Episodes

  • In this episode of the LEAD Podcast, Geert and Rene are live at Techorama Belgium, discussing the importance of soft skills in technical environments. They welcome guest Arthur Doler, a software engineer and community steward at Aviture, who shares insights from his 20-year career. Arthur emphasizes the necessity of understanding human dynamics in building high-performing teams, highlighting that technical skills alone are insufficient.

    Arthur delves into the concept of psychological safety, explaining its critical role in fostering open communication and managing conflict within teams. He shares compelling stories and research to illustrate how creating a safe space for admitting mistakes can significantly improve team performance.

    Tune in to gain a deeper understanding of the softer side of developer skills and how they contribute to building resilient and effective teams.

    https://www.linkedin.com/in/arthurdoler

    https://fearlessorganizationscan.com/

  • In this episode of the LEAD Podcast, Geert and René broadcast live from Techorama Belgium amidst the buzz of the conference. They delve into the complexities of distributed systems with Adam Ralph from Particular Software, who shares insights from his eight years of experience with NServiceBus. The trio discuss the common pitfalls of designing your own systems, especially when off-the-shelf solutions like messaging frameworks can streamline development and reduce costs. The conversation also explores practical strategies for transitioning legacy systems to the cloud without succumbing to the risks of a full rewrite.

    We would like to thank Techorama for their hospitality. Be aware that the recording was live @ Techorama, therefore the sound quality might be a bit compromised.

    Links:
    Particular Software
    Adam Ralph
    Techorama Belgium

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  • In this episode of the LEAD Podcast, Geert van der Cruijsen and Rene van Osnabrugge delve into the escalating costs of cloud services and the emerging discipline of Financial Operations, or FinOps. They discuss why some companies are shifting from cloud back to on-premises data centers due to cost concerns and how FinOps aims to manage and control these expenses effectively. They explore how FinOps fosters collaboration among engineering, finance, and business teams to make informed, data-driven spending decisions, maximizing business value from cloud investments. And they touch upon the cultural shifts necessary for implementing FinOps, including educating teams on cost management and the importance of architecture choices in controlling expenses.

  • In this episode of the LEAD Podcast, Geert and René explore the impact of generative AI on the tech industry with special guest April Edwards from GitHub. They discuss the evolving role of developers, architects, and technical professionals in an AI-assisted future. April shares insights on how AI is enhancing productivity and creativity in software development, the importance of human oversight in AI-generated code, and the potential for AI to assist with tasks beyond coding. The conversation also touches on the cultural and process changes needed for effective AI adoption within organizations.

  • In this episode of the LEAD Podcast, hosts Geert van der Cruijsen and Rene van Osnabrugge talk about the often overlooked challenge of cultural resistance in the face of technical changes within organizations. They dive into the concept of a DevOps and growth mindset and the role this plays in enabling teams to break out of silos and work together effectively.

    From their own experience they talk about common behavior they see, fears that lie underneath and some guidance on how to deal with change projects.

    Anyone that is interested in change process or creating a more innovative, and collaborative culture in their organization this is an episode to listen!

  • In this episode, Geert and Rene delve into the challenges and strategies of starting a tech company with limited resources. They are joined by Harald Tryti Rieber, co-founder and CTO of Atlas (formerly known as Enernite), a company focused on renewable energy and map automation. Harald shares his journey from passion to product, emphasizing the importance of being lean, customer-focused, and embracing the 90-10 rule for efficiency. He discusses the transition from serving a niche market to a broader audience, the role of culture in empowering employees, and the balance between feature development and cost management. The conversation also touches on the challenges of scaling, the importance of trust and transparency, and the continuous pursuit of delivering value to customers.

  • In this episode of the LEAD Podcast, Geert van der Cruijsen and René van Osnabrugge tackle the evolving landscape of the tech industry, focusing on the shift from operations roles to Site Reliability Engineering (SRE). They embark on a journey to demystify SRE, tracing its origins back to Google and its founder, Benjamin Treynor Sloss. They delve into the critical components of SRE, including Service Level Objectives (SLOs), Service Level Indicators (SLIs), and Service Level Agreements (SLAs), and how these elements facilitate a balance between operational stability and the need for continuous innovation. And... while they are at it, have a discussion on why everybody is now all of a sudden renaming IT Ops people to SRE's.

  • In this episode of the LEAD Podcast, hosts Geert van der Cruijsen and René van Osnabrugge delve into the evolving concept of Developer Experience (DevX), a term gaining momentum in the tech world for its focus on enhancing the productivity and satisfaction of developers.

    This episode features a special guest, Rasmus Hald from LEGO, who shares his journey of implementing DevX within the iconic toy company. Rasmus discusses the challenges and successes of building a culture that prioritizes the developer experience, emphasizing the importance of tool discoverability, efficient workflows, and the innovative use of generative AI to improve documentation and support.

    The conversation also explores the tangible benefits of DevX, such as significant time savings and improved workflow efficiency, highlighting LEGO's strategic approach to measuring the impact of their initiatives.

    Rasmus Hald on LinkedIn
  • In this episode of the LEAD Podcast, hosts Geert van der Cruijsen and René van Osnabrugge explore the dynamic world of DevOps and platform engineering. Addressing the provocative notion that "DevOps is dead," they delve into why this is a misconception fueled by marketing trends. The discussion centers on the coexistence and compatibility of DevOps and platform engineering, rather than seeing them as conflicting practices.

  • In this episode of the LEAD Podcast, Geert van der Cruijsen and René van Osnabrugge engage in a fascinating discussion with Gullik Jensen, a Product Director from Kongsberg Digital, focusing on the transformation of traditional industries through digital innovation. They delve into the challenges of aligning company vision with digital strategy, particularly in industries that have historically been hardware-focused. Gullik shares his experience in transitioning maritime simulators from physical installations to digital, cloud-based services, highlighting the importance of developing a clear digital vision that is both tangible and aligned with the company's purpose.

    They also dive into the Empowering Operating Model pillar of the Engineering Culture model where they discuss the necessity of organizational support to facilitate innovation and the the shift from a product-centric to a service-oriented mindset.

    Links

    * Gullik Jensen -> https://www.linkedin.com/in/gullikjensen/

    In this episode of the LEAD Podcast, Gullik from Kongsberg Digital recommended two books that are particularly insightful for understanding and navigating digital transformation in organizations:

    1. **"Leading Digital: Turning Technology into Business Transformation"** by George Westerman, Didier Bonnet, and Andrew McAfee. This book is based on extensive research involving over 400 companies and provides a comprehensive guide on how companies can leverage digital technologies to enhance their business strategies. It emphasizes the balance between developing digital capabilities and strong digital leadership.

    2. **"Zone to Win: Organizing to Compete in an Age of Disruption"** by Geoffrey A. Moore. This book focuses on the challenges businesses face when dealing with disruptive innovation. Moore provides strategies for companies to successfully navigate through these transformations by creating a structure that allows for both maintaining core business and focusing on innovative ventures.

  • In this first episode of the LEAD Podcast, hosts Geert van der Cruijsen and René van Osnabrugge embark on an insightful journey exploring the intricacies of IT success in companies. They delve into why some businesses excel in IT while others struggle, regardless of their size or industry. The focus is on the concept of an engineering culture, dissected into eight fundamental pillars: clear digital vision, state-of-the-art software engineering, smooth delivery, appropriate continuity, power through platforms, empowering operating model, knowledge-driven approach, and creating an epic workplace.

    Throughout the episode, Geert and René go through the pillars and have a short discussion about each pillar , emphasizing the importance of a comprehensive digital vision, cutting-edge software practices, efficient delivery mechanisms, and the significance of a resilient and observant IT infrastructure. They highlight the necessity of utilizing robust platforms, fostering an organizational structure that values IT, and maintaining a continuous learning environment to keep pace with technological advancements.

    The discussion concludes with the imperative of cultivating an engaging, safe, and innovative workplace. The episode sets the stage for future episodes where these pillars will be explored in greater depth, often with guests sharing their experiences and insights, shaping a comprehensive understanding of effective IT practices in various business landscapes.

    Links

    * https://xpirit.com/xpirit-engineering-culture-ebook/

  • Geert van der Cruijsen and Rene van Osnabrugge are excited to announce their new venture in 2024: the LEAD Podcast. This innovative podcast is designed specifically for leaders in engineering, architecture, and development.

    Join us in this exciting journey to discover the essentials of leading in the tech world. Stay tuned for engaging conversations, expert insights, and practical advice on building and nurturing high-performing teams in the tech industry.

    Key Topics:

    Engineering Culture: Exploring the pillars of a strong engineering culture, including development, culture platforms, and knowledge sharing.High-Performing Software Organizations: Focusing on the essentials for building successful software companies.Target Audience: C-level managers and CTOs aiming to create efficient and effective development organizationsGuest Appearances: Industry experts sharing their experiences and successes.Target Audience: C-level managers and CTOs aiming to create efficient and effective development organizations

    Launch Details
    Start Date is January 4, 2024. We will launch new episodes bi-weekly every Thursday.

    Where to Find Us
    https://lead-podcast.io and popular podcast platforms like Spotify, Apple Podcast, and Google Podcast.