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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.
