What happens when layoffs lead to organizational flattening, fewer managers, and larger teams? It’s a trend we’re seeing in the tech industry at large right now impacting team dynamics and career paths. To understand what’s really happening and the overall impact, we pulled in former guests Abby Clobridge, Shailvi Wakhlu, and Leanne Elliott in a roundtable format.
In episode 347, we explore the trend and the unique challenges it presents to consulting firms, managers, and individual contributors working with and inside flatter organizations. Listen closely for the impact to job levels, what this means for top-tier individual contributors, how companies are thinking about knowledge management, employee loneliness and wellbeing, and where some unexpected opportunities lie for those willing to step up.
Original Recording Date: 09-27-2025
Topics – Framing Our Discussion and a Slightly Different Format, Defining the Trend, Impact on Career Structure and Ambiguity, The Challenge of Reaching Top Tier Positions, Internal Risk and Potential Loss of Knowledge, Strains on Execution, Impact to Team Dynamics, From Problem to Opportunity
1:01 – Framing Our Discussion and a Slightly Different Format

* For today and in next week’s episode, rather than introducing a guest to share their career story and lessons learned, we’re trying something a little different.
* Recently we sent a follow up question to a former guest whose response sparked an idea for this format.

* The trend of organizational flattening in our industry has been top of mind for us. We’re seeing the continued layoffs in tech often time result in fewer management layers and an increase in the number of people reporting to a single manager.
* This topic is too big and has too many angles for a single conversation. We wanted to bring together multiple expert perspectives on this issue in a single episode. We’ve reached out to a handful of former guests and sent them specific questions on this topic. Those guests were kind enough to record their answers and send them back to us.
* Consider this a Nerd Journey roundtable or collection of hot takes from trusted voices. Our goal is to amplify their advice and provide a diverse set of strategies for navigating this landscape.
* In the first episode (this week), we explore the trend of flatter organizations and the consequences for your career path and team culture. Next week in part 2 we will focus on actionable insights for thriving in this environment.


* Here’s the full set of episode links we will share throughout the conversation if you would like to hear more from one of the former guests who participated:

* Abby Clobridge

* Episode 292 – Library Science: Information Architecture and the Synthesis of Details with Abby Clobridge (1/2)
* Episode 293 – Enterprise Knowledge Management: A Consultative Approach to Solving the Right Problems with Abby Clobridge (2/2)


* Shailvi Wakhlu

* Episode 210 – A Collection of Ambiguous Experiments with Shailvi Wakhlu (1/2)
* Episode 211 – Structure the Levels of Contribution with Shailvi Wakhlu (2/2)
* Self-Advocacy: Your Guide to Gett...

Episode 346 is dedicated to the memory of Todd Cochrane. Todd was the founder of Blubrry Podcasting, a Navy veteran and electronics technician, a geek and lover of technology at heart, a content creator, a podcasting pioneer, and a consistent friend to the greater podcast community. This week we’re airing our full interview with Todd as a single episode (previously released in episodes 250 and 251).
As we begin this week, Nick and John frame what you’re about to hear with a story from Podcast Movement 2025 where Nick got to meet Todd in person. Listen closely for the shifts Todd made to his company as market conditions changed, and think about the applicability of this strategy for your career.
Original Recording Date of the Interview with Todd: 10-06-2023
Topics – Meet Todd Cochrane, Naval Service and Technical Knowledge, Program Management, An Injury and a Different Role, Getting into Podcasting and Monetization, A Tech Wave and a Shift, Diversification of Focus and Expertise, Corporate and Individual Roadmaps, Leadership and Employee Engagement, Developing a Useful AI Strategy
5:49 – Meet Todd Cochrane

* Todd Cochrane is the founder and CEO of Blubrry Podcasting. Blubrry is a full service podcast hosting platform.

* At the time of this recording they are working with around 100,000 shows / podcasts at a variety of levels (some shows using Blubrry for hosting, some for analytics, some using the PowerPress plugin for WordPress).
* The team at Blubrry is about 17 people, and they have been in business since 2005.
* Nerd Journey proudly uses Blubrry statistics and the PowerPress plugin!



6:51 – Naval Service and Technical Knowledge

* In vocational tech school Todd took 2 years of electronics and then joined the Navy in 1983. His official title at that time was aviation electronics technician.
* Todd also served as a back end operator in specialized P3 aircraft used more as platforms for intelligence collection. Todd tells us he was involved in this kind of work for 25 years.

* During his tenure in the Navy, Todd got exposed to something called special projects.
* People would bring a box for a specific function in the plane (a “box de jour”), and Todd would do the mechanical and electrical designs for these to get them in the planes quickly.


* Todd’s true Navy background was in synthetic aperture radar and involved work with Sandia National Labs.
* To pair with his deep technical knowledge of electronics, Todd started to tinker with other things like bulletin boards and downloading shareware while stationed in Guam.

* This was back in the days of dial up modems.
* “I really was kind of a geek in all aspects of job and life….When the bulletin board era died, I basically became a blogger.” – Todd Cochrane, reflecting on his time in the Navy.
* Todd calls himself a failed blogger, feeling he was not great at it. This was around 2002.
* In 2004 Todd got into podcasting but continued to work another job. After retiring from the Navy in 2007, Todd spent 12 years as a tech rep (basically the same job he had been doing but as a civilian).
* Todd continued to work with and for Naval personnel until 2019 while running his own company on the side.
* “Needless to say those were some exciting years because there was not a lot of free time.” – Todd Cochrane, on working a full time job and running his own company on the side
* Todd has only been out of aviation for about 4 years now but has...

Pursuing a role in leadership is one thing, but what happens when you try to return to life as an individual contributor? Our guest, Paul Nadeau, equates this experience to having “resume damage.”
Join us for episode 345 as we dive into the differences between pursuing a technical career path as an individual contributor and a career path in people management from a guest who has experienced both. Paul reveals a strategy for gaining expertise by sharing examples of his willingness to find and clean up a mess.
Through turbulent times in the tech industry, how can we give to our network with no agenda? Listen to Paul describe his approach to meeting new people, supporting them through layoffs, or just providing advice…all through merely having a conversation.
Original Recording Date: 08-28-2025
Topics – Technical Career Paths vs. Management Career Paths, Returning to Individual Contributor, Specialty Decisions, Nurturing Your Network and a Focus on Helping Others
3:15 – Technical Career Paths vs. Management Career Paths

* John mentions we have spoken on the show about the technical / individual contributor path to progression as well as the management career path.

* There is usually a path to stay an individual contributor in medium to large size organizations (i.e. the ability to progress to senior engineer, staff engineer, principal engineer, distinguished engineer, etc.).
* “If you want to progress in your career and you don’t have that path, management is not the natural thing to look at…unless you actually want to stop what you are doing and become a manager…. Becoming a manager does not make you…tech lead. It makes you manager. It’s a hard piece of advice to give somebody if they’re in an organization that does not have a next title, a next promotion for that person where they stay an individual contributor…. You shouldn’t try to become a manager. You should try to move organizations. That’s hard advice to give. I’ve had to do that a couple times.” – John White
* Paul recalls a conversation with his manager not long after the manager had been promoted into the position.

* “There’s no comparison between the management going up a chain of command and the engineer going up a chain of command. It’s a completely different skillset altogether….” – Paul Nadeau


* Paul tells us that as leaders progress to higher levels in an organization they take on more responsibility but also begin to manage a profit and loss center (or PNL). Rather than individual expense reports you’re looking at what the team is spending and what they are spending it on.
* The next level up is leading an entire division and considering how to distribute funds within your budget for salary raises, bonuses, or other types of compensation.

* Paul tells us that many leaders love to hand out promotions, but no one likes to fire people.


* When evaluating a technical career, Paul likes to think about the following:

* Am I having fun?
* Am I a benefit to the company?
* Where will I be a bigger benefit to the company…in my current role or in a management role?
* If applicable, are customers happy with me in my role (tech support, professional services, etc.)?


* “I think one of the big reasons why people leave companies is…whenever they say there’s no room for promotion; it doesn’t have anything to do with promotion into management. A lot of times they think that’s what it is. But it has to do with promotion of their brand, their career path. What are they doing, and how are they getting there? That’s what it has to do with.” – Paul Nadeau
* Management is a lot like herding cats, and according to Paul, not everyone is going to have fun doing that job.
* Paul has fun whiteboarding and providing technical solutions for his customers.

Imagine transitioning from individual contributor at a company to managing an organization of 155 people. That’s quite the promotion. How would you approach that kind of change?
Before you get too anxious about what’s coming, Paul Nadeau, our guest this week in episode 344, has two pieces of advice: stay calm, and don’t panic.
Paul’s career began as a Radioman in the Navy where he focused on telecommunications, but he later pursued law enforcement. You’ll hear firsthand about the experiences that cemented this mantra of remaining calm in Paul’s mind and follow him through leadership training in the Navy. Listen in to hear how a specific mix of classroom instruction and practical experience forged a leadership philosophy that is widely applicable both in the military and in the corporate world.
Whether you are an individual contributor or a people leader today, you’ll learn how to identify the traits of natural leaders and understand some of the real challenges of stepping into a management role.
Original Recording Date: 08-28-2025
Topics – Meet Paul Nadeau, Birth of a Specialty, The Importance of Staying Calm, Leadership Training and Gaining Experience, Assessing Leadership Talent
2:28 – Meet Paul Nadeau

* Paul Nadeau is a Solutions Consultant at Palo Alto Networks.
* Paul’s early career began with joining the Navy, but his decision to join starts even earlier.

* Paul grew up in the Texas Hill Country (areas around Fredericksburg and Kerrville) and attended a private school for most of his young life.
* Though the academics were great at private school, Paul talked his father into letting him attend public school for his junior year of high school.
* At the public high school, Paul started to get into trouble. At one point his father had a very frank conversation with him.
* “You need to do something with your life.” – advice from Paul Nadeau’s father
* Paul’s father was a Marine who served in World War II and was awarded a Purple Heart for his service. He suggested Paul consider joining the military. Paul’s father wanted him to have some type of trade to fall back on after military service.
* While the Air Force did seem appealing, Paul ended up joining the Navy in 1988. After boot camp, Paul was sent to all kinds of schools before serving on the USS America in Norfolk, Virginia in 1989.
* Paul was serving when Desert Storm broke out in 1990.
* After serving in the Navy, Paul decided to go into law enforcement (something he had always wanted to do). Though his work in the Navy focused on telecommunications / satellite communications, Paul didn’t want to keep doing it after serving in the Navy. He chose to attend the police academy instead.
* Though Paul enjoyed being a police officer, the pay did not support starting a family.
* Paul re-enlisted in the Navy in 1995 to once again focus on telecommunications, trading some of the re-enlistment bonus money to use for school.

* Paul says he did Cisco training, Novell training, Unix administration, and even Windows administration training. He and co-workers were pioneering running these systems across satellite links (from ship to shore).


* When Paul went into the Navy, they were looking for people who had clean backgrounds. He was able to obtain a security clearance after joining.



7:07 – Birth of a Specialty

* How did Paul end up in telecommunications after joining the Navy?

* At age 17 when he first enlisted in the Navy, Paul wanted to do something in the medical field. He was told no.
* Paul’s second choice for occupation was to be a cop. At the time,

Remember all the times someone took a moment to help you in your career? This act of support is what Jason Gass calls a “lost art” in the tech industry.
Jason returns this week in episode 343 to share the conclusion of his layoff story. Listen closely to understand why he’s so committed to helping other people in the industry as a result of going through this process and eventually finding closure.
You’ll hear suggestions and practical examples for how to keep in touch with colleagues after a layoff, and we emphasize the importance of staying on top of the job marketplace in terms of trends and skill sets. Jason will also share how managing finances carefully can provide peace of mind when it comes to unexpected job loss.
Even if you haven’t been impacted by a layoff, stay tuned for practical ways of supporting people who have, and learn why keeping a pulse on the job marketplace can boost your career at your current company.
Original Recording Date: 08-07-2025
If you missed part 1 of our discussion with Jason, check out Episode 342 – Planting Seeds: Networking and Maneuvering Unexpected Job Loss with Jason Gass (1/2)
Topics – The Lost Art of Supporting Others, Marketplace Analysis and Skills Gaps, Things That Brought Peace of Mind, Reaching Closure and Openness to New Opportunities, Parting Thoughts and Final Lessons Learned

* Jason Gass joined us as a guest host for a series of episodes reviewing the book Finish by Jon Acuff and is back this week as a guest.

* The book series on Finish was published in episodes 272 – 275, and you can listen back to them using the link above.



3:16 – The Lost Art of Supporting Others

* What other types of support does Jason wish he had been given by others that he did not receive, and how can listeners better support others in a layoff situation?

* Jason says when people announce being laid off on LinkedIn, for example, there are a lot of responses from people. Many times, people say something like “I’m so sorry. Let me know how I can help. I’ll keep an ear out for you.”
* “They mean well. They absolutely do, but then shortly afterwards, they forget. They have their own lives. They are working their own jobs. They forget that you are on the market looking.” – Jason Gass
* Jason tells us there were a handful of friends and colleagues who were on the lookout for opportunities on his behalf.
* At the same tech event where Jason met a hiring manager that we discussed in part 1, Jason reconnected with personnel from a partner he had worked with in the past. By the next week, Jason had lunch with a hiring manager from that partner. Though there were no openings at the time, Jason highlights the unique role of partners that work with multiple vendors and customers.

* As a result of being in this position, personnel at a partner may know about open roles across many companies. In fact, Jason got a call about a possible job opportunity that originated from a partner contact while he was on vacation.


* Jason tells us there is a lost art in our industry. All of us started at a junior level and worked our way up to more senior roles, but it took help from others to get there.

* “I can map it out and pinpoint each and every person that helped me along the way in the career…. They saw something in me. They helped me. They mentored me…just taking a moment and helping out. I try to do the same thing now… We all are in the same boat. We’re all going in the same direction. Things change. Things happen. People are going to go through this, and it’s a tough situation.

“Unfortunately, your role at this company has been eliminated.” These are the words none of us want to hear, but it’s a reality many in tech are facing. What would you do if that unexpected call came tomorrow? This week’s episode is one we all need to hear.
Jason Gass returns (this time as a guest) in episode 342 to share his story of navigating a layoff. You’ll hear about Jason’s initial reaction to the news and what he did next to take action.
Listen closely to hear how Jason treated the job opportunities he was targeting like a sales pipeline to remain focused, where he looked for emotional support, the tools that helped sharpen his resume, and how nurturing and leaning on his professional network made all the difference along the way.
Original Recording Date: 08-07-2025
Topics – Jason Gass Returns, When a Phone Call Changes Everything, Sources of Support and Maintaining Connections, Emotional Balance and Job Opportunities as a Sales Pipeline, Helpful Tools in the Job Search Process, The Network Effect
2:20 – Jason Gass Returns

* Jason Gass joined us as a guest host for a series of episodes reviewing the book Finish by Jon Acuff and is back this week as a guest.

* The book series on Finish was published in episodes 272 – 275, and you can listen back to them using the link above.
* The book series idea came from Jason, and so did the idea for the discussion today.


* We wanted to take this opportunity to tell Jason’s story through the lens of layoffs across the technology industry.

* Many of our friends and colleagues in the industry have been met with unexpected job loss over the last couple of years. Jason says it’s been a journey going through this same process, and he’s here to share what worked and what didn’t work.



3:32 – When a Phone Call Changes Everything

* What type of role was Jason in before the layoff happened, and what did he like most about it?

* For about the last 5 years, Jason has worked in a sales engineering / technical pre-sales role for different technology vendors.
* As part of the role, Jason has greatly enjoyed working with both customers and partners to solve problems and improve the day-to-day lives of technology professionals. The work is dynamic, and each customer has a different problem.


* What was the day of the layoff like, and what was Jason’s immediate reaction?

* Jason was working at a company that had been previously acquired. There were changes happening, and Jason and his teammates knew they might be impacted by these changes but had no idea of when.
* Jason remembers getting a call to let him know his position was being eliminated. It was a very quick call and very formal.
* Once Jason’s phone rang that day, he knew exactly what was going to happen.
* “I was prepared as much as I could. It’s still a gut punch. Man, I can’t believe I didn’t make the cut. What’s wrong with me? Why was it me vs. somebody else?” – Jason Gass, on what goes through your mind in a layoff situation

* There was still negative self-talk despite expecting that layoffs were going to happen.


* Jason tells us he was laid off a couple of times during the 2008 financial crisis.

* “Looking back, that’s probably a good experience because I’ve gone through it once before. The one thing…I learned from that experience is these things happen, and a lot of good things happen afterwards. But it’s hard to have that lens when it first happens…. Everything emotionally hits you. All of those thoughts start going through your head….” – Jason Gass
* People who get laid off are worried about paying the bills,

What can you do to stand out as an individual contributor on a large team? The first step is seeking absolute clarity on your role, and it begins with an honest conversation between you and your manager.
Al and Leanne Elliott are back with us this week in episode 341 to continue the discussion about life in flatter organizations with larger teams. Come learn why managers need a support network to be more effective with their team, how to gain role clarity while making your manager look good, and what it means for a leader to champion their people. Pay special attention to the list of introspective questions that can help us take control in our work environment during uncertain times. You’ll also get to hear how Truth, Lies and Work has evolved its content focus over time to serve an even wider audience and what Al and Leanne have learned as content creators.
If you’ve never had a reason to watch Ted Lasso, this episode may contain a compelling reason to start. And if you’re looking for a role model for being a stand out on your team, we will introduce you to Bob during this episode.
Original Recording Date: 07-12-2025
If you missed part 1 of our discussion with Al and Leanne last week, check out Episode 340 – Task Cohesion: Managing a Larger Team in a Flatter Organization amidst a Climate of Uncertainty with Al and Leanne Elliott (1/2)
Topics – Go Ahead and Pull the Cord, Hiding the Wires, Gaining Role Clarity and Gracious Managers, Introspection Gives Us Control, Creating Content for the Chaotic World of Work

* Both Leanne Elliott and Al Elliott are back to join us for part 2 of a special discussion today. They are the hosts of Truth, Lies & Work and have each been guests on the show in the past (but never at the same time).

* To listen to the episodes featuring Al as a guest, check out:

* Episode 235 – The Best Bad Option with Al Elliott (1/2)
* Episode 236 – Having the Vision, Charting the Path, Removing the Blockers with Al Elliott (2/2)


* To listen to the episodes featuring Leanne as a guest, check out:

* Episode 237 – The Psychological Transition of Layoffs with Leanne Elliott (1/2)
* Episode 238 – Managers as Culture Keepers with Leanne Elliott (2/2)





3:05 – Go Ahead and Pull the Cord

* Nick says this sounds like the recent solo episode John recorded (Episode 334 – First Time Manager – Your Old Job Description Has Been Deleted) and fighting the urge to answer the question.

* John says that was directly from a coaching course he took as part of first-time manager training.
* It seems less efficient timewise when someone comes to you with a problem you could solve quickly. It’s more efficient in the long run to guide someone through learning how to solve the problem themselves even if it takes longer in the short term.
* Leanne says you’re building a person’s capabilities, confidence, and thinking process. This also creates a safe space for the person to ask any question.

How can managers be effective when they are expected to manage larger teams? To strengthen relationships with team members and support team cohesion, start with task cohesion.
Al and Leanne Elliott, former guests and the hosts of Truth, Lies and Work join us to explain how uncertainties in the world have impacted business owners, entrepreneurs, and people managers. In episode 340, we explore the reasons behind industry trends of layoffs, flatter organizations, and larger teams. If you’re a manager in need of help or someone seeking to lead a team, Al and Leanne Elliott have practical tips to manage well in a challenging environment.
Original Recording Date: 07-12-2025
Topics – Welcome Back Al and Leanne Elliott, Uncertainty’s Impact on Current Trends, Keeping the Entrepreneurial Spirit, Organizational Flattening, Challenges to Effective Management of Larger Teams, Management and Coaching
2:35 – Welcome Back Al and Leanne Elliott

* Both Leanne Elliott and Al Elliott are back to join us for a special discussion today. They are the hosts of Truth, Lies & Work and have each been guests on the show in the past (but never at the same time).

* To listen to the episodes featuring Al as a guest, check out:

* Episode 235 – The Best Bad Option with Al Elliott (1/2)
* Episode 236 – Having the Vision, Charting the Path, Removing the Blockers with Al Elliott (2/2)


* To listen to the episodes featuring Leanne as a guest, check out:

* Episode 237 – The Psychological Transition of Layoffs with Leanne Elliott (1/2)
* Episode 238 – Managers as Culture Keepers with Leanne Elliott (2/2)





3:13 – Uncertainty’s Impact on Current Trends

* Our discussion with Al and Leanne is to revisit themes of job uncertainty and economic uncertainty and to look at some trends we’re seeing.

* A few years ago, the job market was booming. Right now, we’re advising people in times of uncertainty. We knew Al and Leanne would have a unique perspective on this topic.


* We tend to have a US-centric view of things and may not have a global picture of economic uncertainty and job uncertainties. What perspective can Al and Leanne share in this regard?

* Leanne says in the UK uncertainty is a great way to categorize the situation. Some companies are doing layoffs, but many are taking a pause. This pause could mean lack of growth, lack investment, or a slowing of revenue. People are definitely fearful.
* Business owners in the UK are pursuing what’s called a lifestyle business – a business which provides a blend of the specific lifestyle and purpose that owners want.

* “Rapid hypergrowth is no longer the number 1 priority.” – Leanne Elliott


* Al says in the UK, upwards of 90% of people are employed by small businesses. Many people believe the labor government in the UK is not really doing the things necessary to stabilize commerce.

* “There are big businesses who are frightened as in ‘I might lose my job when a new CEO comes in,’ but the smaller businesses with say 50, 60 employees are frightened going, ‘if I don’t get this right, I’m going to lose everything and everyone’s going to lose their jobs.

Imagine getting 45 minutes to describe and defend the quantifiable impact of your body of work as an individual contributor accumulated over multiple years. It’s your job to convince a panel that you have what it takes to help solve the company’s biggest problems. Could you do it?
Our guest Daniel Paluszek has done it successfully at 2 different technology companies to become a Global Field Principal. Much of his success in these roles is attributed to a “culmination of exposure” over the course of his career and the support of both family and managers. This week in episode 339, we begin with the story of Daniel’s move to a hypergrowth startup and learn what it was like to run his own business as the company grew and changed. When an unexpected opportunity to join VMware arose, Daniel transferred his learnings to focus on business growth for service provider partners.
We also talk about the reasons Daniel pursued the role of Global Field Principal, the responsibilities of that role, and why he continues to find it interesting. After listening to this episode, we might all think differently about the importance of building a body of work. Have you been building yours? It’s not too late to begin or keep going.
Original Recording Date: 06-11-2025
Daniel Paluszek is a Principal Partner Technology Strategist at ServiceNow. If you missed parts 1 or 2 of our discussion with Daniel, check out Episode 337 – Finding Drive: The Parallels of Mentoring and Technology Partnerships with Daniel Paluszek (1/3) and Episode 338 – Steady Build: Broadening Exposure and the Priceless Perspective of People Management with Daniel Paluszek (2/3)
Topics – Leaping into Hypergrowth, A Culmination of Exposure, Pursuit of Principal and the Responsibility of Execution
3:06 – Leaping into Hypergrowth

* What did the next job transition over to SimpliVity look like? It seemed like this was a conscious move toward an up-and-coming startup and a new technology wave at the same time.

* Daniel says it was a conscious choice to move to Simplivity.
* While Cisco was somewhere that felt like home, Daniel was given the opportunity to join Simplivity when it was a startup.

* The industry was moving from 3-tier architectures with virtualization to hyperconvergence (a convergence of storage, compute, and networking in a single form factor that scaled out linearly). It was an exciting time for the industry as a whole, especially for virtualization.


* Daniel knew some of the people who had joined Simplivity.

* “I’ve never done a startup before, a hypergrowth company…. There were about 100-150 people when I joined. In that first year, I think we tripled the company in size…. It was something that was just an incredible experience.” – Daniel Paluszek
* Daniel was a pre-sales Solution Architect at SimpliVity working with both customers and partners in the southeast United States (Floride and Alabama).


* At Simplivity Daniel learned the skill of building your own business.

* He and his sales rep (also a great mentor to him) worked as one logical unit partnered together to build business. They were aligned on the priorities and focus areas.


* “Sometimes you have to take that leap of faith and try something that’s completely unknown. I was leaving a tried-and-true company…Cisco Systems is an incredible company…going to a startup that I had no idea where this was going to go…. Why wouldn’t I do this? There’s nothing but upside to try this and get...

Could a greater understanding of what people managers do make you a better individual contributor? And would it also cause you to treat your manager differently?
For Daniel Paluszek, our guest this week in episode 338, it definitely did. And though this was a short stint in Daniel’s career, he refers to that experience as priceless. This week in part 2 of the story you’ll hear about Daniel’s experience working in professional services both in pre-sales and post-sales and how he built expertise to help increasingly larger customers over time. Daniel will reflect on the lessons learned from his time as a people leader, and pay special attention to the moment when Daniel turns the microphone on John during our discussion!
We also explore the reasons why Daniel eventually chose to move back to the individual contributor side of the house. How do you think your mindset would be different when making a move like this? Listen to the full story from Daniel’s perspective.
Original Recording Date: 06-11-2025
Daniel Paluszek is a Principal Partner Technology Strategist at ServiceNow. If you missed part 1 of our discussion with Daniel, check out Episode 337 – Finding Drive: The Parallels of Mentoring and Technology Partnerships with Daniel Paluszek (1/3)
Topics – The Nuances of Professional Services, Getting to Know Service Providers, Becoming a Practice Manager, Difficult Conversations, Returning to Individual Contributor
2:46 – The Nuances of Professional Services

* It seems like Daniel would have been able to bring some of the government work he had done into conversations to help build credibility and relationships.

* Doing federal defense contracting is certainly different but provides a level of expertise that cascades to any government organization.
* When Daniel joined the partner, most of the conversations were about getting into virtualization, and the projects focused on consolidating infrastructure. Daniel had direct exposure and expertise in designing and orchestrating these kinds of projects from start to finish (design, build, migration, providing a day 2 runbook).
* Daniel had the technical expertise he needed but did not at first have the sales and consultative skills he needed. Daniel had help from mentors (his sales rep, his leadership chain, other colleagues on the professional services team) to improve in this area.


* Daniel would later join Cisco Systems doing professional services. This was around the time they launched the UCS computing platform. He had worked in in professional services for DynTek for a couple of years previous to making the move.

* Working in professional services granted opportunities to work with many customers across multiple industries. Daniel calls gaining this experience getting “at bats.”
* Working within a large professional services organization can also be challenging.

* Usually, the person who creates the scope of work for a services engagement is not the same person who will execute the statement of work.
* Something could have been scoped incorrectly or improper expectations set, for example. Daniel tells us part of the role was about overcoming these types of challenges and mitigating risks.
* “You had to work through these situations and challenges on an ongoing basis…. Not only make your customer happy (do what’s right) but also make your organization healthy from a profit and loss perspective because…companies and PS organizations, their largest cost factor is people….” – Daniel Paluszek, on life working in professional services
* Daniel tells us that a professional services organization has to balance executing well for custom...

How does one company form an effective technology partnership with another company? Our guest this week might tell you it’s not so different than a successful mentoring relationship. It requires alignment on the outcomes both parties want to achieve.
Daniel Paluszek is a Principal Partner Technology Strategist at ServiceNow, and in episode 337 he helps us set some context on technology partnerships and go-to-market strategies before we discuss his personal journey to working in technology. We’ll follow Daniel through early experience working at a university help desk, learn about how he grew in scope and responsibility working for a defense contractor, understand why he later chose to move into a consulting role, and wrap the entire discussion with advice on mentoring and the importance of effective communication.
Original Recording Date: 06-11-2025
Topics – Meet Daniel Paluszek, What Makes a Technology Partner Best of Breed, Tech Origin Story, Mentorship and Lessons in Developing Others, Communication through Presentations, A Step Toward Consulting
2:12 – Meet Daniel Paluszek

* Daniel Paluszek is a Principal Partner Technology Strategist at ServiceNow.

* He is part of a solution consulting team supporting ServiceNow’s global strategic partners. Daniel and his peers work to optimize the way in which ServiceNow and its global partners go to market together to solve customer business problems and build solutions that drive business transformation.
* On a daily basis, Daniel looks at the following:

* Where is the industry moving?
* What technology is ServiceNow developing that can apply to industry challenges?
* What are the customer pain points, and how can a joint strategy be developed to solve these?


* Daniel consistently thinks about how to solve problems, and it may not be something technical that solves a problem.

* ServiceNow has evolved from an IT ticketing platform to a work platform, and many of the things Daniel works on span beyond IT.





4:21 – What Makes a Technology Partner Best of Breed

* What does it mean to be a partner to a technology company like ServiceNow? Many listeners may not understand this.

* Daniel believes a partner can look at a customer from an agnostic point of view to help solve specific business or technical challenges.

* Partners usually work with and have a joint strategy with several equipment manufacturers (OEMs) or ISVs (independent software vendors). These can be leveraged to provide a best of breed solution that meets a customer’s requirements.


* Regardless of a partner’s experience, they should focus on solving the customer’s unique problem(s), and this means ignoring / removing the technology landscape to make sure they understand what problem needs to be solved.

* Once the problem(s) are well understood, a plan and solution can be jointly developed. Solution partners can aid companies like ServiceNow in answering customer requirements.




* John likes this explanation of the partner ecosystem and expected Daniel to use the word reseller, but he did not mention it.

* “Resell for me is a motion, a sales motion. It is not the end all or be all. There’s some great resell partners, but in my mind, in my vision, the strongest partners are the ones that encompass the entire lifecycle…. The partners that are achieving and acquiring the new business look at it from a holistic approach…not just selling a product.” – Daniel Paluszek
* Executive leaders like Bill McDermott talk about empowering businesses to increase revenue and productivity while reducing operational expense,

Looking back on one’s career, it might be easy to connect the dots between job roles you held in the past, but what can we really do to influence where the dots are placed in the future? Srikanth Bollavaram took an approach that pulled opportunities in his direction. What if you could do the same?
This week in episode 336, we continue the discussion with Srikanth and focus on his consistent openness to taking different roles across various areas, many of which came to him at the suggestion of leaders who knew his reputation, skills, and capabilities. In the cases where a new role pushed Srikanth out of his comfort zone, personal growth and more opportunities always followed. It suited his desire to keep learning. Srikanth found over time that leadership isn’t a specific title or role. It’s a responsibility you have that could be an aspect of many roles. Srikanth also stresses the importance of defining your non-negotiables like self-care and family as a leader to help manage time constraints.
Original Recording Date: 03-30-2025
Srikanth Bollavaram is a product development leader with experience spanning the financial, railroad, and consumer packaged goods industries. If you missed part 1 of our discussion with Srikanth, check out Episode 335.
Topics – Gaining Experience along the Path Less Traveled, Connecting the Dots Backwards, Leadership as a Responsibility, Time Constraints and Non-negotiables

* Before we begin, did you do the homework we assigned last week? If not, we highly recommend you go back and listen to this episode before listening to part 2 of Srikanth’s story – Episode 325 – Overwhelmed by Ambiguity: DevOps, Innovation, and the Search for Clarity with Daniel Lemire (3/4).

3:18 – Gaining Experience along the Path Less Traveled

* Was it normal for people who were brought in for roles like the one Srikanth had to have or be very interested in both business and technology operations and the marrying of the two? We would probably classify this type of role as operational technology today.

* When Srikanth first started working for the railroad, he began working on the digitization of the customer interactions. He did not go directly to the operational side.
* “First, you have to gain some credibility in whatever you do. It doesn’t matter what that work is.” – Srikanth Bollavaram
* In those days, customers might call, fax, or e-mail the railroad. Srikanth’s role was to digitize all customer interactions end-to-end. This included building, tracking, tracing, payments, and more.
* After working on the digitization for a couple of years, Srikanth started noticing several other interesting projects. The work on control systems he mentioned earlier was the result of the opportunities given to him over time.
* “A lot of times it’s not me seeking. This is actually a very repeated pattern in my career. People identified me as a potential candidate…and then pulled me into those roles, whether it’s an architect role or even a principal engineer role…. The leaders in the company identified me as a potential candidate and just started giving me those opportunities.” – Srikanth Bollavaram
* The control systems were part of a project for the railroad’s dispatch center, which orchestrated all switches, signals, and communication to locomotives. At the time Srikanth was selected for this project, it was not going very well, and it was not considered a good move to take on the role.
* Srikanth tells us he likes to choose the “path less traveled” to see wha...

How honest should we be in job interview situations when it comes to what we don’t know? Srikanth Bollavaram, our guest in episode 335, would encourage transparency in these situations, but we should also find a way to communicate what our capabilities are and our potential to meet the challenges of a role.
Srikanth is a product development leader with experience spanning the financial, railroad, and consumer packaged goods industries. His story showcases stepping beyond building systems to become a well-rounded leader capable of driving real business impact. Listen closely to the story of an unexpected job assignment in Switzerland that jumpstarted Srikanth’s embrace of industry expertise.
Pay special attention during this interview to learn from Srikanth’s experience:

* Supplementing technical skills with business acumen and continued education
* Embracing the mindset that every challenge is an opportunity, even if it doesn’t seem that way at first
* Explaining complex concepts through the lens of practicality to stand out as a job candidate

Original Recording Date: 03-30-2025
Topics – Meet Srikanth Bollavaram, Practical Approaches to Mechanical Engineering and Computer Science, Relocation and Experience as a Consultant, Execution and Delivery, Continued Education and a Step Beyond Building Systems, End-to-End Solutions in the Railroad Industry
2:13 – Meet Srikanth Bollavaram

* Srikanth Bollavaram leads a product development organization for a global consumer packaged goods (or CPG) company. His organization is currently focused on building a product for a major business transformation.
* Srikanth is originally from India but had the opportunity to relocate a couple of different times beginning early in his career. Srikanth relocated first to Switzerland to work in the financial industry and then later to the US. Today Srikanth and his family reside in Dallas, Texas.

2:54 – Practical Approaches to Mechanical Engineering and Computer Science

* Growing up in India, Srikanth wanted to be an engineer. He was curious about how to build things and how things worked. But at that time there was a general expectation to become either a doctor or an engineer.

* After being unable to dissect a frog in middle school, Srikanth realized his path was engineering.
* When you want to be an engineer in India, you have to pass a test similar to the SAT. Based on overall rank, students in the top 1% get to choose their major. Most pursuing higher education would go to either a government school or a private college.
* Srikanth had only a couple of minutes with a counselor to choose between pursuing mechanical engineering at a top state school or attending a private college to focus on computer science. At the time, Srikanth chose mechanical engineering because he had always wanted to go to the school where this program was offered.
* While he did like mechanical engineering, Srikanth wanted to be a computer science engineer as well. Many of his courses for mechanical engineering were computer courses, and he focused on the practical uses of computer science for mechanical engineering tasks.


* John mentions listeners might not know that the test and ranking Srikanth mentioned in India is nation-wide. Universities might differ on the requirements for entry based on your ranking.

* Srikanth mentioned there was a state-level test in addition to the nationwide test, and based on your ranking you get a choice of major. But you don’t know which major you will get into until you go to counseling.
* When Srikanth graduated there were not many national or state-wide engineering colleges. Now there is a quite a bit of choice for students in India.

Imagine developing a set of skills that enables you to get a management job, only to find you have to throw away the entire toolkit that made you successful. This is the jarring reality for many new managers, a career change that is less of a step up and more of a step over into a completely different profession. This week in episode 334, John White flies solo to share a candid teardown of his first two and a half years as a first-time manager. He unpacks the great “unspoken skill swap” required to transition from a top individual contributor to an effective leader. Drawing from his own journey and advice from past guests, John offers a realistic preview of a manager’s daily reality, covering the jarring shifts in responsibility from doing the work to setting the context, from having the answers to finding the resources, and from individual achievement to enabling the success of others.
Original Recording Date: 06-29-2025
Topics – The IC-to-Manager Skill Swap, From “Do-er” to “Enabler”, Navigating Organizational Dynamics, Proactive Preparation for Management
1:01 – Your Job Description Has Been Deleted

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Imagine the skills that you had to develop in order to stand out as an individual contributor.

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Imagine that the managerial job that you get as a result uses almost none of those skills in your day to day

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Join John on a reflective journey on the realities of becoming a first-time manager.


3:25 – The Teardown – Learning the New Job Description
Teardown 1 – From “Doing the Work” to “Setting the Context”

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The first jarring skill swap is moving from being the best individual doer to someone who communicates strategy and ensures operational smoothness for the team.

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John recounts his initial instinct as a new manager to immediately re-engineer his team’s reporting process.

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He recognized this as the wrong move, an attempt to act as the head practitioner rather than the manager.

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He advises new managers to adopt an “Imitation before Variation before Innovation” framework.

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Your first job is not to innovate but to create clarity and stability. You must first crawl by understanding why things are done the current way, then walk by making small tweaks, and only run with a major overhaul once you have a deep understanding of the context and have built trust.


7:20 Teardown 2 – From “Finding the Answer” to “Finding the Resources”

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As a manager, your value no longer comes from having all the technical answers yourself, but from ensuring your team has the tools and connections they need.

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John shares his experience of becoming a manager at a new company for a product he had never been a sales engineer for.

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He knew he would never be the top technical expert on the team.

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His instinct was to dive deep into the technology and certifications, but he realized his true job was to unblock his team.

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The key shift in mindset is asking “Who knows the answer?” instead of “What’s the answer?”

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A new manager must learn to tap into the team’s collective knowledge, relying on tenured members and peers to draw organizational maps that reveal where to go for help and how to solve problems.


11:02 Teardown 3 – From “Individual Contributor” to “Organizational Politician”

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A skill that is often celebrated in an individual contributor—fearlessly asking challenging questions to find the best idea—can be detrimental for a manager.

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The new job requires managing up and sideways to protect the team and secure resources, which involves navigating a complex political ecosystem.

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This week in episode 333 John flies solo in a discussion of using AI to help generate high-quality career documentation.
Original Recording Date: 06-23-2025
Topics – Refresh LinkedIn, Rewrite Your Resume, Outline a Blog Post, with AI as a Career Co-Pilot
01:03 – Introduction

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This episode provides tactical advice for technology professionals on how to level up their career documents, such as resumes and LinkedIn profiles, by using Generative AI as a “thought partner.”

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The goal is to improve career resilience in times of economic uncertainty.

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2:03 The core philosophy presented is that when using AI, you must be the “thought leader,” and the AI should serve as your “thought partner.” This model, first encountered by the host in Geoff Woods’ book The AI Driven Leader, ensures you retain control over your career narrative and authentic voice.


2:35 – Act 1: The Philosophy

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3:00 The roles in this partnership are clearly defined. As the thought leader, your job is to set strategy, own the message, provide the raw material (your experiences), and make final decisions. The AI’s job, as the thought partner, is to help brainstorm, suggest angles, challenge assumptions, structure thoughts, and rephrase sentences.

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4:26 A key warning is that recruiters and hiring managers are becoming adept at spotting low-effort, inauthentic “AI slop.” An imperfect but authentic resume or performance review is considered far more valuable than a generic, AI-generated one. You can’t blame the AI for mistakes; you are ultimately responsible.


4:50 – Act 2: The Playbook

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To get consistent, high-quality results from AI, John introduces a five-step method detailed in his blog post, Wielding the AI Chainsaw, a Starter Technique Toolkit. This process is designed to move from a simple request to a collaborative and structured session.

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Step 1: Persona Prompting: Tell the AI who it should act as (e.g., a career coach, a skeptical engineer).

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Step 2: Knowledge Generation: Have the AI pull foundational facts or frameworks relevant to your task before you begin.

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Step 3: Task Specificity & Interactive Context Building: Give the AI a specific goal and instruct it to ask you clarifying questions to get the context it needs.

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Step 4: Scaffolding: Provide the AI with a precise structure for its output.

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Step 5: Reflection: Ask the AI to critique its own work based on your goals.


7:07 Workflow 1: LinkedIn Profile

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The discussion details how to apply the five-step process to improve your LinkedIn “About” section.

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Starting with your own messy first draft, you guide the AI by assigning it the persona of a senior technical recruiter (Step 1),

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asking it for the critical elements of a great profile (Step 2),

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having it ask you questions about your draft (Step 3),

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requesting specific outputs like opening hooks and keywords (Step 4),

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and having it review its suggestions for tone and authenticity (Step 5).


11:44 Workflow 2: Resume or Self-Assessment

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This workflow demonstrates using the five steps to refine accomplishment descriptions. *

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The process involves assigning the AI a career coach persona (Step 1) and

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using the STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) method as the foundational framework (Step 2).

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You provide a project description and a relevant job description, then have the AI ask questions to align your project ...

What is the true measure of a leader's success? For Erin O'Quinn, Director of Customer Advocacy, it's a fundamental shift in perspective summarized by a simple yet powerful mantra: "My delivery is their delivery."

In this episode, Erin shares her journey from manager to director and the crucial mindset changes required to grow. She details why a leader's primary role isn't to be the expert, but to trust, delegate, and clear the landmines so their team can own their work and excel.

Listeners will also get a masterclass in the strategic difference between a project (a task with an end) and a program (a factory that keeps running). Erin breaks down how to build powerful, mutually beneficial customer advocacy programs and offers a candid perspective on navigating the microaggressions and unique challenges faced by women in tech, emphasizing the critical role of allyship.

This conversation is packed with actionable advice for tech professionals on empowering others, fostering career growth for your team, and transforming your own definition of success as a leader.