Episode 37: Why the “remote vs. office” conversation is missing the point

In this week’s episode, our co-founder Darja chatted with Stephanie Herre, Senior Sales Leader at Remote (ex-Cisco, and SAP). Stephanie shared her take on how AI will impact the future of work, and why we need fewer managers, but more leaders. She discussed the simple steps you can take not to feel overwhelmed as a leader, how to say “no” at work without sounding rude, and still be there for your team. Stephanie believes the skill of asking the right questions at work and being self-reflective is underrated, and the world needs better question-askers, not better talkers. She also shared what she struggled with the most as a first-time manager and how she learned to set communication boundaries at work to maximize productivity, live a full life, and help her team do the same. In this episode, you’ll learn:How Stephanie transformed her under-performing team as a first-time manager and gained her team’s trust while helping everyone achieve their goalsWhat makes a true leader nowadays, and the super skills that will help you to go from good to great leader How to utilize and make the most out of the 30-60-90 plan, and why this good old framework, should be your go-to tool as a first-time managerWill we need managers in the coming years at all, and why in the future with AI, you won’t go far without the human skills Timecodes:4:20 - the question you ask someone at the beginning of their leadership journey6:05 - will AI replace managers, will we need managers in the coming years at all?9:00 - in the future with AI, you won’t go far without the human skills14:05 - the simple steps you can take not to feel overwhelmed as a leader18:00 - how to say “no” and decline meetings at work without being rude26:00 - role play: how to help your coachees or mentees apply what they’ve learned in the sessions29:30 - how Stephanie transformed her under-performing team as a first-time manager30:20 - the number one advice to first-time managers: utilize the good old 30-60-90 plan33:30 - a quick practice to free up your schedule37:25 - the 3 main skills you need to train for the future of work 42:00 - the competitive advantage of introverted leadersConnect with Danielle:Twitter: https://twitter.com/coachsteph2022LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephherre/Udemy Course: https://www.udemy.com/course/306090plan-leadership/Connect with Darja:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/darjagutnick/Twitter: https://twitter.com/darjagutnickFollow Bunch:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bunchai/Twitter: https://twitter.com/bunch_HQBecome a better leader in 2 minutes a day with BUNCH, the AI Leadership Coach. Download it for FREE on the App Store

In this week’s episode, our co-founder Darja chatted with Danielle Leong, currently VP of Engineering at Maca, working on SaaS pricing insights. She started her career as an early engineer at Twilio, after that Danielle became a Director of Engineering, building a tech team to lead the development of mission-critical services at GitHub. She is a passionate learner and loves mentoring others on their journey, she also has her own photography studio where she captures and amplifies diverse and unique voices. Danielle shared her nontypical career journey, and how she balances her technical and creative sides (and how they complement each other). She also shared her take on leading by example, why failing is healthy, and how to actually apply learnings from the past to solve problems in the present. Danielle believes even if you are early on in your career or come from a different background you always have something to bring to the table, you just gotta believe in yourself and be curious! In this episode, you’ll learn:Why technical talent is made, not born, and the two qualities you actually need to succeed on the tech leadership journeyHow to make sense of all the resources out there, adjust them as a template to fit the needs of your team, and then pick out a specific solutionWhy leading by example is not showing what you know but rather stepping up and admitting what you don’t knowHow failing fast and failing often can help you become a better professional and why none of us actually “have it together”Timecodes:6:00 - why curiosity and drive to learn are the only things you need to succeed in anything8:20 - how to apply learnings from the past, what inspires Danelle today, and what she’s keen on learning more about11:00 - why you gotta fail fast and fail forward, and how failure can positively shape your journey13:50 - none of us “have it together” and even leaders fail16:30 - if people are afraid to admit they don’t know something, you need to lead by example24:28 - Panda Planner method for productivity27:35 - unpopular opinions about engineering management38:00 - no matter what you’re going through, you are not alone, and there are definitely mentors and people out there ready to helpConnect with Danielle:Twitter: https://twitter.com/tsunaminoLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielleleong/Connect with Darja:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/darjagutnick/Twitter: https://twitter.com/darjagutnickFollow Bunch:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bunchai/Twitter: https://twitter.com/bunch_HQBecome a better leader in 2 minutes a day with BUNCH, the AI Leadership Coach. Download it for FREE on the App Store

In this week’s episode, our co-founders Darja and Anthony chatted with Eric Weiss, ex-CTO at Rock My World, Angel Investor, CEO, and Podcast Host at Chaos To Clarity, and an Executive Coach working with technical founders and executives to help them overcome the challenges of growth. Eric shared his two guiding leadership philosophies that helped him throughout his career, and his key learnings on the pillars you have to oversee and manage as an engineering leader, and how to balance them all. Eric also shared how was passionate about technology alone at first, but after beginning his engineering career, he discovered his love for working with people and leading teams, how much he enjoyed understanding the motivations of each team member, how to best work and collaborate with them, and leverage their own motivations to achieve the shared team goals, which ultimately led him to become an engineering leader and coach.In this episode, you’ll learn:Why the role of the CTO is the most complicated C-level role and is it even possible to truly excel in it at allWhy executives sometimes make bad decisions and how to prevent it - spoiler alert: Eric does a live exercise for that in the podcast!Why understanding the product-building methodologies and being customer-centric is more important than being a good coderBONUS: top learnings from 40 Teams at Work episodes from our co-founders Anthony and DarjaTimecodes:2:11 - where Eric’s passion for leadership and technology came from5:15 - why the role of the CTO is the most complicated C-level role9:15 - the pillars you have to oversee and manage as an engineering leader, and how to balance it all13:13 - why is it important for engineers to be customer-centric21:30 - understanding the product-building methodologies is more important than being a good coder25:15 - Eric’s two guiding leadership philosophies36:00 - what are the most common challenges executives and founders are facing today, and how Eric helps them navigate this chaos39:17 - you should be leading out of confidence, not out of fear42:00 - feeling scared as a leader? Do this exercise46:00 - Eric’s advice to his younger selfConnect with Eric:Twitter: https://twitter.com/realEricWeissLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericmweiss/Podcast: https://linktr.ee/chaos2clarityConnect with Anthony:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthonyreo/Twitter: https://twitter.com/anthonyareoFollow Bunch:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bunchai/Twitter: https://twitter.com/bunch_HQBecome a better leader in 2 minutes a day with BUNCH, the AI Leadership Coach. Download it for FREE on the App Store

In this week’s episode, our co-founders Darja and Anthony chatted with Raz Shuty, Senior Director of Engineering at Delivery Hero with over 12 years of experience leading technology teams. Raz shared why he hated the role of a manager at first, and how he struggled to fit in, what he learned about leadership from his father, a chef and why the first manager he ever had is a role model when it comes to management. In this episode, you’ll learn:Why becoming a manager in engineering means a negative return on investment on the craft that brought you to the roleWhy Raz hated his first engineering manager job, quit, and how he ultimately found his role and got to enjoy itHow working in sprints can suck, and what you can do to find a framework that will work best for your team and your goalsThe limitations of remote work and why there is an upside to working in an officeTimecodes:2:06 - how being a Senior Director of Engineering can be a nightmare9:40 - why you should not become a manager12:30 - did Raz ever regret becoming an engineering manager16:00 - go-to tools and hacks to stay productive as a manager19:50 - how to determine your mission for the week and prioritize effectively25:05 - what is the primary difference between managing individual contributors vs. other managers33:30 - the benefits and the struggles of remote work through the lens of an engineering leader48:00 - growth is not a numbers game, sometimes it’s about doing as much as you can with what you have in the moment50:30 - creating a fun environment is an underrated part of management that can actually result in better team engagement53:00 - why Raz despises sprints as a work framework for engineering teamsConnect with Raz:Blog: somehowimanage.blogLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/raz-schweiger-shuty-86299814/Podcast: techpointcharlie.blogConnect with Anthony:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthonyreo/Twitter: https://twitter.com/anthonyareoFollow Bunch:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bunchai/Twitter: https://twitter.com/bunch_HQBecome a better leader in 2 minutes a day with BUNCH, the AI Leadership Coach. Download it for FREE on the App Store

In this week’s episode, our co-founders Darja and Anthony chatted with Meri Williams. Meri was the CTO at Monzo - the online bank - before it even became a bank! She led the technology team through a period of immense growth in both the team itself and in the customer base. Now as the CTO at Pleo, Meri is continuing to lead teams through different changes while enabling each team member to reach their full potential. Meri shared her key learnings on what it actually takes to create a healthy, safe, diverse and inclusive work environment, as well as why high-performing teams are the ones who are happy, and feel comfortable in their individual roles. Meri also discussed what she would do differently as a new CTO, some of her best principles for success and why sometimes hotdogs are the only thing you need to make your team happy. In this episode, you’ll learn:Why management (especially in engineering) is a career change, not a promotion, and how can you succeed in itWhat it really takes to build a diverse and inclusive team: 3 questions you should ask yourselfWhat is the real difference between being nice vs. kind to your team and the impact it can haveWhy you shouldn’t treat others like you would want to be treated. Rather treat them like they want to be treatedTimecodes:2:30 - the challenges of joining a growing startup as a CTO12:00 - purpose, autonomy, mastery, inclusion: the magic formula for high performance14:00 - the model for DEI: 3 questions you should ask32:00 - why management is a career change, not a promotion and how can you succeed in it41:00 - how to help people feel safe at work, enabling them to reach their potential: be nice AND kind51:00 - how to really be an empathetic person and leaderConnect with Meri:Twitter: https://twitter.com/Geek_ManagerLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meriwilliams/Connect with Anthony:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthonyreo/Twitter: https://twitter.com/anthonyareoFollow Bunch:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bunchai/Twitter: https://twitter.com/bunch_HQOther helpful resources: Learn more about engineering leadership from Lara Hogan: https://larahogan.me/Learn more about being an Engineering Manager: https://nickmchardy.com/2019/02/on-being-an-engineering-manager.htmlThe home of engineering management: https://leaddev.com/Become a better leader in 2 minutes a day with BUNCH, the AI Leadership Coach. Download it for FREE on the App Store

In today’s episode, our co-founder Anthony chatted with Alvar Lumberg. Alvar was one of the Founding Engineering Team leaders at Wise (formely TransferWise), now he is an investor, and the CTO, and co-founder at Grünfin. Alvar shared how he uses coaching to help engineering and first-time managers succeed in their roles. He also discussed what makes leading an engineering team and succeeding as a manager at the same time a tough balance to achieve. From learning how to navigate the transition from individual contributor to manager, to understanding how the definition of leadership has changed over time, and what does it take to be a successful leader today. Alvar also shared his top book recommendations, what he is still trying to grow in and why it is essential to understand emerging technologies to plan ahead.In this episode, you’ll learn:How you can be a leader even if your job title doesn’t necessarily imply itBeing an engineering lead at a big company vs. a startup - tricks, tips, and best strategies to succeedWhy it is important for leaders to take a step back, and revisit the broader picture regularlyWhat are the biggest challenges engineering managers face today, and how you can overcome thoseBest practices to discovering your unique leadership style as a new managerTimecodes:1:10 - how and where Alvar’s journey began6:40 - why passion was the key to kick-starting Alvar’s career and setting him up for success11:25 - what was it like joining an early-stage startup as an engineering lead16:00 - Alvar’s leadership style and what would he advise to first time managers17:00 - your job as a leader is not to tell people what to do, it’s to align on goals and support them with achieving those21:30 - leadership through coaching - how does Alvar lead his teams26:50 - the biggest challenge engineering leaders and managers face today29:20 - why you need to understand emerging technologies to be able to plan ahead30:05 - Alvar’s books recommendations33:50 - what it truly means to be a leader and a role model (hint: it’s not about your title)35:10 - how would Alvar define leadership36:00 - what Alvar is still trying to grow in40:00 - what would Alvar advise to his younger self and all first time managers out thereConnect with Alvar:Twitter: https://twitter.com/alvarlumbergLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alvarlumberg/Connect with Anthony:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthonyreo/Twitter: https://twitter.com/anthonyareoFollow Bunch:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bunchai/Twitter: https://twitter.com/bunch_HQBecome a better leader in 2 minutes a day with BUNCH, the AI Leadership Coach. Download it for FREE on the App Store

In this week’s episode, our co-founders Darja and Anthony chatted with Scott Markovits. Scott was one of the Founding Team at InVision - one of the first companies to work fully remotely (before either Zoom or Slack were created). Since then Scott has helped tons of other companies scale and succeed in a remote environment, building world-class operational, engagement, and leadership cultures. From learning how to adapt to the ever-changing work culture in tech to introducing the best rituals to connect and strengthen remote teams, Scott shared his key learnings and memorable experiences leading A teams remotely. Scott also discussed his journey at early-stage startups, why product-market fit is overrated, and what your success as a leader really looks like.In this episode, you’ll learn:The key rituals to keep your distributed teams strong and connectedHow remote work can help you create a better work-life balance and why a 4-day work week is the futureWhy product-market fit is overratedRemote vs. Hybrid vs. In-person - where is the future of work, and what companies will succeed in this game long-termTimecodes:2:30 - what inspired Scott to switch to remote work 4:20 - why remote work can help you create a better work-life balance8:25 - the power of off-site in real life for remote teams14:50 - what was it like being part of one of the first companies to go fully remote18:20 - what was remote work like before Slack and Zoom 19:40 - remote work is the future, everyone else is playing a short-term game25:30 - where is the future of work31:30 - in the future having an office will be a perk 34:00 - how can you succeed as a manager remotely 38:10 - rituals to keep your distributed teams strong and connected 42:30 - 4 day work week and at least 1 week off per quarter - the secrets to long-term team successConnect with ScottLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottmarkovits/Twitter: https://twitter.com/ScottMarkovitsConnect with Anthony:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthonyreo/Twitter: https://twitter.com/anthonyareoConnect with Darja: Twitter: https://twitter.com/darjagutnickLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/darjagutnick/Follow Bunch:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bunchai/Twitter: https://twitter.com/bunch_HQBecome a better leader in 2 minutes a day with BUNCH, the AI Leadership Coach. Download it for FREE on the App Store

In this week’s episode, our co-founder Anthony chatted with Richard Newman. Richard is the Founder & CEO of Body Talk, the global leader in evidence-based courses on the psychology of communication, helping more than 10,000 organizations and individuals every year to discover the power of storytelling, conflict resolution, and presentation skills. From learning to understand the Tibetan monks to discovering the true power of communication, Richard shared how his company started from a free haircut he got. He also shared why he was resistant to the idea of leadership at first, and how he ultimately learned the 3 pillars of leadership to drive his company forward. In this episode, you’ll learn:The three areas you need to activate in your audience in order for them to not only listen to your story but act on it What children can teach adults about good communication and why you should read your business report like a children's storybook How better communication can win you a billion-dollar deal Why your ideas don’t speak for themselves - and you have to do it insteadTimeline: 01: 15 - Running the company and leading the company are not the same things 02:20 - The 3 pillars of leadership (vision, mission, values)10:25 - Teaching how to communicate at the hair salon (power of a haircut) 15:55 - You are born to speak - why everyone can be a good communicator19:01 - How our innate ability to communicate well is killed over time by others 22:10 - Actionable steps to help communicate as we used to as children25:05 - Your ideas don’t speak for themselves - you have to do it 28:03 - Content matters less - what matters is how you deliver the information33:45 - Your job when you tell a story is to get people to take action 46:10 - How better communication can win you a billion dollars - sell your benefitsConnect with Richard:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardnewmanspeaks/ Follow Body Talk: Twitter: https://twitter.com/ukbodytalkLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/communicationskillstraining/Connect with Anthony:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthonyreo/Twitter: https://twitter.com/anthonyareoFollow Bunch:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bunchai/Twitter: https://twitter.com/bunch_HQBecome a better leader in 2 minutes a day with BUNCH, the AI Leadership Coach. Download it for FREE on the App Store

In this week’s episode, our co-founder Anthony chatted with Chris Schembra. Through stories and lessons learned, Chris shared how he started his career in theater and video production, ultimately discovering the power of gratitude and the role it plays in leadership and building teams. He is the founder and Chief Question Asker of 7:47, an advisory firm that helps companies create meaningful connections through its 7:47 Gratitude Experience, an evidence-based framework that helps leaders build a community and strengthen relationships. In this episode, you’ll learn:How gratitude can help you get through hard timesWhy community-focused leadership is the key to thriving through uncertain and challenging timesHow Chris went from daily struggle to discovering his true purpose, and how Italian food helped him on that journeyConnect with Chris: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/schembra/Twitter: https://twitter.com/cschembraChris's books: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Chris-Schembra/author/B083WMTMJF?ref=ap_rdr&store_ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=trueConnect with Anthony:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthonyreo/Twitter: https://twitter.com/anthonyareoFollow Bunch:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bunchai/Twitter: https://twitter.com/bunch_HQBecome a better leader in 2 minutes a day with BUNCH, the AI Leadership Coach. Download it for FREE on the App Store

In this week’s episode, we chatted with Louie Bacaj, who shared his journey from starting his career as an engineer in big tech to ultimately becoming an engineering leader at companies like Jet, Walmart, and Bank of America, where he has built teams and lead teams through massive growth, crisis, and various transitions.Transitioning from the corporate world, Louie is now pursuing his passion as an entrepreneur, building Nines, and a creator, mentoring companies and individuals, and helping engineers navigate and succeed in their careers.In this episode, you’ll learn:How a learner mindset can enable you to pursue any passion despite the risksWhat could be the future of big tech and what are the skills you need to acquire to succeed in itWhy Louie made the decision to leave the big tech and become an entrepreneur, and a creator (and how he overcame the imposter syndrome on his journey)The principles of building lasting team relationships based on trust and transparency3:00 - What inspired Louie’s transition from the corporate big tech world to entrepreneurship and creatorship5:40 - Skills Louie had to learn as an engineer and engineering leader6:00 - How does it feel to walk away from big money to chase your dreams as an entrepreneur8:05 - Louie’s current projects and how he deals with imposter syndrome along the way11:00 - What’s important for tech leaders now14:15 - Why evolving technology caused trouble for big tech16:30 - How to constantly stay in demand as an engineer21:00 - Skills/traits people need to develop to succeed in the tech leadership roles25:00 - How to grow in your career by always keeping the learner mindset28:00 - How to stay on top of the relevant tech trendsConnect with Louie:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/louiebacaj/Twitter: https://twitter.com/LBacajConnect with Darja:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/darjagutnick/Twitter: https://twitter.com/darjagutnickSubstack: https://weeklybriefing.substack.com/Connect with Anthony:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthonyreo/Twitter: https://twitter.com/anthonyareoFollow Bunch:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bunchai/Twitter: https://twitter.com/bunch_HQBecome a better leader in 2 minutes a day with BUNCH, the AI Leadership Coach. Download it for FREE on the App Store