Leadership Confidential with Lena Reinhard

In our work as engineering leaders, there aren't a lot of places where the way that we lead becomes super widely visible to a lot of people. Maybe you give a presentation at some point to your entire company or at a conference.A while ago, though, I was able to watch someone lead who made me really curious about how he does it. He leads in a very public way. I watched a conductor leading an orchestra in a concert, and, in this episode, I'm sharing with you my conversation with him.Our guest is Cornelius Meister, a German conductor, pianist, and previously the Generalmusikdirektor or General Musical Director at Stuttgart State Opera.His leadership excellence has been recognized with multiple prestigious awards, including conductor of the year. He consistently introduces new works and pushes boundaries in his field. He's known for strategic programming that combines established works with rarely performed pieces and world premieres and demonstrates how leaders can drive innovation while respecting foundational principles.This conversation was recorded in October 2023. This full episode transcript is available here.

We've all been there - That moment when you know it's time to have that conversation you've been dreading. The one that makes your stomach clench. The one you would rather run away from.So, how do you handle these conversations? How do you keep it from becoming such a big thing in the first place? This episode is a deep dive into what makes some conversations feel difficult: being torn between compassion and performance that some managers experience and practical strategies for saying no without burning bridges. We explore dynamics that can make these conversations even trickier for women and other minorities in tech and why it makes the biggest difference to focus your leadership approach on consistent, caring leadership instead of perfect moments.Our guest is Nikita Rathi. Nikita has been in the tech industry for several years, transitioning from linguistics to software development, and now leading engineering teams and organizations. She has navigated the complexities of managing performance while maintaining empathy, dealt with the challenge of saying no in a people pleasing culture, and hard lessons about setting boundaries. In this episode, she shares wisdom and practical advice on having difficult conversations.This conversation was recorded in January 2024. Find the ⁠full episode transcript here⁠.

Small gaps in alignment at the leadership level become canyons by the time they reach your teams. Alignment, as in people really agreeing on what to do, why, and how to get it done. It's also one of those leadership things that sounds so simple and straightforward in theory. But we all know that it's not always that easy in practice.My guest for this episode, Neil, brings his experiences on the topic of alignment. Neil has 25 years of experience in the industry. He's primarily worked in startup contexts, focusing on communications and data aggregation. For the last 10 years, he's been in senior engineering leadership positions with organizations of 50-100 people.Neil and I talk about how to spot misalignment before it becomes a canyon and a crisis. We speak about the hard work of building genuine consensus at the leadership level and how to translate high level strategy into something that your engineering teams can actually use to make decisions.Together, we bring you practical mechanics of creating alignment that is not just nodding along in meetings, but the kind that permeates every aspect of decision making within your organization. This conversation was recorded in June 2024.The full episode transcript is available here.

When you're ill or disabled and working in the tech field, the long hours can be not just counterproductive, but discriminatory. And it is also because of these stated ideas of productivity and leadership that disabled leaders often remain invisible, but they do exist, and we are here to talk to one today.Our guest is Sally Lait, an experienced senior leader with two decades experience in roles, including engineering director and VP of Engineering. Sally's insights about energy management, boundary setting, and intentional leadership are wonderful for all of us.This conversation was recorded in August 2024.ResourcesMECFS foundations (SolveCFS | ME Association)Inclusive Design Guidebook (PDF)Creating Inclusive Career Leaders (Talk | Slides)Manager Service Levels (Article)Statistics on disabled people in tech (Article)Find the full episode transcript here.

“What does a leader look like?”, is a question we come back to here often, and this time, we take it literally: I meet with five exceptional senior leaders to talk about what it’s like being interested in style and fashion in tech, of all places, where it’s long been seen as most fashionable not to care about these topics, where an implicit but strongly-enforced dress code of dark hoodies, t-shirts, and jeans reigned, and where the resulting “uniform” culture has been hard on everyone who doesn’t fit traditional ideas of what an engineer, a “technical person”, a “geek”, a leader looks like. So, how do you convey that you are all of those things, when you don’t look like the stereotype of someone who is? We talk about our journeys in attempts to fit in, exploring ways of expressing and being ourselves, and the stressful mental gymnastics involved in calculating how our appearance may support or undermine how we’re viewed and treated. We dive into being “firsts” in visible positions, and how we found style as a tool for empowerment, connection, and representation, and close with some favorite styles and recommendations to find your own. I loved having this conversation, and I hope you enjoy it too. “I think style and fashion is such an important part of self-actualization, and becoming that greater version of yourself, and it is a big part of how people perceive you, so it gives me great joy to feel self-actualised on a particular day and feel like I am representing the true version of myself.” — ChristinaThis conversation was recorded in October 2024. Find the full episode transcript here.

The Leadership Confidential podcast is back from a short hiatus. New episodes coming soon!

"I don't think about being an ally as a badge or a thing... I start from the point of view of wanting to be a better person and be good to the people around me."While many discussions about allyship in tech focus on company-wide initiatives, what concrete steps can individual contributors and technical leaders take to create more equitable environments? How can you use your influence, expertise, and social capital to support colleagues from underrepresented groups?In this episode, Lena speaks with Leo, an experienced staff engineer who shares practical, behind-the-scenes ally actions that senior technical contributors can implement, regardless of their management status.This conversation explores:Understanding the socio-technical systems that shape workplace dynamicsSimple meeting tactics that create space for more voices to be heardHow documentation can serve as a powerful tool for influence and recognitionBuilding relationships and trust that enable you to advocate effectivelyLearning from missed opportunities and growing as an allyUsing established credibility to challenge unfair practicesWhether you're a senior engineer, tech lead, or individual contributor with influence through tenure, expertise, or connections, this episode offers actionable approaches to supporting colleagues and creating more inclusive environments.Full episode transcript link.ResourcesPeople of Color in Tech: Empowering DiversityWhy this podcast existsLeadership Confidential provides a space for honest conversations about the hard parts of leadership that most people only discuss behind closed doors. From my close work with dozens of leaders every week, I know that many struggle with topics like creating inclusive environments, navigating power dynamics, and supporting team members effectively. This podcast is where we talk about it.About your hostI'm Lena Reinhard (she/they), a fractional VP Engineering, leadership coach, mentor, and facilitator. Having served as an engineering executive with companies like CircleCI and Travis CI, and as a SaaS startup co-founder & CEO, I have dedicated my career to helping fast-paced organizations across the globe succeed in times of high change and challenging markets. You can regularly find me speaking at tech conferences and read my practical guides for leaders in the technology space on my website.

“People don’t always take it well, unfortunately. But managers, a lot of the time, don’t do it out of malice.”Neurodivergent employees face unique challenges in tech—struggling with information overload, unspoken workplace norms, and the pressure to mask their differences. Yet, many organizations fail to provide the support they need to thrive.In this episode, Lena sits down with Adya, an experienced professional in tech, to explore the lived realities of being neurodivergent at work. From navigating ableism in performance reviews to advocating for accommodations, Adya shares deeply personal stories and actionable insights for leaders who want to build truly inclusive teams.They discuss:How neurodivergency impacts communication, collaboration, and career progressionThe subtle but pervasive ways ableism shows up in techWhy many neurodivergent employees hesitate to ask for accommodations—and how leaders can change thatPractical strategies for making workplaces genuinely supportiveWhat managers and peers need to unlearn about “normal” work behaviorsThis conversation is a must-listen for anyone who wants to better understand neurodivergency, create more inclusive teams, and move beyond performative allyship to real change.⁠⁠⁠Full episode transcript link⁠⁠⁠.Resources:LinkedIn post about communication feedback for autistic peopleManual of Me: Personal user guides for better working relationshipsBook recommendation on AmazonGoblin Tools: Productivity tools for neurodivergent peopleFlown: Focused work environmentsNeurodiversity Employment Survey: Adjustments Interim ReportLaw Society: Reasonable Adjustments in Organizations - Best Practice for Disability InclusionHR Magazine: Neurodiversity and PIPs - Dropping the MaskHarvard Business Review: Stop Asking Neurodivergent People to Change the Way They CommunicateWhy this podcast existsI make this podcast as a space for honest conversations about the hard parts of leadership that most leaders only dare to talk about behind closed doors—after all, we're supposed to be “in charge” and “on top of things" at all times. But from my close work with dozens of leaders every week, I know that more leaders than you may think are struggling with topics like self-confidence, imposter syndrome, unclear expectations, or difficult bosses. This podcast is where we talk about it.About your hostI’m Lena Reinhard (she/they), a fractional VP Engineering, leadership coach, mentor, and facilitator. Having served as an engineering executive with companies like CircleCI and Travis CI, and as a SaaS startup co-founder & CEO, I have dedicated my career to helping fast-paced organizations across the globe succeed in times of high change and challenging markets. You can regularly find me speaking at tech conferences and ⁠read my practical guides for leaders in the technology space ⁠⁠on my website⁠⁠⁠.

“The micromanager is rather someone who uses the details for control. You want to assert your own perspective on most things. You take the lead in driving projects, making decisions, taking direction, and not allowing your team any room or space to do that.”While most advice about micromanagement focuses on quick fixes or confrontation, the reality of handling a controlling boss – especially at the executive level – requires a more nuanced approach. How do you maintain your autonomy and leadership presence while working with someone who wants to control every detail?In this episode, Lena and Claire explore practical strategies for handling micromanagement through the lens of Claire's multi-year experience with a C-level micromanager.Claire shares honest insights about: Recognizing the difference between hands-on leadership and controlling behavior Understanding the underlying causes of micromanagement at the executive level Maintaining your team's trust while managing up to a controlling boss Setting boundaries without damaging important relationships Specific tactics that worked (and didn't work) in shifting the dynamic How to avoid becoming a micromanager yourself when under pressureTogether, they examine how to navigate this challenging dynamic while staying true to your leadership values and supporting your team.___⁠⁠⁠Full episode transcript link⁠⁠⁠.___Resources ⁠⁠Effective Skip-Level Meetings: A Guide and Templates for Managers of Managers How to Manage Your Boss (With a Free Communication Template!) Managing Up: The Most Important Skill for Anyone Who Has a Manager___Why this podcast exists I make this podcast as a space for honest conversations about the hard parts of leadership that most leaders only dare to talk about behind closed doors—after all, we're supposed to be “in charge”, and “on top of things" at all times. But from my close work with dozens of leaders every week, I know that more leaders than you may think are struggling with topics like self-confidence, imposter syndrome, unclear expectations, or difficult bosses. This podcast is where we talk about it.About your hostI’m Lena Reinhard (she/they), a fractional VP Engineering, leadership coach, mentor, and facilitator. Having served as an engineering executive with companies like CircleCI and Travis CI, and as a SaaS startup co-founder & CEO, I have dedicated my career to helping fast-paced organizations across the globe succeed in times of high change and challenging markets. You can regularly find me speaking at tech conferences and read my practical guides for leaders in the technology space ⁠⁠⁠on my website⁠⁠⁠.

“This collaboration and making it work really well is such a critical factor to delivering great software for your clients.” In theory, product and engineering teams share the same goal - building great software that solves real problems. Yet in practice, these teams often find themselves working in silos, dealing with misalignment, and sometimes even engaging in blame games. What separates organizations where this partnership thrives from those where it struggles? In this episode, Lena and product leader Reina unpack the complexities of the product-engineering relationship and share practical strategies to strengthen it. Drawing from her extensive product management experience across multiple organizations, Reina shares candid insights about: What makes some product-engineering partnerships succeed while others falter How to identify and address common friction points between teams Building trust and psychological safety across organizational boundaries Setting clear expectations and aligning incentives Moving from finger-pointing to shared ownership Creating feedback loops that actually work Together, they explore actionable approaches for both product and engineering leaders to foster better collaboration, improve communication, and ultimately deliver more value to users. ___ ⁠⁠Full episode transcript link⁠⁠. ___ Resources ⁠Goblin Tools ___ Why this podcast exists  I make this podcast as a space for honest conversations about the hard parts of leadership that most leaders only dare to talk about behind closed doors—after all, we're supposed to be “in charge”, and “on top of things" at all times. But from my close work with dozens of leaders every week, I know that more leaders than you may think are struggling with topics like self-confidence, imposter syndrome, unclear expectations, or difficult bosses. This podcast is where we talk about it. About your host I’m Lena Reinhard (she/they), a fractional VP Engineering, leadership coach, mentor, and facilitator. Having served as an engineering executive with companies like CircleCI and Travis CI, and as a SaaS startup co-founder & CEO, I have dedicated my career to helping fast-paced organizations across the globe succeed in times of high change and challenging markets. You can regularly find me speaking at tech conferences and read my practical guides for leaders in the technology space ⁠⁠on my website⁠⁠.

How do you respond when your boss or board asks “What's our AI strategy?” In this episode, Lena Reinhard talks with Daniel Paulus, VP of Engineering at Checkly, about developing a pragmatic approach to AI initiatives that creates real value while avoiding the pitfalls of hype-driven development. Daniel shares his experience leading AI initiatives and provides actionable insights for engineering leaders, including: How to identify genuine problems AI can solve vs. solutions looking for problems Ways to validate and experiment with AI solutions while containing risks and costs Practical considerations around compliance, privacy, and security Strategies for managing team excitement and maintaining focus on core deliverables Tips for evaluating AI technologies and building initial proofs of concept Whether you're facing pressure to "do something with AI" or genuinely exploring how AI could benefit your organization, this episode provides a practical framework for moving forward thoughtfully rather than just chasing the latest trend. Lena and Daniel discuss how to balance innovation with pragmatism, and share specific approaches for validating AI initiatives before making major investments. Resources Checkly's Proof of Concept: SREBot Research & Studies: The Root Causes of Failure for AI Projects (RAND Study) O'Reilly: Hands-on Large Language Models Frameworks & Tools: SuperAGI Microsoft AutoGen CrewAI Technical Resources: Prompting Guide AutoGen Web Scraping Examples Vector Search with ClickHouse Mistral AI Documentation AutoGen Research Paper GitHub Projects: MetaGPT Aider Code Assistant AgentCoder OpenHands SWE-agent Additional Resources: Awesome AI Agents AIxploria AI Tool Directory mem0 RAG Chapters 00:00 Navigating the AI Landscape 02:48 Understanding AI Strategy 06:07 Identifying Real Use Cases for AI 08:49 Building an AI Strategy 12:05 Feasibility and Risk Assessment 14:56 Finding AI Expertise 18:08 Developing Proof of Concepts 21:04 Budgeting for AI Initiatives 23:55 Compliance and Ethical Considerations 27:11 Managing AI Risks 29:59 The Future of AI in Business *** Full Transcript *** We want to hear from you! Email us with feedback, questions, or topic ideas; I can't promise we'll always respond, but I can promise we read every email! At [email protected].

“Can you actually explain in clear terms how your company makes money? If you can't, that's a problem.” In today's tech landscape where efficiency and productivity metrics are increasingly scrutinized, it isn't enough to just write good code. You need to demonstrate how your engineering investments contribute to the bottom line - especially if you've suddenly found yourself in management feeling overwhelmed by new business expectations. Communicating the business impact of engineering investments is important for decision-making and stakeholder engagement – and ensuring your company knows you’re indispensable if they decide to have another round of layoffs. In this episode, Lena and Amani explore how engineering leaders can effectively communicate their teams’ business value. Our guest Amani brings wisdom gained from nearly 15 years of tech industry experience to share how engineering leaders can: Partner effectively with analysts and product managers to understand key business metrics Develop empathy for users to create truly impactful products Handle increased pressure to track and demonstrate progress Communicate engineering value clearly to stakeholders Adapt to management responsibilities when thrust into the role Together, they explore practical strategies for engineering leaders to understand, measure, and articulate their team's business impact in an environment of constant change. ___ ⁠⁠Full episode transcript link⁠⁠. ___ Resources ⁠Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman (Book)⁠ ⁠Founders First Blog⁠ ⁠Founders Network: Startup Metrics 101: What to Track and Why It Matters Lena published a Series on Productivity, with articles such as: Engineering Metrics Guide for Leaders⁠⁠ ⁠⁠How to Understand, Measure and Improve Team Productivity⁠⁠ ___ Why this podcast exists  I make this podcast as a space for honest conversations about the hard parts of leadership that most leaders only dare to talk about behind closed doors—after all, we're supposed to be “in charge”, and “on top of things" at all times. But from my close work with dozens of leaders every week, I know that more leaders than you may think are struggling with topics like self-confidence, imposter syndrome, unclear expectations, or difficult bosses. This podcast is where we talk about it. About your host I’m Lena Reinhard (she/they), a fractional VP Engineering, leadership coach, mentor, and facilitator. Having served as an engineering executive with companies like CircleCI and Travis CI, and as a SaaS startup co-founder & CEO, I have dedicated my career to helping fast-paced organizations across the globe succeed in times of high change and challenging markets. You can regularly find me speaking at tech conferences and read my practical guides for leaders in the technology space ⁠⁠on my website⁠⁠.

How do you lead your team through ambiguity? As an engineering leader, one of your key responsibilities is to navigate and guide your team through the uncertainty that often comes with new projects and goals. You are to ensure your team has the information they need to do the work that needs to be done. What, then, if you’ve gone to great lengths to bring clarity to your team, only to realize you’ve reduced ambiguity so much that there is no engaging challenge, no room for creative problem-solving? In this episode, we discuss our guest’s recent trouble with helping her team gain clarity. Originally, Sarah thought she needed to bring clarity to take her forming and storming team to a new level. However, over the course of the conversation, we realize that Sarah has focused too much on clarity, and her team needs her support in a different way. She has to reconsider her own role to her team, how she provides value to them, and challenge some assumptions she's made about them. By the end of this episode, you'll come away with actionable strategies for shifting your focus from constantly driving for clarity to helping your team embrace and thrive in ambiguous environments. ___ ⁠⁠Full episode transcript link⁠.⁠ ___ Why this podcast exists  I make this podcast as a space for honest conversations about the hard parts of leadership that most leaders only dare to talk about behind closed doors—after all, we're supposed to be “in charge”, and “on top of things" at all times. But from my close work with dozens of leaders every week, I know that more leaders than you may think are struggling with topics like self-confidence, imposter syndrome, unclear expectations, or difficult bosses. This podcast is where we talk about it. About your host I’m Lena Reinhard (she/they), a VP Engineering, leadership coach, mentor, and facilitator. Having served as an engineering executive with companies like CircleCI and Travis CI, and as a SaaS startup co-founder & CEO, I have dedicated my career to helping fast-paced organizations across the globe succeed in times of high change and challenging markets. You can regularly find me speaking at tech conferences and read my practical guides for leaders in the technology space ⁠⁠on my website⁠⁠.

"Interviewing knocks down pretty much everyone's confidence." With all the lost time and huge frustration that comes with interviewing, it's easy to compromise your values in favor of feeling the relief that comes from getting to the end of the interviewing process and finally landing a job. In the long run, though, you don't want to compromise your values and non-negotiables. In this episode, we discuss a massive problem everyone in the tech industry faces: The challenge of finding a company whose values align with yours and navigating the infamous, often confusing and frustrating, interview process the tech industry is known for. My guest, engineering manager Alyssa, and I talk about her own experiences interviewing and finding a job that fits her needs and values. Alyssa shares her challenges in finding a company with aligned values, the painful experiences of interviewing, factors to consider in her job search, how to assess fit and requirements, and how to ultimately find what you're looking for. ___ ⁠Full episode transcript link⁠. ___ Why this podcast exists  I make this podcast as a space for honest conversations about the hard parts of leadership that most leaders only dare to talk about behind closed doors—after all, we're supposed to be “in charge”, and “on top of things" at all times. But from my close work with dozens of leaders every week, I know that more leaders than you may think are struggling with topics like self-confidence, imposter syndrome, unclear expectations, or difficult bosses. This podcast is where we talk about it. About your host I’m Lena Reinhard (she/they), a VP Engineering, leadership coach, mentor, and facilitator. Having served as an engineering executive with companies like CircleCI and Travis CI, and as a SaaS startup co-founder & CEO, I have dedicated my career to helping fast-paced organizations across the globe succeed in times of high change and challenging markets. You can regularly find me speaking at tech conferences and read my practical guides for leaders in the technology space ⁠on my website⁠.

“There's way more variability in people than a Python environment.”—Many leaders (myself included) have felt it: “Everyone has it all figured out, but I don’t”, also known as Imposter Syndrome. And you may have been told (unironically) at some point to “be more confident”, “fake it ‘til you make it”, or “better to ask for forgiveness than for permission.” Working in tech, we’re in a fast-changing space where confidence is currency. And the gnawing self-doubt that’s often described as Imposter Syndrome doesn’t exactly come out of nowhere. In this episode, we unpack it—all of it: What imposter syndrome is, and why it, ironically, is a fraud. My guest, an experienced engineering director, shares his experience with it, how his imposter syndrome shape-shifted going from engineer to manager, and how he’s dealt with it. We talk about the role of trust and vulnerability, community, and handling the unknowns. I share my own experience with imposter syndrome, and get into: How our industry makeup and leadership idea(l)s fuel imposter syndrome Practical tips for dealing with it How you can use your own role to create an industry where we talk less about “imposter syndrome”, and more about overcoming overconfident incompetence ___ Full episode transcript link. ___ Resources Research Prevalence, Predictors, and Treatment of Impostor Syndrome: a Systematic Review - PMC  Imposter Phenomenon - National Library of Medicine A Surprising Number of Americans Think They Could Beat Wild Animals in a Fight Guides for dealing with Imposter Syndrome The Troubles With Asking Your Team Members to Be More Confident at Work, and How to Actually Become More Confident  Why Everyone Feels Like They’re Faking It | The New Yorker  Stop Blowhard Syndrome  Why Everyone Feels Like They’re Faking It | The New Yorker  ___ Why this podcast exists  I make this podcast as a space for honest conversations about the hard parts of leadership that most leaders only dare to talk about behind closed doors—after all, we're supposed to be “in charge”, and “on top of things" at all times. But from my close work with dozens of leaders every week, I know that more leaders than you may think are struggling with topics like self-confidence, imposter syndrome, unclear expectations, or difficult bosses. This podcast is where we talk about it. About your host I’m Lena Reinhard (she/they), a fractional VP Engineering, leadership coach, mentor, and facilitator. Having served as an engineering executive with companies like CircleCI and Travis CI, and as a SaaS startup co-founder & CEO, I have dedicated my career to helping fast-paced organizations across the globe succeed in times of high change and challenging markets. You can regularly find me speaking at tech conferences and read my practical guides for leaders in the technology space on my website.

A special episode of this podcast. Like many of you, during the tech downturn of the last 2 years, I've been trying to understand the real data beyond anecdotes and bold news headlines, on questions like: What does the tech industry look like now? How exactly have organizations and their priorities changed? What impact and influence do AI actually have, beyond the hype? And what is it like to be, become, and interview to work as a leader in this changed environment? I'm happy to share the data with you today in this episode: In The Engineering Leadership Report 2024, which I'm publishing in collaboration with tech events & publishing company LeadDev. Join me for this conversation with LeadDev's editor-in-chief Scott Carey, an experienced tech journalist. Together, we ran a survey and heard from over 1,100 engineering leaders on: Leading in organisations: How companies changed, what they prioritise Being and becoming a leader in 2024: The impact of those changes on leaders, interviewing, and roles & time spend Industry trends and outlooks: What engineering leaders are excited & concerned about, and the influence of AI  Note: This podcast goes live while Scott and I present a talk version of our conversation at LeadDev London - this is for everyone of you who can't be in person with us. *** Download the full report at ⁠bit.ly/engleadershipreport⁠. Full episode transcript. *** We want to hear from you! Email us with feedback, questions, or topic ideas; I can't promise we can always respond, but I can promise we read and care about every email! At [email protected].

What should engineering leadership roles look like, and how "technical" should managers be? What's been a hotly-debated topic in tech for decades has gotten very real, very often for my guest today—because he’s always been a bit of an outlier: My guest Jay has been an engineering leader for over a decade, has led teams of many different shapes, sizes, and disciplines all throughout the industry. And, unlike the more common path of transitioning from software engineer to management, he wasn’t an engineer before becoming a manager. In an industry that highly values "technical skills" and where there's low consensus on what skills make a good manager, he grapples with finding his place, having an impact, and how to grow his career onward. We talk about: What does it mean to be "technical" as an engineering manager? How important is it? What makes a good manager and leader? What makes them successful? How are companies thinking about great engineering leadership? How's this been changing in the last years? Learning and teaching management skills Hiring and interviewing for management roles, and what companies can improve After our conversation, I share my perspective on what leadership roles in tech look like, and advice for any other leaders grappling with the tech industry changes and wondering what makes a good leader for their company Links: Full Episode transcript What should engineering manager & Leadership roles look like in 2024? This is part two of our mini series about different shapes of leadership - in the ⁠⁠last episode⁠⁠, I spoke to an experienced tech lead with a more traditional career from engineer, to tech lead, to technical lead of leads.  Thank you for joining me on Leadership Confidential. __ __ About this podcast & your host: ⁠⁠Lena Reinhard⁠⁠ (she/her, they/them) makes this podcast as a space for honest conversations about the hard parts of leadership that most leaders only dare to talk about behind closed doors—after all, we're supposed to be “in charge”, and “on top of things" at all times. But topics like struggling with self-confidence, imposter syndrome, growing your skills with little support, or dealing with a micromanaging boss are more common than you may think—and this is where we talk about them. Lena is a VP Engineering, leadership coach, mentor, and organizational developer, and writer. Having served as an engineering executive with companies like CircleCI and Travis CI, and as a SaaS startup co-founder & CEO, Lena has dedicated her career to helping organizations from startups to corporations and NGOs succeed in times of high change and challenging markets.

How “technical” should an engineering manager be? And what do different paths into engineering leadership look like?—These questions have been the topic of hot debate in tech for a very long time, even more now as the industry is going through big changes with layoffs and strategy shifts.  That’s why we’re starting this podcast with a two-episode series about different shapes of leadership roles: You’ll hear from two leaders who both have over 20 years experience, but had very different paths into the technology space and have very different roles now.  In this episode, you hear from Max, who shares his path from engineer to technical lead of leads. We talk about:  The relevance of fruit baskets: Max’ career from a computer science graduate in the early 2000’s, to getting into his first informal, then first formal lead role New skills to learn, new fears to face: How he adapted to his new roles, changed his approach from direct involvement to empowering his teams, and how he dealt with the emotional and practical aspects of ~leadership~.  Knowing if you’re doing your job well, a.k.a. “When You Do Things Right, People Won’t Be Sure You’ve Done Anything at All.” (Futurama)  Guidance for Aspiring & New Leaders: Practical advice for everyone in technical roles considering or new to a leadership path. Find the full transcript for this episode on the podcast website. Additional resources: LeadDev Engineering Leadership Survey: How exactly have tech leadership roles changed? Spend 5-10 minutes sharing your experiences anonymously, and help create more clarity for the engineering leadership community. The survey is still open until Apr 12, 2024. How to work with your peer leaders as a “first team” and why it matters  StaffEng - reports from staff+ engineers in different companies about the different shapes of the role  Book: Tanya Reilly, The Staff Engineer’s Path Book: Will Larson, Staff Engineer: Leadership Beyond The Management Track Hear more about different shapes of leadership roles and paths next week, from an engineering manager who moved into this role without prior engineering experience. Thank you for joining me on Leadership Confidential.

Are you tired of outdated leadership myths, of "real leaders" who are "born with it", always confident, and have it all figured out? I am, because I know the reality: I've been an engineering leader and CEO, and now coach and mentor dozens of leaders every week who feel the same. Now I invite you into those conversations: Subscribe now to hear seasoned and newer leaders get real on hard things in technology, finding community, and becoming the engineering leader you can be. And, by the way: If you have a leadership challenge, burning, question, or need some real talk: Reach out and be my guest! Contact me at bit.ly/leadershipconfidential, I look forward to hearing from you. Full transcript: lenareinhard.com/podcast/trailer-season-1