179. Pat Clarke. Clear Communication Makes For Great Leadership.

Engineering is changing fast, and with it, the definition of what it means to lead. Today, the path from individual contributor to engineering leader isn’t linear, and it raises big questions: How do you shift from writing code to leading people? What separates a great engineer from a great leader? And in a world increasingly shaped by AI, what does it really mean to build—, not just use, these new tools? As AI becomes more embedded in how products are developed, engineers are being pulled closer to data, models, and entirely new ways of thinking. So how should teams adopt AI effectively? What are the common pitfalls? And looking ahead, which skills will actually matter most in the next decade? To explore these questions, we’re joined by Pat Clarke, an engineering leader with over 17 years of experience in tech, currently at Lumen Learning, where he’s been at the forefront of building and scaling engineering teams. Pat brings a practical, hands-on perspective on leadership, AI adoption, and how engineers can evolve to stay relevant in a rapidly changing landscape.