Kathryn Vandiver, a global engineering leader with over 30 years of experience, shares her expertise on leading through significant organizational changes. She discusses the challenges of transitioning from an individual contributor to an engineering manager, emphasizing team dynamics and empathy. Kathryn highlights the importance of building trust and fostering collaboration, especially during mergers and acquisitions. She offers actionable tools for creating collective agreements and enhancing communication, ultimately guiding teams towards innovative outcomes.

James Birchler, an engineering and product development guru with a knack for coaching, shares insights on the four modes of coaching and how to navigate career growth amid company changes. He highlights the importance of trust and communication for engineering leaders, explaining why people challenges often outweigh technical ones. James discusses the distinction between coaching and mentoring, the significance of storytelling in leadership, and how past experiences shape current roles. His unique journey underscores the value of self-awareness and community in fostering career advancement.

Natalie Glance, Chief Engineering Officer at Duolingo, shares her passion for mentorship and effective leadership. She discusses how Duolingo nurtures talent through structured onboarding and internship programs, highlighting the importance of early support and tailored projects. Natalie emphasizes the significance of clear communication in leadership and the balance between meaningful work and measurable impact. She also explores strategies for developing engineering leaders, ensuring continuous growth and alignment within teams.

Rong Yan, the CTO of HeyGen, brings nearly 20 years of experience from tech giants like IBM and Facebook. In this discussion, he delves into the transformative potential of interactive AI avatars for leadership and team dynamics. Rong emphasizes building an AI-first company, highlighting the balance between speed and quality in engineering. He shares insights on maximizing team productivity by investing in top performers and fostering a culture of responsibility. Additionally, he explores the evolving role of leaders in AI-driven environments, encouraging continuous growth and adaptation.

In this engaging discussion, Rajashree Pimpalkhare, VP of Engineering at Twilio and a champion for women in tech, shares her insights on redefining the engineering role in business. She emphasizes the need for engineering leaders to find their seat at the table and foster creativity across teams. Rajashree discusses shifting from a 'no, but' to a 'yes, and' mindset for problem-solving and highlights strategies to combat learned helplessness in organizations. The conversation also touches on the transformative potential of generative AI and the importance of clear communication in complex topics.

Gokul Rajaram, an early-stage technology investor and former executive at companies like DoorDash and Block, shares insights on how engineering leaders can drive business success. He discusses connecting customer outcomes to financial metrics and shifting from feature-driven to customer-centric strategies. Gokul also introduces the ICE framework for idea prioritization and emphasizes the importance of data analytics and stable team structures in engineering. He highlights personal productivity tips and the role of inspiration in motivating teams.

Ryan Fox, CTO at Super.com and former SWE at Google, shares insights from his leadership transition from VP of Engineering to CTO. He emphasizes the importance of a 'not do' list for prioritizing responsibilities and aligning team outcomes with company goals. Ryan discusses effective coaching strategies for department heads and the significance of situational leadership in engineering management. He also dives into the benefits of mission-aligned teams, highlighting their role in enhancing collaboration and accountability within organizations.

Nick Hurlburt, Executive Director of the Aselo program at Tech Matters; Manju Abraham, VP of Engineering at HPE; and Bhupesh Bansal, Head of Engineering at Square, share their insights live from ELC Annual 2024. They discuss transformative leadership lessons, highlighting the importance of collaboration and trust. Tips for newcomers at conferences are revealed, emphasizing networking for personal growth. The trio also explores strategies for navigating organizational change and the significance of community support in fostering professional development.

Joining the conversation are Scott Swedberg, CEO of The Job Sauce, and Eric Fettner, its Co-founder, both experts in high-touch recruitment for startups. Lawrence Bruhmuller, SVP at Great Expectations, shares his insights from engineering leadership. They discuss navigating career growth amid a flat organizational structure and the impact of AI on roles. The trio highlights the importance of effective partnerships between engineering teams and hiring managers. They also stress maintaining an organization's engineering culture and innovating recruitment practices to refine hiring outcomes.

Ali Littman, VP of Engineering at Modern Health, shares her expertise on scaling organizations. Tarik Kilick, an engineering leader at Booking.com, dives into the art of winning buy-in from senior leaders. Mehmet Sencer Kardayi, CTO at Dexter Energy, emphasizes the importance of emotional regulation in tough conversations. Liz Sink, Director of Engineering at Amount, discusses building psychological safety within teams. Together, they highlight strategies for fostering community connections and the vital role of curiosity in leadership.