Speaking
I talk about data, leadership, and the people side of building technical teams.
I've presented and spoken to engineering organizations, at team offsites, and on stage covering topics that span genre but coalesce on universal values like empowerment, enablement, and experimentation. In leadership talks, I focus on engaging the whole person and building collaboration across teams at all levels.
Topics
Engaging the whole person in leadership Leaders who meet their team where they are at, acknowledge each individual's challenges, and empower success will unlock the best work of their career. I have taken leaders through a practical guide to engaging with the innate superpowers that lie behind a unique challenge for each member of their team. This is the kind of leadership that unlocks velocity, promotes innovation, and drives employee retention.
Data purpose for humans There is a sense of purpose in data engineering that doesn't get the same PR razzle-dazzle that Data Science and Analytics do, but it is the foundation of all data work. Enabling engineers to see the real purpose and value of data takes the conversation from tactical to strategic to philosophical, and back again, offering a kind of enlightenment in the process. And an enlightened engineer never loses focus, even with an ever-shifting roadmap.
The translation problem The translation problem is a collaboration problem that can leave any organization stuck in the mud while teams build animosity against one another. While these seem like separate challenges, they share a common root. Understanding the nuanced interactions at the core of this problem will empower teams to speak the same language and collaborate effectively to get out of the mud and back to building bridges.
Distance vs detail Executives see further than anyone else in the company. Individual Contributors (ICs) see more detail. And ICs on different teams across different parts of the organization see entirely different details. No amount of leadership training enables executives to translate details from one team to another. Organizations need to build mycelial networks of communication to overcome their most persistent challenges.
Let's talk
If you're putting together a conference, an offsite, or a fireside chat and want someone who won't read slides at the audience, I'd love to hear about it.