The Hard Truth About Building vs. Running — And Why Most Teams Ignore It

In this episode of Breakthrough Innovation, we sit down with Jeff Sykes, a veteran DevOps and platform engineering leader who’s helped teams bridge the gap between tech ambition and real-world sustainability.Jeff shares honest reflections on infrastructure, culture, and leadership — and why understanding the story you’re in might be the most important part of doing meaningful work.🧱 Why building is fun — but value is only captured in the running💥 “Production hates you” — the mindset shift DevOps engineers must make🧠 Why story beats principle — and how narrative creates resilience🧭 The bridge-builder mindset: how to walk halfway toward dev, ops, or security🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Why therapy, friends, and slowing down might be your next leadership moveThis is a vulnerable, wise, and powerful conversation for anyone leading in complexity — especially if you’re questioning what it all means.Thanks for tuning in to Breakthrough Innovation! Want to subscribe to the podcast? Have feedback to share? Connect with us on Spotify or iTunes and leave us a review—we’d love to hear from you!