer enablement as a product and encouraging collaboration.
The discussion concludes with advice for those stepping into DevEx roles, underlining the evolving significance of this field in the industry.
💡 Highlights
a) Getting Candid
🎥 Vilas’s love for cinema & BTS stories
🏃♂️ Unwinding through movement
b) Key Takeaways
🔑 The role of frictionless processes in improving DevEx
🎯 Treating Developer Enablement as a product to drive real impact
🤝 How to engage with key opinion leaders for successful platform adoption
💬 Practical advice for those stepping into DevEx roles
Looking for top tech mentors like Vilas who can help you take up your new tech leadership role with confidence or guide you with your next career move?
Sign up with groCTO Connect for 1:1 mentorship from top CTOs & tech leaders.
Accelerate your journey towards success🚀
🎧 Full Episode
This episode is also available on YouTube, Spotify, iTunes/Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music & more.
Thanks for listening to the podcast. That’s it for today 👋
1) Subscribe to groCTO — If you aren’t already, consider becoming a groCTO subscriber.
2) Share amongst fellow Engineering Leaders and CTOs! Your referral empowers & builds our groCTO community.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit grocto.substack.com -
In this episode of the groCTO Originals podcast, host Kovid Batra is joined by Carlos Neves, the Head of Engineering at Vitality, as they explore the often challenging transition from an individual contributor (IC) to an Engineering Manager (EM).
With over 15 years of experience in engineering and leadership, Carlos shares his journey from Portugal to the UK, his initial interest in computer science influenced by a cousin, and his passion for salsa dancing. The discussion delves into the importance of gaining horizontal exposure within an organization, understanding the nuances of management beyond technical skills, and building confidence to overcome imposter syndrome. Carlos emphasizes the significance of proactive communication, trusting the team through delegation, and seeking mentorship. He shares insights into making a conscious decision to transition into management, highlighting the need for self-assessment regarding technical passions and people management skills.
The episode concludes with advice for those considering this career path and the introduction of groCTO Connect, a mentoring initiative aimed at helping technical leaders advance.
💡 Highlights
a) Getting Candid
🇵🇹 Carlos’ path from Portugal to the UK
💻 Balancing interests: Sports vs. Computer Science
💃 Salsa dancing as a creative outlet
b) Key Takeaways
🧠 How to gain horizontal exposure for a smoother transition into management
💬 Tips for overcoming imposter syndrome through better communication
🤝 How to effectively delegate by trusting and empowering your team
🎯 Career reflection: Deciding between coding & people management
Looking for top tech mentors like Carlos who can help you take up your new tech leadership role with confidence or guide you with your next career move?
Sign up with groCTO Connect for 1:1 mentorship from top CTOs & tech leaders.
Accelerate your journey towards success🚀
🎧 Full Episode
This episode is also available on YouTube, Spotify, iTunes/Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music & more.
Thanks for listening to the podcast. That’s it for today 👋
1) Subscribe to groCTO — If you aren’t already, consider becoming a groCTO subscriber.
2) Share amongst fellow Engineering Leaders and CTOs! Your referral empowers & builds our groCTO community.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit grocto.substack.com -
Welcome to today’s episode of the groCTO Originals podcast, where host Kovid Batra talks with Jagannath Kintali, former Head of Engineering at Dojo and ex-startup co-founder, about building impactful engineering teams focused on customer delight.
Jagannath shares his extensive experience of over 18+ years in engineering, discussing the importance of building what is needed rather than overshooting with extravagant systems. He emphasises creating high-performance teams through trust, purpose, and customer empathy. Jagannath highlights his journey, the learnings from his startup, and how he implemented these insights at Dojo, including stories about curtain ordering systems and observability projects. This episode provides valuable insights on leadership, team building, and aligning engineering efforts towards solving real customer problems.
💡 Highlights
a) Getting Candid
👨💻 Jagannath’s rise from Orissa to tech leadership in the UK
✈️ Passion for engineering and a dream to fly
📈 Startup lessons: product focus, team-building, and execution
b) Key Takeaways
👥 Building customer-driven, high-performing teams
🛠️ How trust, purpose, and empathy drive engineering success
⚖️ Startup insights: start small, iterate fast
🔍 Implementing learnings at Dojo with real-world projects
🚀 Aligning engineering teams to solve real customer problems
👨💼 Practical advice for leaders balancing system design with customer needs
Looking for top tech mentors like Jag who can help you take up your new tech leadership role with confidence or guide you with your next career move?
Sign up with groCTO Connect for 1:1 mentorship from top CTOs & tech leaders.
Accelerate your journey towards success🚀
🎧 Full Episode
This episode is also available on YouTube, Spotify, iTunes/Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music & more.
Thanks for listening to the podcast. That’s it for today 👋
1) Subscribe to groCTO — If you aren’t already, consider becoming a groCTO subscriber.
2) Share amongst fellow Engineering Leaders and CTOs! Your referral empowers & builds our groCTO community.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit grocto.substack.com -
Welcome to today’s episode of the groCTO Originals podcast, where host Kovid Batra sits down with Venkat Rangasamy, Director of Engineering at Oracle and an advisory member at HBR, to discuss how AI is reshaping the engineering landscape. Venkat shares his journey from a humble background to leading at Oracle, diving into his passion for mentorship and the revolutionary impact of AI on the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC).
In this episode, Venkat explores how AI is making product development faster, cheaper, and more efficient, while also addressing the challenges of using public versus local LLMs. He offers actionable advice for engineering leaders in startups, focusing on the evolving role of developers and how to navigate this transformative phase in tech.
💡 Highlights
a) Getting Candid
👨💻 Venkat’s humble background to leading at Oracle
🤖 His passion for mentorship and generative AI
b) Key Takeaways
🤖 How AI is revolutionizing the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC)
⚖️ Challenges with public vs. local LLMs
🔒 Security and IP concerns with AI
💡 Making product development cheaper, faster, and more efficient with AI
👨💼 Evolving role of developers in the AI-driven era
🛠️ Actionable advice for engineering leaders navigating this shift
Looking for top tech mentors like Venkat who can help you take up your new tech leadership role with confidence or guide you with your next career move?
Sign up with groCTO Connect for 1:1 mentorship from top CTOs & tech leaders.
Accelerate your journey towards success🚀
🎧 Full Episode
This episode is also available on YouTube, Spotify, iTunes/Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music & more.
Thanks for listening to the podcast. That’s it for today 👋
1) Subscribe to groCTO — If you aren’t already, consider becoming a groCTO subscriber.
2) Share amongst fellow Engineering Leaders and CTOs! Your referral empowers & builds our groCTO community.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit grocto.substack.com -
Welcome to today’s episode of the groCTO Originals podcast, where host Kovid Batra interviews James Charlesworth, Director of Engineering, Sheffield Site Lead at Pendo, to discuss the common conflict between product and engineering teams.
James brings over 15 years of experience in engineering and leadership to share strategies for fostering empathy, collaboration, and effective communication. He emphasizes the importance of understanding each team's priorities, the impact of misalignment, and how impactful one-on-one interactions can build trust within teams.
💡 Highlights
a) Getting Candid
👨💻 James’ background and early passion for tech
🎸 Exploring creative non-tech hobbies
b) Professional Journey
🎓 A pivotal moment: Choosing the wrong degree
🧭 Navigating life and discovering your niche
c) Key Takeaways
💟 Bridging the ‘Product vs Engineering’ gap with empathy
👔 The role and influence of Engineering Managers
🤝 How frequent 1-on-1s build trust within teams
🌱 Practical tips for introverts in tech
Looking for top tech mentors like James who can help you take up your new tech leadership role with confidence or guide you with your next career move?
Sign up with groCTO Connect for 1:1 mentorship from top CTOs & tech leaders.
Accelerate your journey towards success🚀
🎧 Full Episode
This episode is also available on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music & more.
Thanks for listening to the podcast. That’s it for today 👋
1) Subscribe to groCTO — If you aren’t already, consider becoming a groCTO subscriber.
2) Share amongst fellow Engineering Leaders and CTOs! Your referral empowers & builds our groCTO community.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit grocto.substack.com -
Welcome to another episode of exploring tech leadership! Today, your host Kovid Batra welcomes Vladislav Maličević, CTO at Jedox.
Vlado shares his 20-year journey from being one of the first developers at Jedox to becoming the CTO of the company. He discusses his personal background, the growth and transformation of Jedox, and the company's strategic decisions, including the shift from open-source to a full-fledged cloud platform.
💡 Highlights
a) Getting Candid
✨ Vladislav’s introduction
🇩🇪 Personal life & shift to Germany
b) Professional Journey
👨🏻💻 Vlado’s journey from developer to CTO at Jedox
🚀 Competing with existing competitors like IBM & SAP
c) Key Takeaways
📈 Jedox's evolution: How they created space in the market
👩💻 The role of open source in Jedox's growth
✅ Transition to cloud and key decisions
🎯 Building vs. Outsourcing: How to make the right choice?
Looking for top tech mentors like Vladislav who can help you take up your new tech leadership role with confidence or guide you with your next career move?
Sign up with groCTO Connect for 1:1 mentorship from top CTOs & tech leaders.
Accelerate your journey towards success🚀
🎧 Full Episode
This episode is also available on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music & more.
Thanks for listening to the podcast. That’s it for today 👋
1) Subscribe to groCTO — If you aren’t already, consider becoming a groCTO subscriber.
2) Share amongst fellow Engineering Leaders and CTOs! Your referral empowers & builds our groCTO community.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit grocto.substack.com -
Welcome to another episode of exploring tech leadership! Today, your host Kovid Batra welcomes Leonid Bugaev, Head of Engineering at Tyk.
With 20 years in IT, mostly with startups, Leo brings a fresh perspective on entrepreneurship and leadership. He’ll share his insights on navigating economic downturns, building strong engineering teams, and keeping motivation high in tough times. Leo’s focus on transparent communication and strategic priorities offers valuable guidance for thriving in any economic climate.
💡 Highlights
a) Getting Candid
👨🏻💻 Leonid’s introduction
✨ Personal life & hobbies
b) Professional Journey
🚀 Starting a business at 17 & working with startups
💰 Side hustles & monetization
c) Key Takeaways
📈 Understanding the patterns of economic downturns
👩💻 How to build business context for Engineering teams
✅ Avoiding chaos & maintaining motivation
🎯 Leo’s strategic priorities during a recession
💬 Building trust with transparent communication
Looking for top tech mentors like Leonid who can help you take up your new tech leadership role with confidence or guide you with your next career move?
Sign up with groCTO Connect for 1:1 mentorship from top CTOs & tech leaders.
Accelerate your journey towards success🚀
🎧 Full Episode
This episode is also available on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music & more.
Thanks for listening to the podcast. That’s it for today 👋
1) Subscribe to groCTO — If you aren’t already, consider becoming a groCTO subscriber.
2) Share amongst fellow Engineering Leaders and CTOs! Your referral empowers & builds our groCTO community.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit grocto.substack.com -
Welcome to today's podcast episode, where we dive deep into the minds shaping the future of tech leadership! Today, your host Kovid Batra sits down with Sergio Visinoni, who is many things - a visionary Fractional CTO, Tech Advisor, and Mentor at groCTO Community. He’s also the brilliant mind behind the newsletter 'Sudo Make Me a CTO'.
Sergio made a bold leap from the traditional VP of Engineering role to the world of solopreneurship, and he hasn’t looked back since. In this episode, he’ll unravel how he’s reimagined Maslow’s hierarchy for tech and business teams, offering insights that could transform the way you lead and innovate.
💡 Highlights
a) Getting Candid
👨🏻💻 Sergio’s introduction
✨ Personal life & hobbies
b) Professional Journey
🙋♂️ From Software Engineer to Solopreneur
🚀 Building the newsletter ‘Sudo Make Me a CTO’
c) Key Takeaways
📈 How Maslow’s hierarchy for tech teams was created
🔺 Levels & benefits of Maslow’s pyramid
👩💻 How Maslow’s hierarchy serves tech & business needs
✅ Addressing implementation challenges
📝 Power of data-driven decision-making
You can now book a complimentary 1:1 mentorship session with Sergio. Contact us to schedule.
🎧 Full Episode
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In this episode, Kovid Batra hosts Peter Peret Lupo, Head of Software Engineering at Sibli. With over a decade of experience in engineering and management, Peter also shares his most effective management strategies on his blog.
Peter begins by emphasizing the vital role that engineering metrics play in shaping organizational culture. He delves into topics such as code collaboration, the relationship between metrics and technical debt, and the challenges and timelines involved in implementation and adoption.
💡 Highlights
a) Getting Candid
🙋♂️ Peter’s introduction
🎮 Hobbies & current interests
🇨🇦 Moving to Canada from Brazil
c) Key Takeaways
👩💻 How engineering metrics influence org culture
🤔 Are DORA metrics enough?
✅ Code collaboration as a key metric!
💰 Metrics to address technical debt
🎯 Effective timeframe & process of metrics implementation
🔔 Upcoming DORA Webinar
Want to learn some practical tips on implementing DORA & engineering metrics?
Join Nathen Harvey, DORA lead at Google Cloud and Ido Shveki, VP RnD at Beehero for an learning-filled live webinar to answer all your DORA-Hows & Whats.
🎧 Full Episode
This episode is also available on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music & more.
Thanks for listening to the podcast. That’s it for today 👋
1) Subscribe to groCTO — If you aren’t already, consider becoming a groCTO subscriber.
2) Share amongst fellow Engineering Leaders and CTOs! Your referral empowers & builds our groCTO community.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit grocto.substack.com -
The Dora Lab - Ep. 03
In this episode, Kovid Batra welcomes Ben Parisot, Software Engineering Manager at Planet Argon, with over 10 years of experience in engineering and engineering management.
Ben delves into engineering metrics, specifically DORA & the SPACE framework, highlighting their impact on customer satisfaction & DevEx, discusses implementation challenges, and shares strategies to overcome them, along with other insights!
💡 Highlights
a) Getting Candid
🙋♂️ Ben’s introduction
🎨 Hobbies & current interests
b) Professional Journey
🛠️ What does Planet Argon do?
💼 Ben’s responsibilities at Planet Argon
c) Key Takeaways
👩💻 Understanding code quality, collaboration & roadmap contribution
✅ How to effectively gauge team satisfaction & developer experience
🎯 Which areas of engineering efficiency should you focus on?
💪 Tackling common metrics implementation challenges
Looking for top tech mentors like Ben who can help you take up your new tech leadership role with confidence or guide you with your next career move?
Sign up with groCTO Connect for 1:1 mentorship from top CTOs & tech leaders.
Accelerate your journey towards success🚀
🎧 Full Episode
This episode is also available on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music & more.
Thanks for listening to the podcast. That’s it for today 👋
1) Subscribe to groCTO — If you aren’t already, consider becoming a groCTO subscriber.
2) Share amongst fellow Engineering Leaders and CTOs! Your referral empowers & builds our groCTO community.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit grocto.substack.com - Show more
