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Adrian Stanek is a seasoned CTO and leadership mentor known for his practical insights on leading teams effectively.

In this episode, you're going to learn the four key traits that make a leader worth following, how to use credibility and vision to lead effectively, why dictating deadlines is a sign of poor leadership, how to handle resistance within a team, and the surprising reason why great leaders focus on enabling their teams rather than commanding them.

Adrian Stanek is a veteran CTO with a 24-year track record in the tech industry, specializing in elevating SMBs and startups. His 15-year tenure as a strategic leader has been marked by cultivating modern engineering cultures and guiding companies into Cloud-Native practices. A mentor, senior consultant, speaker, and newsletter author, Adrian is a driving force in tech, passionate about continuous learning and the power of DevOps.

Timestamps:

[03:05] Adrian’s journey to becoming a leader

[04:15] Why leadership roles often catch people by surprise

[05:45] The biggest mistake new leaders make

[07:10] The importance of learning from your team

[08:30] How to recognize poor leadership habits

[10:05] Why IT leadership structures are changing

[11:30] The ideal team size for effective leadership

[12:45] Balancing different leadership styles in teams

[14:00] The challenges of managing hybrid and remote teams

[15:20] How to spot when leadership is failing

[17:00] Understanding the role of deadlines in leadership

[18:45] Why leaders should focus on removing roadblocks

[20:30] The difference between managing and leading

[22:15] Dealing with dominant personalities in teams

[24:00] Why strong personalities can benefit a team

[25:40] How to create a positive team culture

[27:05] Using credibility to build trust as a leader

[28:45] Why role modelling is essential in leadership

[30:20] How a clear vision motivates teams

[31:55] The storytelling framework for leaders

[33:15] Why leadership is about enabling others

[34:40] Challenges leaders face with resistance

[36:10] How to turn resistance into momentum

[37:55] Why leadership must be consistent

[39:30] The role of intrinsic motivation in team success

[41:05] How to balance technical and leadership responsibilities

[42:40] When to shift fully into a leadership role

[44:15] Why CTOs must bridge business and technology gaps

[46:00] The importance of aligning with your vision

[47:30] How to create meaningful challenges for your team

[49:10] Why effective leaders always prioritize clarity

[51:00] Adrian’s advice for new CTOs

Discover all of Adrian’s offerings by clicking here.

Resources Mentioned:

snackableCTO | Substack

snackableCast | Spotify or Apple

Find more from Adam on LinkedIn and YouTube and check out Adam's CTO coaching company Synova Tech.

September 26, 2025

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